What does ἀνάγνωσις (anágnōsis) mean in the Bible?
G320 is the noun for reading or the act of reading. Context supplies whether the reading is private, communal, or explicitly part of a gathered setting.
Greek · G320
ἀνάγνωσις
(The act of) reading
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ἀνάγνωσις G320
Pronunciation anágnōsis
What does ἀνάγνωσις (anágnōsis) mean in the Bible?
G320 is the noun for reading or the act of reading. Context supplies whether the reading is private, communal, or explicitly part of a gathered setting.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀνάγνωσις (G320) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G320?
The BSB source-word alignment has 3 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include reading (2), public reading of Scripture (1).
Where does ἀνάγνωσις (anágnōsis) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 13:15. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Timothy (1), 2 Corinthians (1), Acts (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G320 is the noun for reading or the act of reading. Context supplies whether the reading is private, communal, or explicitly part of a gathered setting. Acts 13:15 places the reading of the Law and the Prophets in a synagogue gathering before an invitation to exhort the people. Second Corinthians 3:14 speaks of the old covenant being read within Paul's veil-and-unveiling argument; the point is not a defect in reading itself but the veil removed in Christ.
First Timothy 4:13 directs Timothy to devote himself to the reading, exhortation, and teaching until Paul comes. In that church-order setting, 'public reading' is a fitting translation, but the noun alone does not establish every detail of a worship service. Together the passages show Scripture heard and explained among God's people while keeping Christ-centered understanding, exhortation, and teaching distinct.
source_lexicon
How the Bible Uses It
The three local uses place reading in a synagogue gathering, Paul's argument about hearing the old covenant, and Timothy's ordered ministry of reading, exhortation, and teaching.
- Acts.13.15
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
The reading of the Law and Prophets gives way to exhortation in the synagogue setting.
- 2Cor.3.14
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
Paul refers to the reading of the old covenant in a discussion of unveiled understanding in Christ.
- 1Tim.4.13
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
Timothy is to devote himself to public reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It reading 2× Acts 13:15, 2 Corinthians 3:14
public reading of Scripture 1× 1 Timothy 4:13
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Acts 13:15
Aligned rows 3
Books represented 3
Acts 1 2 Corinthians 1 1 Timothy 1
Source forms
ἀναγνώσει 2x anagnōsei 2 Corinthians 3:14, 1 Timothy 4:13
ἀνάγνωσιν 1x anagnōsin Acts 13:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular 2x 2 Corinthians 3:14, 1 Timothy 4:13
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 1x Acts 13:15
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Let Scripture be heard clearly, then keep reading joined to Christ-centered understanding, faithful exhortation, sound teaching, and the minister's own life.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim G320 alone prescribes every detail of a church's public reading practice.
- Do not claim every occurrence carries the same emphasis or application.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Public liturgical reading of Scripture aloud in worship, distinct from private study or silent reading.
Strong's G320
Lexical occurrences 3 verses Greek text appearances 3 times Word forms 2 forms 3 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
(the act of) reading
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Public liturgical reading of Scripture aloud in worship, distinct from private study or silent reading.
1recognition (Hdt.).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
3 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Acts 13:15 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀνάγνωσιν anagnwsin
reading
Read verse 2 Corinthians 3:14 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἀναγνώσει anagnwsei
reading
Read verse 1 Timothy 4:13 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἀναγνώσει, anagnwsei
reading
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 2 Aligned forms 3 Case pattern Dative (2) Number pattern Singular (3)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Dative · Singular · Feminine 2 Cor 3:14 · 1 Tim 4:13 2×
Accusative · Singular · Feminine Acts 13:15 1×
Word Origins
ἀνάγνωσις is built from this root:
For the Preacher and Teacher
Start with First Timothy 4:13 and keep the three coordinated ministries visible: reading, exhortation, and teaching. The text supports giving Scripture an audible and sustained place in the church, but it does not authorize neglect of explanation, application, character, or pastoral oversight. Acts 13 provides a synagogue example in which reading is followed by a word of encouragement. Second Corinthians 3 adds the indispensable christological caution that exposure to the old-covenant text and transformed understanding are not identical.
For churches, this supports prepared, intelligible reading rather than treating the biblical text as a transition to the sermon. It also resists making performance, dramatic delivery, or a particular liturgical order the measure of faithfulness. The minister's task is to let the text be heard clearly, then exhort and teach under its authority while depending on the Lord who removes the veil.
Anchor passage
1Tim.4.13
Doctrinal connections
- Acts 13:15 places the reading of the Law and Prophets before the synagogue leaders invite a word of encouragement.
- Second Corinthians 3:14 warns that reading the old covenant does not by itself remove the veil; Paul locates unveiling in Christ.
- First Timothy 4:13 coordinates reading, exhortation, and teaching without treating the three tasks as interchangeable.
- First Timothy 4:14 keeps public ministry joined to Timothy's received gift rather than reducing faithfulness to technique.
- First Timothy 4:15 calls for visible progress, placing reading and teaching within disciplined ministerial growth.
- First Timothy 4:16 joins perseverance in life and doctrine to the saving good of both minister and hearers.
The noun names reading or the act of reading. Acts 13 explicitly supplies a gathered synagogue setting, and First Timothy's ministry context supports the translation 'public reading.' Second Corinthians 3:14 shows that the noun itself does not always encode a complete liturgical setting. Context, not the compound's parts or an English gloss alone, determines the force.
From Old to New Testament
Acts 13 names the Law and the Prophets as the texts read in the synagogue, connecting the practice to Israel's received Scriptures. Nehemiah 8 provides a broader canonical example of the book being read and its sense made clear, but it should illuminate rather than be treated as the direct lexical source for every New Testament use.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain