Mark 2:8

2:8 Now ¹  immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, ²  he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? ³ 

Luke 5:22

5:22 When Jesus perceived ⁴  their hostile thoughts, ⁵  he said to them, ⁶  “Why are you raising objections ⁷  within yourselves?

Luke 9:47

9:47 But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, ⁸  he took a child, had him stand by ⁹  his side,

Luke 20:23

20:23 But Jesus ¹⁰  perceived their deceit ¹¹  and said to them,

John 2:25

2:25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, ¹²  for he knew what was in man. ¹³ 

Revelation 2:23

2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers ¹⁴  with a deadly disease, ¹⁵  and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay ¹⁶  each one of you ¹⁷  what your deeds deserve. ¹⁸ 

¹ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the shift from the thoughts of the experts in the law to Jesus’ response.

² tn Grk “they were thus reasoning within themselves.”

³ tn Grk “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?”

⁴ sn Jesus often perceived people’s thoughts in Luke; see 4:23; 6:8; 7:40; 9:47. Such a note often precedes a rebuke.

⁵ tn Grk “reasonings.” This is the noun form of the infinitive διαλογίζεσθαι (dialogizesqai, “began to reason to themselves”) used in v. 21. Jesus’ reply to them in the latter part of the present verse makes clear that these reasonings were mental and internal, so the translation “thoughts” was used here. On the hostile or evil nature of these thoughts, see G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.

⁶ tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation.

⁷ tn The Greek verb διαλογίζεσθε (dialogizesqe, “you reason”), used in context with διαλογισμούς (dialogismous, “reasonings”), connotes more than neutral reasoning or thinking. While the verb can refer to normal “reasoning,” “discussion,” or “reflection” in the NT, its use here in Luke 5:22, alongside the noun – which is regularly used with a negative sense in the NT (cf. Matt 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 2:35, 6:8, 9:47; Rom 1:21; 1 Cor 3:20; G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:96-97; D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:484) – suggests the idea of “contention.” Therefore, in order to reflect the hostility evident in the reasoning of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the verb has been translated as “raising objections.”

⁸ tn Grk “knowing the thoughts of their hearts” (an idiom).

⁹ tn On this use of παρά (para), see BDF §239.1.1.

¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹¹ tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).

¹² tn The masculine form has been retained here in the translation to maintain the connection with “a man of the Pharisees” in 3:1, with the understanding that the reference is to people of both genders.

¹³ tn See previous note on “man” in this verse.

¹⁴ tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.

¹⁵ tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

¹⁶ tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didwmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”

¹⁷ sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.

¹⁸ tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”