Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

The forum for those who still struggle with morphology, syntax, and idiom, or who wish to discuss basic questions about the meaning of Greek texts, syntax, or words.
Forum rules
This is not a place for students to ask for the answers to their homework assignments. Users who do that may be banned.
Post Reply
Sebastian Satkurunath
Posts: 27
Joined: December 28th, 2022, 2:33 pm

Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Sebastian Satkurunath »

Hi,

I'm assuming that the bit about not asking for the answers to homework assignments means don't use the forum to try and cheat/do your homework for you, rather than asking whether I can mark my own homework right or not, but if I've misunderstood let me know and I won't post similar questions again.

Anyway, I'm working through the exercises in J.W Wenham's "The Elements of New Testament Greek", and for ex5B.19, the question was "I am looking at a river", and my answer was "βλεπω ποταμον" whereas the key gives "θεωρω ποταμον". Are these equally valid, or is θεωρεω more accurate? Could anyone explain the difference between the two verbs?

Cheers,

Sebastian
--
Sebastian James Satkurunath
Jason Hare
Posts: 951
Joined: June 2nd, 2011, 5:28 pm
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Contact:

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Jason Hare »

Perhaps something like “see, watch, put your eye upon” (βλέπειν) versus “observe, behold, consider” (θεωρεῖν).
Jason A. Hare
The Hebrew Café
Tel Aviv, Israel
Sebastian Satkurunath
Posts: 27
Joined: December 28th, 2022, 2:33 pm

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Sebastian Satkurunath »

Thanks, that's helpful. I guess a follow up question is "What's a good lexicon for a rank beginner, so I can answer these sort of questions for myself with reasonable confidence"? I've currently got a dead tree copy of Langenscheidt's Pocket Dictionary - Classical Greek (which was also kicking around the house from my housemate's schoolboy days), and Alexander Souter's 'A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament', which came free on Logos, neither of which are filling me with confidence in their quality.

I don't mind spending a moderate amount of money, but I'm not inclined to splash out >£100 on BDAG until I'm confident that I'm going to make serious use of it.
--
Sebastian James Satkurunath
Jean Putmans
Posts: 153
Joined: August 3rd, 2018, 1:01 am
Location: Heerlen; Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Jean Putmans »

Why not a second hand „A Greek-English Lexicon“ from Henry Liddell; Robert Scott? Very moderate prices on abebooks and for most users the old exemplars will be sufficient for their study.
Jean Putmans
Netherlands
gotischebibel.blogspot.com
Sebastian Satkurunath
Posts: 27
Joined: December 28th, 2022, 2:33 pm

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Sebastian Satkurunath »

Thanks, that's helpful. I've ordered a copy of the "middle Liddle", as the "great Scott" didn't seem to be available for much less than BDAG, and is probably also well in excess of my needs for the foreseeable.
--
Sebastian James Satkurunath
James Spinti
Posts: 103
Joined: June 1st, 2011, 6:01 pm
Location: Red Wing MN
Contact:

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by James Spinti »

Word of caution (probably too late), but the Middle Liddell doesn't contain all the words in the NT/Apostolic Fathers. It was designed for the intermediate Classics student, not the Koine student. The Little Liddell has all the words in the NT. But, you really are better off getting BDAG—or at least the Concise version thereof. All of the Liddell Scott incarnations are just glosses, whereas Danker was aiming toward definitions (at least in BDAG; the other two, BAG and BAGD, were more gloss-oriented).

I had the privilege of talking to Danker at an AAR/SBL meeting around 2005 or so, and he convinced me to take the plunge from BAGD to BDAG—and I'm glad I did!

James
Proofreading and copyediting of ancient Near Eastern and biblical studies monographs
Jonathan Robie
Posts: 4167
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Jonathan Robie »

