γινώσκω (Attic γιγνώσκω, see γίνομαι at the beginning; from ΓΝΟΩ, as βιβρώσκω from ΒΡΟΩ); [imperfect ἐγίνωσκον]; future γνώσομαι; 2 aorist ἔγνων (from ΓΝΩΜΙ), imperative γνῶθι, γνώτω, subjunctive γνῷ (3 person singular γνοῖ, Mark 5:43; Mark 9:30; Luke 19:15 L T Tr WH, for R G γνῷ [Buttmann, p. 46 (40); cf. δίδωμι at the beginning]), infinitive γνῶναι, participle γνούς; perfect ἔγνωκα (John 17:7; 3 person plural ἔγνωκαν for ἐγνώκασι, see references in γίνομαι at the beginning); pluperfect ἐγνώκειν; passive [present 3 person singular γινώσκεται (Mark 13:28 Tr marginal reading)]; perfect ἐγνωσμαι; 1 aorist ἐγνώσθην; future γνωσθήσομαι; in Greek writings from Homer down; Sept. for יָדַע; Latin nosco, novi (i. e. gnosco, gnovi);
I. universally:
1. to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of; passive to become known: with the accusative, Matthew 22:18; Mark 5:43; Acts 21:34; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 2:4; Colossians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:5, etc. Passive, Matthew 10:26; Acts 9:24; Philippians 4:5, etc.; [impersonally, γινώσκεται, Mark 13:28 Tr marginal reading T 2, 7]; τὶ ἔκ τινος, Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:44; 1 John 4:6; τινὰ or τὶ ἔν τινι, to find a sign in a thing by which to know, to recognize in or by something, Luke 24:35; John 13:35; 1 John 4:2; κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο, the truth of this promise, Luke 1:18 (Genesis 15:8); περὶ τῆς διδαχῆς, John 7:17. often the object is not added, but is readily understood from what precedes: Matthew 9:30; Matthew 12:15 (the consultation held by the Pharisees); Mark 7:24 (he would have no one know that he was present): Mark 9:30; Romans 10:19, etc.; followed by ὅτι, Matthew 21:45; John 4:1; John 5:6; John 12:9, etc.; followed by the interrogative τί, Matthew 6:3; Luke 16:4; ἀπό τινος to learn from one, Mark 15:45. with the accusative of person to recognize as worthy of intimacy and love, to own; so those whom God has judged worthy of the blessings of the gospel are said ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γινώσκεσθαι, 1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9, [on both cf. Winers Grammar, § 39, 3 Note 2; Buttmann, 55 (48)]; negatively, in the sentence of Christ οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς, I never knew you, never had any acquaintance with you, Matthew 7:23. to perceive, feel: ἔγνω τῷ σώματι, ὅτι etc. Mark 5:29; ἔγνων δύναμιν ἐξελθοῦσαν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ, Luke 8:46.
2. to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of;
a. to understand: with the accusative, τὰ λεγόμενα, Luke 18:34; ἅ ἀναγινώσκεις, Acts 8:30; followed by ὅτι, Matthew 21:45; John 8:27; 2 Corinthians 13:6; Galatians 3:7; James 2:20; followed by interrog, τί, John 10:6; John 13:12, 28; ὃ κατεργάζομαι οὐ γινώσκω I do not understand what I am doing, my conduct is inexplicable to me, Romans 7:15.
b. to know: τὸ θέλημα, Luke 12:47; τὰς καρδίας, Luke 16:15; τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ignorant of sin, i. e. not conscious of having committed it, 2 Corinthians 5:21; ἐπιστολή γινωσκομένη καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένη, 2 Corinthians 3:2; τινά, to know one, his person, character, mind, plans: John 1:48 (John 1:49); John 2:24; Acts 19:15; 2 Timothy 2:19 (from Numbers 16:5); followed by ὅτι, John 21:17; Philippians 1:12; James 1:3; 2 Peter 1:20; followed by the accusative with an infinitive Hebrews 10:34; followed by an indirect question, Revelation 3:3; ἑλληνιστὶ γινώσκ., to know Greek (graece scire, Cicero, de fin. 2, 5): Acts 21:37 (ἐπίστασθαι συριστί, Xenophon, Cyril 7, 5, 31; graece nescire, Cicero, pro Flac. 4, 10); ἴστε (Rec. ἐστε) γινώσκοντες ye know, understanding etc. [R. V. ye know of a surety, etc.], Ephesians 5:5; see Winers Grammar, 355 (333); [cf. Buttmann, 51 (44); 314 (269)]. imperative γινώσκετε know ye: Matthew 24:32f, 43; Mark 13:29; Luke 10:11; John 15:18; Acts 2:36; Hebrews 13:23; 1 John 2:29.
