Bible Dictionary: Ignorance

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The condition of being ignorant; the want of knowledge in general, or in relation to a particular subject; the state of being uneducated or uninformed.

2. (n.) A willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge which one may acquire and it is his duty to have.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

IGNORANCE

ig'-no-rans (sheghaghah; agnoia): "Ignorance" is the translation of sheghaghah, "wandering," "going astray" (Leviticus 4:2, etc., "if a soul sin through ignorance," the Revised Version (British and American) "unwittingly," margin "through error"; Leviticus 5:15 Numbers 15:24; compare 35:11; Joshua 20:3; Ecclesiastes 5:6; Ecclesiastes 10:5, "an error"). In the Law sheghaghah means "innocent error," such as had to be taken with consideration in judgment (see passages referred to). "Ignorance" is also expressed by the negative lo' with yadha`, "to know" (Isaiah 56:10; Isaiah 63:16 Psalm 73:22); also by bi-bheli da`ath, literally, "in want of knowledge" (Deuteronomy 19:4; compare Deuteronomy 4:12 Joshua 20:5, translated "unawares," "unwittingly").

In the New Testament the words are agnoia, "absence of knowledge" (Acts 3:17; Acts 17:30 Ephesians 4:18 1 Peter 1:14); agneoma, "error" (Hebrews 9:7, the Revised Version margin "Greek: ignorances"); agnosia, "ignorance" (1 Peter 2:15), "no knowledge" (1 Corinthians 15:34 the Revised Version (British and American)); agnoeo, "to be without knowledge," "ignorant" (Romans 1:13; Romans 10:3; Romans 11:25, etc.), "not knowing" (Romans 2:4, etc.), "understood not" (Mark 9:32, etc.), "ignorantly" (Acts 17:23, the Revised Version (British and American) "in ignorance"; 1 Timothy 1:13); idiotes, translated "ignorant" (Acts 4:13), "unlearned" (1 Corinthians 14:16, the Revised Version margin "him that is without gifts," and so in 1 Corinthians 14:23, 14), "rude" (2 Corinthians 11:6); agrammatos, once only in connection with idiotes (Acts 4:13, "unlearned and ignorant men"); agrammatos corresponds to modern "illiterate" (compare John 7:15 Acts 26:24); idiotes originally denoted "the private man" as distinguished from those with a knowledge of affairs, and took on the idea of contempt and scorn. In Philo it denoted the whole congregation of Israel as distinguished from the priests (De Vita Mosis, III 29). With Paul (1 Corinthians 14:16, 23, 24) it seems to denote "plain believers as distinguished from those with special spiritual gifts." In Acts 4:13 it may refer to the want of Jewish learning; certainly it does not mean ignorant in the modern sense.

Paul in Romans 1:18, 32 attributes the pre-Christian ignorance of God to "the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness" (but the margin has, with the King James Version, "hold the truth, compare 1 Corinthians 7:30, Gr"); many, however (Alford, De Wette, Meyer and others), translation "hold back the truth." A willful ignorance is also referred to in Ephesians 4:17; 2 Peter 3:5. But there is also a less blameworthy ignorance. Paul at Athens spoke of "times of ignorance" which God had "overlooked" (Acts 17:30); Paul says of himself that he "obtained mercy, because (he) did it (against Christ) ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Timothy 1:13); Peter said to the Jews (Acts 3:17) that they and their rulers rejected Christ "in ignorance" (compare 1 Corinthians 2:8); and Jesus Himself prayed for those who crucified Him: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"; (Luke 23:34); in Hebrews 5:2 the necessary qualification of a high priest is that he "can bear gently with the ignorant and erring"-those who sin in ignorance or go astray (compare 9:7, "blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people," margin "(Greek: ignorances"). Growing light, however, brings with it increasing responsibility, and the "ignorance" that may be "overlooked" at one stage of the history of men and nations may be blameworthy and even criminal at another.

