"to perceive, observe; to mark attentively, Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Tim. 2:7; to understand, comprehend, Mt. 15:17; to conceive, Eph. 3:20"
Definition and meaning
to perceive, observe; to mark attentively, Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Tim. 2:7; to understand, comprehend, Mt. 15:17; to conceive, Eph. 3:20
In the original Greek the word is written: νοέω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of noeo (G3539) across the King James Bible.
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,(whoso readeth, let him understand:)
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not,(let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
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Common questions
Strong's G3539 (noeo) is a Greek word that means: to perceive, observe; to mark attentively, Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Tim. 2:7; to understand, comprehend, Mt. 15:17; to conceive, Eph. 3:20 It appears 14 times in the King James Bible.
The word noeo (G3539) appears 14 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3539 is noeo, a Greek word defined as: to perceive, observe; to mark attentively, Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Tim. 2:7; to understand, comprehend, Mt. 15:17; to conceive, Eph. 3:20. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
noeo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.