3. by a Hebraistic euphemism [cf. Winer's Grammar, 18], found also in Greek writings from the Alexandrian age down, γινώσκω is used of the carnal connection of male and female, rem cum aliquo or aliqua habere (cf. our have a (criminal) intimacy with): of a husband, Matthew 1:25; of the woman, Luke 1:34; (Genesis 4:1, 17; Genesis 19:8; 1 Samuel 1:19, etc.; Judith 16:22; Callimachus epigr. 58, 3; often in Plutarch; cf. Vögelin, Plutarch, Brut., p. 10ff; so also Latin cognosco, Ovid. met. 4, 596; novi, Justin Martyr, hist. 27, 3, 11).
II. In particular γινώσκω, to become acquainted with, to know, is employed in the N. T. of the knowledge of God and Christ, and of the things relating to them or proceeding from them;
a. τὸν θεόν, the one, true God, in contrast with the polytheism of the Gentiles: Romans 1:21; Galatians 4:9; also τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεόν, John 17:3 cf. 1 John 5:20; τὸν θεόν, the nature and will of God, in contrast with the false wisdom of both Jews and Gentiles, 1 Corinthians 1:21; τὸν πατέρα, the nature of God the Father, especially the holy will and affection by which he aims to sanctify and redeem men through Christ, John 8:55; John 16:3; 1 John 2:3f, 14 (1 John 2:13); 1 John 3:1,6; 4:8; a peculiar knowledge of God the Father is claimed by Christ for himself, John 10:15; John 17:25; γνῶθι τὸν κύριον, the precepts of the Lord, Hebrews 8:11; τὸ θέλημα (of God), Romans 2:18; νοῦν κυρίου, Romans 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:16; τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, 1 Corinthians 2:8; τὰς ὁδοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ, Hebrews 3:10 (from Psalm 94:10 (Ps. 95:10)).
b. Χριστόν, his blessings, Philippians 3:10; in Χριστὸν ἐγνωκέναι κατὰ σάρκα, 2 Corinthians 5:16, Paul speaks of that knowledge of Christ which he had before his conversion, and by which he knew him merely in the form of a servant, and therefore had not yet seen in him the Son of God. According to John's usage, γινώσκειν, ἐγνωκέναι Χριστόν denotes to come to know, to know, his Messianic dignity (John 17:3; John 6:69); his divinity (τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, 1 John 2:13f cf. John 1:10), his consummate kindness toward us, and the benefits redounding to us from fellowship with him (in Christ's words γινώσκομαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμῶν, John 10:14 [according to the critical texts γινώσκουσίν με τὰ ἐμά]); his love of God (John 14:31); his sinless holiness (1 John 3:6). John unites πιστεύειν and γινώσκειν, at one time putting πιστεύειν first: John 6:69 [cf. Schaff's Lange or Meyer at the passage]; but at another time γινώσκειν: John 10:38 (according to R G, for which L T Tr WH read ἵνα γνῶτε καί γινώσκητε [R. V. know and understand]); John 17:8 [L brackets κ. ἔγν.]; 1 John 4:16 (the love of God).
c. γ. τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος the things which proceed from the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:14; τὸ πνεῦμα τ. ἀληθείας καὶ τὸ πν. τῆς πλάνης, 1 John 4:6; τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, Matthew 13:11; τὴν ἀλήθειαν, John 8:32; 2 John 1:1; absolutely, of the knowledge of divine things, 1 Corinthians 13:12; of the knowledge of things lawful for a Christian, 1 Corinthians 8:2.

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's