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Conscience
Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.
A capacity or faculty of moral intuition, consciousness, or reflection. A person’s internal awareness or sense of abiding by or transgressing moral standards. An internal witness to moral obligation based on intuition or self-assessment.
Lexham Bible Dictionary
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The Lexham Bible Dictionary
Conscience
Conscience A capacity or faculty of moral intuition, consciousness, or reflection. A person’s internal awareness or sense of abiding by or transgressing moral standards. An internal witness to moral obligation based on intuition or self-assessment.
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary
Conscience
CONSCIENCE. The idea of a human conscience “has existed over since the final verdict of guilt was spoken within man himself, when the true Furies were recognized as the consciousness of guilt” (Dibelius and Conzelmann Pastoral Epistles Hermeneia, 19). According to Gooch (1987), the Church has developed
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
Conscience
Conscience. Self-awareness that judges whether or not an act one has carried out or plans to carry out is in harmony with one’s moral standards.Both the English word “conscience” and the Greek word translated as “conscience” in the NT literally mean “to know together.” In the OT, Adam and Eve hid themselves
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
Conscience
Conscience Heb. [lēḇ] (1 S. 25:31); AV HEART; NEB COURAGE; [Gk. syneídēsis] (Acts 23:1; 24:16; Rom. 2:15; 9:1 13:5; 1 Cor. 8:7, 10, 12; 10:25, 27–29; 2 Cor. 1:12; 4:2; 5:11; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; 4:2; 2 Tim. 1:3; Tit. 1:15; He. 9:9, 14; 10:22; 13:18; 1 Pet. 3:16, 21); NEB also HEART OF HEARTS (2
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
Conscience
CONSCIENCE Self-awareness that judges whether or not an act one has carried out or plans to carry out is in harmony with one’s moral standards. The conscience also functions to make a person aware of actions taken that were wrong.“Let your conscience be your guide”Since knowledge of what is good has
The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated)
Conscience
conscience, the English translation of syneidēsis, a word that, in classical Greek, referred to knowledge, especially the knowledge derived from reflection on one’s past deeds. The appraisal of these deeds determined whether the conscience was “good” or “bad.” This is primarily a nt concept: in the Hebrew
The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia
Conscience
CONSCIENCE. Conscience is that faculty of a person that tells him he ought to do that which he believes to be right and that he ought not to do that which he believes to be wrong. It is not that by which one distinguishes right and wrong, since that is learned from teaching or environment, but that which
Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
Conscience
ConscienceThat quality of human consciousness that allows one to be aware of moral and immoral categories of thought and behavior.Hebrew has no specific word for conscience, although some modern translations so render Heb. lēḇ, “heart” (e.g., 1 Sam. 25:31). A possible reason for this lack is the
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary
Conscience
Conscience. The inner voice of a person’s spirit which attempts to answer for his deeds and calls him to account before norms that are felt to be binding for himself, his fellow man, and society as a whole. Although no Hebrew term exactly parallels the English word, the corresponding concept is indeed
Dictionary of Paul and His Letters
Conscience
ConsciencePaul uses the term and idea of “conscience” frequently in his instructions to the Corinthians on eating meat sacrificed to idols (see Food). Conscience is mentioned in the context of Paul’s apostolic ministry. It appears once in connection with Christians’ obedience to the state (see Civil
Catholic Bible Dictionary
Conscience
CONSCIENCE The moral awareness that every human person possesses.In the Old Testament, there is no specific Hebrew word for conscience, and the Greek word syneidēsis appears only in Wis 17:11, and in the Septuagint version of Eccl 10:20. Nevertheless, the underlying notion of conscience is found throughout
Key passages
Ac 23:1

And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.”

Ro 2:15

who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts one after another accusing or even defending them

1 Co 8:7

But this knowledge is not in everyone. But some, being accustomed until now to the idol, eat this food as food sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled.

1 Ti 4:2

by the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience,

Heb 10:22

let us approach with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.