Lexical Summary asunetos: Foolish, senseless, without understanding Original Word: ἀσύνετος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance foolish, without understanding. From a (as a negative particle) and sunetos; unintelligent; by implication, wicked -- foolish, without understanding. see GREEK a see GREEK sunetos HELPS Word-studies 801 asýnetos (from 1 /A "not" and 4908 /synetós, "synthesized understanding") – properly, without comprehension; foolish because incoherent (failing to "put facts together"). 801 /asýnetos ("lacking synthesis") describes a person failing to structure information in a meaningful way, and therefore unable to reach necessary conclusions. This person is illogical because unwilling to use good reason. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and sunetos Definition without understanding NASB Translation foolish (1), lacking in understanding (2), without understanding (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 801: ἀσύνετοςἀσύνετος, ἀσύνετον, unintelligent, without understanding: Matthew 15:16; Mark 7:18; stupid: Romans 1:21; Romans 10:19. In imitation of the Hebrew נָבָל, ungodly (Wis. 1:5; Sir. 15:7f (cf. ἀσυνέτειν, Psalm 118:158 Topical Lexicon Lexical Range and Moral Texture The word points not merely to cognitive deficiency but to a culpable dullness that refuses the light God freely gives. It describes a heart where intellect and will collude in resistance, so that lack of perception becomes a moral condition rather than a mental limitation. Occurrences in Scripture Matthew 15:16 and Mark 7:18 show Jesus addressing the disciples’ slowness: “Are you still so dull?”. His question exposes the distance between witnessing divine works and grasping their meaning. Romans 1:21 portrays pagan humanity: “Their senseless hearts were darkened.” Here spiritual obtuseness escalates into idolatry. Romans 1:31 (“senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless”) lists the term among vices that flourish once truth is suppressed. Romans 10:19 cites Deuteronomy to warn Israel that God will provoke them “to jealousy by a nation without understanding,” spotlighting how spiritual blindness may mark both Jew and Gentile. Old Testament Resonance While the exact Greek term does not appear in the Hebrew Bible, its idea pervades Proverbs—“How long will fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22). Septuagint translators often chose cognate roots to capture Hebrew ‘kesil’ (fool) and ‘naval’ (senseless), preparing the ground for the New Testament’s use. Theological Significance 1. Sin’s Noetic Effects: Romans 1 demonstrates that suppression of truth leads to an impaired faculty for recognizing God; darkness is both penalty and further cause of rebellion. Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Preaching must assume that listeners can sit under truth yet remain uncomprehending; prayer for illumination is essential. Historical Witness Early Christian apologists such as Justin Martyr and Athenagoras cited Romans 1 to argue that pagan ignorance of God is culpable, not innocent. Church Fathers linked the term to Isaiah’s indictment, “They have eyes but do not see,” reinforcing the continuity of Scripture’s diagnosis of the fallen mind. Contemporary Application Modern secularism often presents itself as enlightened, yet Scripture unmasks willful blindness wherever truth is suppressed. Believers are called to pray that God would “open the eyes of their hearts” (Ephesians 1:18) while guarding themselves from becoming “dull of hearing” (Hebrews 5:11). Forms and Transliterations ασυνετοι ασύνετοι ασύνετοί ἀσύνετοί ασυνετος ασύνετος ἀσύνετος ασυνέτου ασυνετους ασυνέτους ἀσυνέτους ασυνετω ασυνέτω ἀσυνέτῳ ασυνετώτερός ασυνθεσία ασυνθεσίαν ασυνθετήσαι ασυνθετήσητε ησυνθέτηκα ησυνθετήκατε ησυνθετήσαμεν ησυνθέτησεν asuneto asunetō asunetoi asunetos asunetous asyneto asynetō asynetoi asynétoi asynétōi asýnetoí asynetos asýnetos asynetous asynétousLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 15:16 Adj-NMPGRK: καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀσύνετοί ἐστε NAS: Are you still lacking in understanding also? KJV: also yet without understanding? INT: also you without understanding are Mark 7:18 Adj-NMP Romans 1:21 Adj-NFS Romans 1:31 Adj-AMP Romans 10:19 Adj-DNS Strong's Greek 801 |
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