W. L. Walker

Greek

56. agnosia -- ignorance
... ignorance. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: agnosia Phonetic Spelling:
(ag-no-see'-ah) Short Definition: ignorance Definition: ignorance ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/56.htm - 6k

52. agnoia -- ignorance
... ignorance. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: agnoia Phonetic Spelling:
(ag'-noy-ah) Short Definition: ignorance Definition: ignorance, inadvertence ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/52.htm - 6k

51. agnoema -- a sin of ignorance
... a sin of ignorance. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: agnoema Phonetic
Spelling: (ag-no'-ay-mah) Short Definition: an offence committed through ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/51.htm - 6k

50. agnoeo -- to be ignorant, not to know
... Definition: I do not know, am ignorant of Definition: I do not know, am ignorant
of (a person, thing, or fact), sometimes with the idea of willful ignorance. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/50.htm - 7k

541. apaugasma -- radiance
... His eternal light breaks through all the darkness that keeps someone in spiritual
ignorance (bondage), ie every resistance exerted by sin. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/541.htm - 7k

5461. photizo -- to shine, give light
... Cognate: 5461 (from 5457 , "light") -- properly, ; (figuratively) God sharing ,
exposing and overcoming darkness -- like the ignorance (prejudice) caused by sin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5461.htm - 8k

Strong's Hebrew

7684. shegagah -- sin of error or inadvertance
... error, ignorance, at unawares, unwittingly. From shagag; a mistake or inadvertent
transgression -- error, ignorance, at unawares; unwittingly. see HEBREW shagag ...
/hebrew/7684.htm - 6k

7686. shagah -- to go astray, err
... cause to go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, make
to wander. A primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead ...
/hebrew/7686.htm - 6k

2822. choshek -- darkness, obscurity
... From chashak; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction,
death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness -- dark(-ness), night, obscurity. ...
/hebrew/2822.htm - 6k

Library

Whether Ignorance is a Sin?
... OF THE CAUSES OF SIN, IN PARTICULAR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether ignorance is a
sin? Objection 1: It would seem that ignorance is not a sin. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether ignorance is a sin.htm

Whether Ignorance Causes Involuntariness?
... TREATISE ON HUMAN ACTS: ACTS PECULIAR TO MAN (QQ -21)OF THE VOLUNTARY AND THE
INVOLUNTARY (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether ignorance causes involuntariness? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether ignorance causes involuntariness.htm

Whether Ignorance Diminishes a Sin?
... OF THE CAUSES OF SIN, IN PARTICULAR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether ignorance diminishes
a sin? Objection 1: It would seem that ignorance does not diminish a sin. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether ignorance diminishes a sin.htm

Whether in Christ There was Ignorance?
... OF THE DEFECTS OF SOUL ASSUMED BY CHRIST (TEN ARTICLES) Whether in Christ there
was ignorance? Objection 1: It would seem that there was ignorance in Christ. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether in christ there was 6.htm

Whether Ignorance Excuses from Sin Altogether?
... OF THE CAUSES OF SIN, IN PARTICULAR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether ignorance excuses
from sin altogether? Objection 1: It would seem that ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether ignorance excuses from sin.htm

Whether Ignorance Can be a Cause of Sin?
... OF THE CAUSES OF SIN, IN PARTICULAR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether ignorance can
be a cause of sin? ... Therefore ignorance is not a cause of sin. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether ignorance can be a.htm

Ignorance of Evil.
... SERMON XVIII. Ignorance of Evil. "And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is
become as one of Us, to know good and evil.""Genesis 3:22. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon xviii ignorance of evil.htm

Sins of Ignorance.
... Homily XIX. Chapter XXII."Sins of Ignorance. And Simon: "Why is it, then,
that some die prematurely, and periodical diseases arise ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xxii sins of ignorance.htm

Cease in Your Ignorance to Receive Such Great Deeds with Abusive ...
... Book I. 53 Cease in your ignorance to receive such great deeds with abusive
language� Cease in your ignorance to receive such ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/53 cease in your ignorance.htm

On the Ignorance of Infants, and Whence it Arises.
... A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants
Chapter 67 [XXXVI.]"On the Ignorance of Infants, and Whence It Arises. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 67 xxxvi on the ignorance.htm

