σύνοιδα

I know, consider, am privy to

Definition

The verb σύνοιδα (synoida) means 'to know together with' or 'to be privy to,' often implying shared or internal knowledge. In its four New Testament occurrences, it primarily denotes personal awareness or conscience, as in 1 Corinthians 4:4, where Paul states, 'I know nothing against myself' (i.e., my conscience is clear). In Acts 5:2, it describes Ananias and Sapphira keeping back part of the proceeds 'with his wife's knowledge,' indicating shared, complicit awareness. In Acts 12:12 and 14:6, it simply refers to knowing a fact or a person's identity.

Biblical Usage

This verb appears only four times, all in narrative contexts (Acts) and one Pauline epistle (1 Corinthians). In Acts, it is used for factual knowledge (Acts 12:12, 14:6) and for shared, secret knowledge in a negative context (Acts 5:2). Paul uses it reflexively in 1 Corinthians 4:4 to speak of his personal conscience and self-awareness before God, which is its most theologically significant usage.

Etymology

From σύν (syn, meaning 'with' or 'together') and the root of οἶδα (oida, meaning 'to know'). It literally means 'to know with,' suggesting knowledge held jointly or internally. It is related to the noun συνείδησις (syneidēsis, G4893), meaning 'conscience,' which develops from this idea of inner, shared knowledge.

Semantic Range

This word is key for understanding the biblical concept of conscience. In 1 Corinthians 4:4, Paul distinguishes between human self-awareness (σύνοιδα) and the Lord's ultimate judgment. It highlights that while a clear conscience is valuable, it is not the final arbiter of righteousness—only God is. This enriches reading by showing the tension between internal conviction and divine perspective.

In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of an internal moral witness or shared secret knowledge was familiar. The word's use in Acts 5:2 for covert collusion taps into cultural understandings of honor, shame, and secrecy within community relationships.

οἶδα (oida, G1492) — a more general term for knowing or understanding, without the 'shared' or 'internal' connotation. γινώσκω (ginōskō, G1097) — often implies knowledge gained through experience or relationship. συνείδησις (syneidēsis, G4893) — the noun 'conscience,' the faculty derived from this internal knowing.

Word Details

Scripture References