διαλογισμός (dialogismos)
dialogismos
reasoning
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun dialogismos refers to inward reasoning or the process of thinking something through. It appears fourteen times in the New Testament, with a notable concentration in the Gospel of Luke and letters like Romans and Philippians. Rather than describing simple ideas, it captures the internal dialogue that leads to judgment, doubt, or design.
This word often carries a negative weight, highlighting thoughts that lead astray. Jesus uses it to describe evil intentions rising from the heart (Mark 7:21), while Luke records him questioning the reasoning of those who doubted his resurrection (Luke 24:38). In Romans 1:21, Paul links these inward debates to a failure to honor God, suggesting that unchecked internal argumentation can obscure truth.
Its root lies in the verb for talking together or debating. This etymology explains why it sometimes implies disputing or arguing with oneself. Translators often render it as "reasoning" or "thoughts," but the term specifically points to the active mental process of deliberation, whether that leads to wisdom or to harmful doubt.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dialogismos describes the internal reasoning that often pulls us away from peace. It captures those quiet debates in our minds where doubt, judgment, or self-interest take root. We see this when Jesus asks why people reason evil thoughts in their hearts, or when Paul notes how vanity darkens the mind when it refuses to honor God. These inner arguments can obscure the truth we need most.
Yet this awareness is not meant to condemn you but to free you. When you notice these patterns of reasoning, you have an opportunity to pause and invite clarity. Instead of letting internal disputes drive your actions, you can choose trust. This shift brings relief, allowing your heart to rest in God’s steady presence rather than chasing the noise of your own doubts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- thoughts4×
- with thoughts1×
- thinking1×
- reasonings1×
- reasoning1×
- on reasonings.1×
- doubts1×
- dissension;1×
- disputings,1×
- an argument1×
- [the] thoughts.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- διαλογισμοὺς3×
- διαλογισμοὶ3×
- διαλογισμῶν.1×
- διαλογισμῶν,1×
- διαλογισμῶν1×
- διαλογισμὸς1×
- διαλογισμὸν1×
- διαλογισμοῦ·1×
- διαλογισμοῖς1×
- διαλογισμοί.¶1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 5:22
But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?
Jesus directly challenges the internal reasoning of his critics, showing that hidden thoughts are visible to him and subject to his correction.
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Romans 1:21
Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
Paul links vain reasoning to a darkened heart, illustrating how unchecked internal debate can lead people away from giving thanks to God.
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Mark 7:21
For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
Jesus identifies evil thoughts as originating from within the heart, highlighting dialogismos as the source of outward moral failure.