Abbott-Smith works pretty well for LXX and NT. Logos sells it for $12.
βλέπω, [in LXX chiefly for ראה, also for פּנה, etc.;] 1. of bodily sight; (a) to see, have sight (opp. to τυφλὸς εἶναι): Mt 12:22, Jo 9:7, Ac 9:9, Ro 11:8, Re 3:18, al.; (b) to perceive, look (at), see: absol., Ac 1:9; c. acc., Mt 7:3, Mk 5:31, Lk 6:41, Jo 1:29, al.; ὅραμα, Ac 12:9; γυναῖκα, Mt 5:28; βιβλίον, Re 5:3, 4; τ. βλεπόμενα, 2 Co 4:18. 2. Metaph., of mental vision; (a) to see, perceive, discern: absol., Mt 13:13, Lk 8:10; διʼ ἐσόπτρου, 1 Co 13:12; c. acc., He 2:9; 10:25; seq. ὅτι, He 3:19, Ja 2:22; (b) to consider, look to, take heed: absol., Mk 13:23, 33; c. acc., 1 Co 1:26, al.; seq. πῶς, c. indic., Lk 8:18, 1 Co 3:10, Eph 5:15; seq. τί, c. indic., Mk 4:24; seq. εἰς πρόσωπον, of partiality, Mt 22:16, Mk 12:14. Colloq. (for ex. from π., v. Deiss., LAE, 122; M, Pr., 107; MM, Exp., x; Milligan, NTD, 50), β. ἑαυτόν: Mk 13:9; seq. ἵνα μή, 2 Jo 8; β. ἀπό, Mk 8:15; 12:38; seq. μή (cl. ὁρᾶν μή), c. fut. indic., Col 2:8, He 3:12; id. c. aor. subj., Mt 24:4, Mk 13:5. 3. Of situation and direction (Lat. specto), to look, face (towards), places, etc. (seq. πρός, Xen, Hell., vii, 1, 17; Ez 40:23, 24): seq. κατά, c. acc., Ac 27:12 (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐμ-, ἐπι-, περ-, προ-βλέπω), v. DCG, i, 446; ii, 596.

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1922), 82–83.
θεωρέω, -ῶ (< θεωρός, a spectator, < θεάομαι), [in LXX chiefly for ראה, חזה;] (pres. and impf. only, exc. Jo 7:3 (fut.), Mt 28:1, Lk 23:48, Jo 8:51, Re 11:12 (aor.); Bl., § 24); 1. (cl.), to look at, gaze, behold: absol., Mt 27:55, Mk 15:40, Lk 23:35; seq. πῶς, Mk 12:41; ποῦ, Mk 15:47; c. acc. pers., Jo 6:40, 62; 12:45; 16:10–19, Ac 3:16; 20:38; 25:24, Re 11:11, 12; id. c. ptcp., Mk 5:15, Lk 10:18, Jo 6:19; 10:12; 20:12, 14, 1 Jo 3:17; c. acc. rei, Mt 28:1, Lk 14:29; 21:6; 23:48, Jo 2:23; 6:2; 7:3, Ac 4:13; 8:13; id. c. ptcp., Jo 20:6, Ac 7:56; 10:11; seq. ὅτι, Ac 19:26. 2. In popular lang. (Kennedy, Sources, 155; Bl., § 24, s.v. ὁρᾶν), in pres, and impf. = ὁράω, to see, perceive, discern: seq. ὅτι, Mk 16:4, Jo 4:19; 12:19, Ac 19:26; 27:10; πόσαι, Ac 21:20; πηλίκος, He 7:4; c. acc. rei, Mk 5:38; id. c. ptcp., Ac 17:16; 28:6; c. acc. pers., Mk 3:11, Jo 14:19, Ac 9:7; 17:22; πνεῦμα, Lk 24:37; τὸ π., Jo 14:17; seq. ὅτι, Jo 9:8; c. ptcp., Lk 24:39. 3. Hebraistically, to experience, partake of: τ. θάνατον, Jo 8:51 (cf. Ps 88 (89):49); τ. δόξαν, Jo 17:24 (cf. ἀνα-, παρα-θεωρέω).†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1922), 206.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
Jonathan Robie
Posts: 4167
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: Difference between βλεπω and θεωρεω?

Post by Jonathan Robie »

