καρδία
kardia
heart
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word καρδία (kardia) is a fundamental concept in the New Testament, appearing 161 times in the Bible. At its core, καρδία refers to the heart, an organ that pumps blood throughout the body. However, in a broader sense, it encompasses the seat of emotions, thoughts, and motivations. In the Bible, καρδία is used to describe the innermost aspect of a person, encompassing their feelings, desires, and intentions. It is often associated with the will, conscience, and moral character. The word is used in various contexts, including descriptions of human emotions (e.g., love, fear, and joy), spiritual experiences (e.g., faith, hope, and trust), and moral judgments (e.g., kindness, cruelty, and wickedness). The significance of καρδία lies in its emphasis on the importance of internal transformation and spiritual renewal. The Bible teaches that the heart is the source of human actions and decisions, and that it can be transformed through faith, repentance, and spiritual growth. As such, καρδία serves as a powerful reminder of the need for individuals to examine their inner motivations and desires, and to seek a deeper connection with God and others.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
161 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Matthew 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:28but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 6:21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 11:29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 12:34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:35The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
Matthew 12:40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 13:15for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
Matthew 13:15for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
Matthew 15:8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
Matthew 18:35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Matthew 24:48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
Mark 2:6But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mark 2:8Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
Mark 3:5When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.
Mark 4:15The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
Mark 6:52for they hadn’t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Mark 7:6He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Mark 7:19because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?”
Mark 7:21For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
Mark 8:17Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened?
Mark 11:23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.
Mark 12:30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
Mark 12:33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Luke 1:17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
Luke 1:51He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
Luke 1:66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
Luke 2:19But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
Luke 2:35Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luke 3:15As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
Luke 5:22But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?
Luke 6:45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
Luke 8:12Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.
Luke 8:15Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
Luke 9:47Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,
Luke 10:27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 12:34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 12:45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,
Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Luke 21:14Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
Luke 21:34“So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.