καρδία (kardia)
kardia
heart
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 153 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
In the New Testament, kardia refers to more than a physical organ; it is the central focus of human existence. The sources describe it as the seat where rational thought, emotion, and will converge. This makes it the true center of personal life, determining a person’s moral and religious condition rather than their outward appearance.
This inner reality stands in sharp contrast to external actions. Jesus highlights this distinction when he criticizes those who honor God with their lips while their hearts are far from him (Mark 7:6). The word captures the hidden depths of the soul, where intentions are formed and character is shaped, as seen in Matthew 5:8.
Its usage extends to describe both spiritual vitality and hardness. Passages like Luke 1:46-47 depict Mary’s spirit rejoicing and her heart magnifying the Lord, while other texts warn of a heart that has become callous or stubborn (John 12:40). Translators typically render it simply as "heart," preserving its role as the core of human identity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we speak of the heart in Scripture, we are talking about the very center of who we are. It is not just a feeling or an emotion, but the place where our thoughts, choices, and deepest desires meet. The Bible invites us to look inward, recognizing that our outer actions flow from this hidden inner reality. This means that true change begins with a shift in what we value and how we think, rather than just changing what we do on the surface.
Jesus often pointed to this inner life as the key to our relationship with God. He taught that loving God requires our whole heart, not just polite words or public rituals. When our hearts are aligned with truth and love, our lives naturally reflect that peace. This offers a hopeful path for growth: by focusing on purity and sincerity within, we find a stability that external circumstances cannot shake.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 153 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- heart75×
- hearts45×
- of heart8×
- heart,5×
- in heart,3×
- heart;3×
- a heart3×
- hearts,2×
- [the] hearts2×
- the heart1×
- of his heart1×
- of hearts1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καρδίας55×
- καρδίᾳ29×
- καρδίαις22×
- καρδίαν15×
- καρδία15×
- καρδίᾳ,4×
- καρδίας,3×
- καρδιῶν3×
- καρδίαν,2×
- καρδίαι2×
- καρδία·2×
- καρδία,2×
Key Verses
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Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
This verse links inner moral purity directly to the spiritual privilege of seeing God.
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Matthew 6:21
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Here the heart is shown as a compass that follows our deepest values and treasures.
-
Mark 7:6
He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Jesus uses this occurrence to highlight the danger of worship that lacks genuine inner devotion.
-
Matthew 12:34
You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
This passage explains how our speech is a direct reflection of what fills our hearts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Greek word kardia mean in the New Testament?
How is kardia different from modern ideas of just 'feelings'?
Why does Jesus focus so much on the heart in his teachings?
Every Occurrence (153 verses across 22 books)
Matthew 16 verses
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:28but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his…
Matthew 6:21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 9:4Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Matthew 11:29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 12:34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth…
Matthew 12:35The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil…
Matthew 12:40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and…
Matthew 13:15for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else…
Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which…
Matthew 15:8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
Matthew 18:35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Matthew 24:48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’