Thayer's is also quite cheap, and has more full-fledged definitions:
βλέπω; [impf. ἔβλεπον]; fut. βλέψω; 1 aor. ἔβλεψα; [pres. pass. βλέπομαι]; Sept. for רָאָה, פָגָה, חָזָה, הִבִּיט; in Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. down; to see, discern;
1. with the bodily eye;
a. to be possessed of sight, have the power of seeing, opp. to τυφλός: Mt. 12:22: 13:16; 15:31; Jn. 9:7, 15, 19, 25; Acts 9:9; Ro. 11:8, 10; Rev. 3:18, etc. (Soph. Oed. Col. 73; Arstph. Plut. 15; Xen. mem. 1, 3, 4; Ael. v. h. 6, 12, etc. Ex. 4:11; 23:8, etc. Tob. 11:15). τὸ βλέπειν sight, the power of seeing, Lk. 7:21 (G L T Tr WH om. τό).
b. to perceive by the use of the eyes, to see, look, descry;
α. absol.: βλεπόντων αὐτῶν while they were looking, Acts 1:9; [12:11 Tr mrg. WH mrg.]; ἔρχου καὶ βλέπε, Rec. in Rev. 6:1, 3, 5, 7.
β. with acc. of pers. or thing: Mt. 7:3; 11:4; 24:2; Mk. 5:31; 8:23 sq.; 13:2; Lk. 6:41; 24:12 [T om. L Tr br. WH reject the vs.]; Jn. 1:29; Acts 4:14, etc.; [Rev. 18:18 Rec. ὁρῶντες]; τὴν φωνήν, him who uttered the voice, Rev. 1:12; ὅραμα, Acts 12:9; he who has free access to one, as princes, ministers, and personal friends have to a king, is said βλ. τὸ πρόσωπόν τινος (רֹאֵי פְנֵי הֵמֶּלֶךְ, 2 K. 25:19; Jer. 52:25; Esth. 1:14); hence in Mt. 18:10 angels of closest access or of highest rank are referred to (see ἀρχάγγελος). Pass. τὰ βλεπόμενα the things that are seen: 2 Co. 4:18; Heb. 11:3 (L T Tr WH τὸ βλεπόμενον, the sum-total or complex of things seen); ἐλπὶς βλεπομένη hope of things that are seen, i. e. that are present, Ro. 8:24.
c. to turn the eyes to anything, to look at, look upon, gaze at: γυναῖκα, Mt. 5:28; είς τι or τινα [W. § 33 g.], Lk. 9:62; Jn. 13:22; Acts 3:4; εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, Acts 1:11 T Tr WH; in the sense of looking into (i. e. in order to read), βιβλίον, Rev. 5:3 sq.
d. univ. to perceive by the senses, to feel: τὸν ἄνεμον ἰσχυρόν [T WH om. ἰσχ.], Mt. 14:30, (κτύπον δέδορκα, Aeschyl. sept. 104).
e. to discover by use, to know by experience: τί, Ro. 7:23; foll. by ὅτι, 2 Co. 7:8; by attract. τὸ θηρίον, ὅτι κτλ. Rev. 17:8; ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με for ὑπὲρ τοῦτο, ὅ βλέπει με ὄντα, lest he think me greater than on personal knowledge he finds me to be, 2 Co. 12:6.
2. metaph. to see with the mind’s eye;
a. to have (the power of) understanding: βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσι, though endued with understanding they do not understand, Mt. 13:13; Lk. 8:10.
b. to discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand; absol.: διʼ ἐσόπτρου, 1 Co. 13:12; of the omniscient God βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ seeing in secret, where man sees nothing, Mt. 6:4, 6, 18 [here L T Tr WH βλ. ἐν τ. κρυφαίῳ]; ἐγγίζουσαν τὴν ἡμέραν, Heb. 10:25 (fr. certain external signs); Ἰησοῦν … ἐστεφανωμένον, we see (from his resurrection and from the effects and witness of the Holy Spirit) Jesus crowned, Heb. 2:9; foll. by ὅτι, Heb. 3:19; Jas. 2:22.
c. to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, look to; absol. βλέπετε take heed: Mk. 13:23, 33; with an acc. of the thing or pers., 1 Co. 1:26; 10:18; 2 Co. 10:7; Phil. 3:2; Col. 2:5; foll. by πῶς with indic. [W. 300 (282); B. 255 (219)], Lk. 8:18; 1 Co. 3:10; Eph. 5:15; to weigh carefully, examine, foll. by interrog. τί with indic. Mk. 4:24; εἰς πρόσωπόν τινος, to look at i. e. have regard to one’s external condition,—used of those who are influenced by partiality: Mt. 22:16; Mk. 12:14. By a use not found in Grk. auth. ἑαυτὸν βλέπειν to look to one’s self (i. q. sibi cavere): Mk. 13:9; foll. by ἵνα μή [cf. B. 242 (209)], 2 Jn. 8; βλέπειν ἀπό τινος (i. q. sibi cavere ab aliquo) to beware of one [W. 223 (209), cf. 39 (38); B. 242 (209), cf. 323 (278)], Mk. 8:15; 12:38; look to in the sense of providing, taking care: foll. by ἵνα, 1 Co. 16:10; foll. by μή with subj. aor., Mt. 24:4; Mk. 13:5; Lk. 21:8; Acts 13:40; 1 Co. 8:9 (μήπως); 10:12; Gal. 5:15; Heb. 12:25; foll. by μή with fut. indic. Col. 2:8; Heb. 3:12. The Grks. say ὁρᾶν μή, [cf. W. 503 (468 sq.); B. 242 sq. (209)].
3. in a geographical sense, like Lat. specto [Eng. look], of places, mountains, buildings, etc., turned towards any quarter, as it were facing it: foll. by κατά with acc. Acts 27:12 [cf. B. D. Am. ed. s. v. Phenice], (Sept. [Num. 21:20]; Ezek. 11:1; [44:1; 47:1]; πρός, Xen. Hell. 7, 1, 17; mem. 3, 8, 9; Hdian. 6, 5, 2; Diog. Laërt. 1, 2, 48; Sept. Ezek. 9:2; 40:24; [46:1]; εἰς, 8:3, etc. [for other exx. see Soph. Lex. s. v.]). [SYN. see s. v. ὁράω. COMP.: ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐμ-, ἐπι-, περι-, προ-βλέπω.]


Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 103.
θεωρέω, -ῶ; impf. ἐθεώρουν; [fut. θεωρήσω, Jn. 7:3 T Tr WH]; 1 aor. ἐθεώρησα; (θεωρός a spectator, and this fr. θεάομαι, q. v. [cf. Vaniček p. 407; L. and S. s. v.; Allen in the Am. Journ. of Philol. i. p. 131 sq.]); [fr. Aeschyl. and Hdt. down]; Sept. for רָאָה and Chald. חָזָה;
1. to be a spectator, look at, behold, Germ. schauen, (the θεωροί were men who attended the games or the sacrifices as public deputies; cf. Grimm on 2 Macc. 4:19); absol.: Mt. 27:55; Mk. 15:40; Lk. 23:35; foll. by indir. disc., Mk. 12:41; 15:47; used esp. of persons and things looked upon as in some respect noteworthy: τινά, Jn. 6:40; 16:10, 16 sq. 19; Acts 3:16; 25:24; Rev. 11:11 sq.; ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν θεωρεῖ τὸν πατέρα, the majesty of the Father resplendent in the Son, Jn. 12:45; τινά with ptcp. [B. 301 (258): Mk. 5:15]; Lk. 10:18; Jn. 6:19; [10:12]; 20:12, 14; [1 Jn. 3:17]; τί, Lk. 14:29; 21:6; 23:48; Acts 4:13; τὰ σημεῖα, Jn. 2:23; 6:2 L Tr WH; Acts 8:13, (θαυμαστὰ τέρατα, Sap. 19:8); τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Jn. 7:3; τί with ptcp., Jn. 20:6; Acts 7:56; 10:11; foll. by ὅτι, Acts 19:26; to view attentively, take a view of, survey: τί, Mt. 28:1; to view mentally, consider: foll. by orat. obliq., Heb. 7:4.
2. to see; i.e.
a. to perceive with the eyes: πνεῦμα, Lk. 24:37; τινά with a ptcp., ibid. 39; τινά, ὅτι, Jn. 9:8; τὸ πρόσωπόν τινος (after the Hebr.; see πρόσωπον, 1 a.), i. q. to enjoy the presence of one, have intercourse with him, Acts 20:38; οὐκέτι θεωρεῖν τινα, used of one from whose sight a person has been withdrawn, Jn. 14:19; οὐ θεωρεῖ ὁ κόσμος τὸ πνεῦμα, i.e. so to speak, has no eyes with which it can see the Spirit; he cannot render himself visible to it, cannot give it his presence and power, Jn. 14:17.
b. to discern, descry: τί, Mk. 5:38; τινά, Mk. 3:11; Acts 9:7.
c. to ascertain, find out, by seeing: τινά with a pred. acc., Acts 17:22; τί with ptcp., Acts 17:16; 28:6; ὅτι, Mk. 16:4; Jn. 4:19; 12:19; Acts 19:26; 27:10; foll. by indir. disc., Acts 21:20; Hebraistically (see εἴδω, I. 5) i. q. to get knowledge of: Jn. 6:62 (τ. υἱὸν τ. ἀνθρώπου ἀναβαίνοντα the Son of Man by death ascending; cf. Lücke, Meyer [yet cf. Weiss in the 6th Aufl.], Baumg.-Crusius, in loc.); τὸν θάνατον i.e. to die, Jn. 8:51; and on the other hand, τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, to be a partaker of the glory, i.e. the blessed condition in heaven, which Christ enjoys, Jn. 17:24, cf. 22. [COMP.: ἀνα-, παρα-θεωρέω.]*
[SYN. θεωρεῖν, θεᾶσθαι, ὁρᾶν, σκοπεῖν: θεωρ. is used primarily not of an indifferent spectator, but of one who looks at a thing with interest and for a purpose; θεωρ. would be used of a general officially reviewing or inspecting an army, θεᾶσθ. of a lay spectator looking at the parade. θεωρ. as denoting the careful observation of details can even be contrasted with ὁρᾶν in so far as the latter denotes only perception in the general; so used θεωρεῖν quite coincides with σκοπ. Schmidt i. ch. 11; see also Green, ‘Crit. Note’ on Mt. 7:3. Cf. s. vv. ὁράω, σκοπέω.]


Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 289–290.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
Post Reply

Return to “Beginners Forum”