ἴσημι (isēmi)
isēmi
to know
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb isēmi means to know, see, or understand. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 15:8, where Peter describes how God gave witness to the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit. The lexicon data notes that it occurs here as a perfect tense verb with a present meaning, emphasizing a state of knowledge rather than a single past act.
Its etymology is somewhat obscure, though some scholars assume it may be related to the irregular forms of the common verb for knowing, ginōskō (G1492). This connection suggests it carries a similar weight of cognitive awareness but perhaps with a distinct nuance of perception or insight. Because it is so rare, its specific flavor is hard to pin down against more common synonyms.
Translators typically render it simply as "knew" in Acts 15:8, focusing on God’s intimate awareness of the hearts of the believers. The usage highlights that divine knowledge is not merely intellectual but involves a deep, perceptive understanding of human character and faith.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we encounter rare words in Scripture, they often highlight a specific nuance of God's character that common language might miss. The word isēmi appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 15:8. Here, it describes how God knew the hearts of the Gentile believers. This is not just intellectual data; it is a deep, perceptive understanding of who they truly are and their faith.
This reminds us that God sees us completely. He does not just observe our actions but understands the motives and desires within our hearts. In moments of uncertainty or when we feel misunderstood by others, we can find comfort in this divine awareness. God’s knowledge is intimate and thorough, offering a sense of being truly seen and accepted.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- know1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἴσασιν1×