Thesaurus

Ignorance (27 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge which one may acquire
and it is his duty to have. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. IGNORANCE. ...
/i/ignorance.htm - 21k

Error (90 Occurrences)
... 32:6). In the New Testament we have plane, "wandering" (Romans 1:27 James 5:20 1
John 4:6 Jude 1:11, "the error of Balaam"); agnoema, "ignorance" (Hebrews 9:7 ...
/e/error.htm - 38k

Regarding (33 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 4:2 Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, When a person doth sin through
ignorance against any of the commands of Jehovah 'regarding things' which ...
/r/regarding.htm - 16k

Darkness (177 Occurrences)
... house. It is also a symbol of ignorance (Isaiah 9:2; 60:2; Matthew 6:23)
and of death (Job 10:21; 17:13). Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/d/darkness.htm - 41k

Somewhat (30 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and
the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat ...
/s/somewhat.htm - 16k

Commands (216 Occurrences)
... Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands
that all people everywhere should repent, (WEB WEY RSV NIV). ...
/c/commands.htm - 35k

Ignorant (32 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Unacquainted with; unconscious or unaware; -- used with of. 3. (a.) Unknown;
undiscovered. 4. (a.) Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly. ...
/i/ignorant.htm - 16k

Community (77 Occurrences)
... Numbers 15:24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the
knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young ...
/c/community.htm - 32k

Unknown (15 Occurrences)
... What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you." the King James
Version and the English Revised Version margin translate "to the Unknown God ...
/u/unknown.htm - 13k

Trail (5 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon. ... 16. (n.) The act
of taking advantage of the ignorance of a person; an imposition. ...
/t/trail.htm - 9k

Bible Concordance

Ignorance (27 Occurrences)

Matthew 22:29 The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God.
(WEY)

Mark 12:24 "Is not this the cause of your error," replied Jesus--"your ignorance alike of the Scriptures and of the power of God?
(WEY)

Acts 3:17 "Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 13:27 For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the judgement they pronounced on Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions of the Prophets which are read Sabbath after Sabbath, through ignorance of those predictions and of Him.
(WEY)

Acts 17:23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription:'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.
(WEB ASV NAS)

Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 11:25 For there is a truth, brethren, not revealed hitherto, of which I do not wish to leave you in ignorance, for fear you should attribute superior wisdom to yourselves--the truth, I mean, that partial blindness has fallen upon Israel until the great mass of the Gentiles have come in;
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 15:34 awake up, as is right, and sin not; for certain have an ignorance of God; for shame to you I say 'it'.
(YLT)

Ephesians 4:18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Timothy 1:13 who before was speaking evil, and persecuting, and insulting, but I found kindness, because, being ignorant, I did 'it' in unbelief,
(See NIV)

Hebrews 9:7 But into the second, the High Priest goes only on one day of the year, and goes alone, taking with him blood, which he offers on his own behalf and on account of the sins which the people have ignorantly committed.
(See NAS NIV)

1 Peter 1:14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Peter 2:15 For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Leviticus 4:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
(KJV WBS)

Leviticus 4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 5:18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 22:14 And when a man doth eat of a holy thing through ignorance, then he hath added its fifth part to it, and hath given 'it' to the priest, with the holy thing;
(YLT)

Numbers 15:24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Numbers 15:25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:
(KJV WBS YLT)

Numbers 15:26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Numbers 15:27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Numbers 15:28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Numbers 15:29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Ezekiel 45:20 So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple: so you shall make atonement for the house.
(See RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Ignorance

Ignorance of God is No Excuse for Sin

Ignorance of God: Evidenced by Living in Sin

Ignorance of God: Evidenced by not Keeping his Commands

Ignorance of God: Evidenced by Want of Love

Ignorance of God: False Prophets

Ignorance of God: Gentiles

Ignorance of God: Ignorance of Christ Is

Ignorance of God: Israelites

Ignorance of God: Jews

Ignorance of God: Leads to Alienation from God