Understanding διαλογισμός (dialogismos) Strong’s G1261: The Internal Reasoning Process That Reveals the Heart’s True Nature

Pronunciation Guide: dee-al-og-is-mos’ (with emphasis on the “is” syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1261: διαλογισμός (dialogismos) refers to the internal process of reasoning, deliberation, or thought that occurs within a person’s mind. It describes the activity of weighing different considerations, often with a connotation of doubt, disputing, or questioning. In biblical usage, διαλογισμός frequently reveals the true nature of a person’s heart, showing what they truly value, fear, or desire when their thoughts are laid bare before God.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Masculine noun
• Root Word: διαλογίζομαι (dialogizomai, G1260) – to consider, reason through, deliberate
• Language Origin: Greek compound from διά (dia, “through”) + λογίζομαι (logizomai, “to reckon, calculate, consider”)
• Primary Usage: Found in narrative passages and teaching sections, particularly in the Gospels and epistles
• Frequency: Appears 14 times in the New Testament

διαλογισμός Morphology:

• διαλογισμός (nominative singular) – a reasoning, consideration
• διαλογισμοῦ (genitive singular) – of reasoning/consideration
• διαλογισμῷ (dative singular) – in/with reasoning/consideration
• διαλογισμόν (accusative singular) – reasoning/consideration (as direct object)
• διαλογισμοί (nominative plural) – reasonings, considerations
• διαλογισμῶν (genitive plural) – of reasonings/considerations
• διαλογισμοῖς (dative plural) – in/with reasonings/considerations
• διαλογισμούς (accusative plural) – reasonings/considerations (as direct objects)

Origin & History

The term διαλογισμός has roots in classical Greek philosophy, where it described the analytical process of working through a problem or argument. In Plato’s dialogues, the related verb διαλογίζομαι indicated the back-and-forth reasoning process essential to philosophical inquiry. Aristotle used it to describe the deliberative reasoning that precedes decision-making.

In the Septuagint (LXX), διαλογισμός appears in passages like Psalm 93:11 (94:11 in Hebrew numbering), where it translates the Hebrew term מַחְשְׁבוֹת (machshavot) – “The Lord knows the thoughts [διαλογισμοὺς] of man, that they are futile.” This established an important connection between the Greek philosophical concept and the Hebrew understanding of inner thoughts that are fully known to God.

The early Church Fathers, including Origen and Chrysostom, expanded on this concept, with Chrysostom particularly emphasizing in his homilies that διαλογισμοί reveal one’s spiritual condition, noting that “the thoughts [διαλογισμοί] that proceed from the heart are the true measure of one’s character” (Homilies on Matthew).

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Internal reasoning process – the mental activity of working through thoughts, often with a sense of debating with oneself
• Doubt-filled questioning – deliberations characterized by uncertainty or skepticism
• Disputation – contentious debates, either internal or among individuals
• Anxious deliberation – worried thoughts that reveal inner fears and insecurities
• Value judgments – evaluative thoughts that show what one truly prizes or despises

διαλογισμός Translation Options:

• Reasoning – Emphasizes the intellectual process, highlighting the logical pathway of thoughts. Best used when the context focuses on the cognitive dimension.
• Disputation – Captures the contentious aspect, useful when the διαλογισμοί involve disagreement or controversy.
• Inner thoughts – Emphasizes the private, interior nature of these mental processes, appropriate when contrasting with outward appearances.
• Deliberations – Highlights the careful weighing of options, suitable when διαλογισμός appears in contexts of decision-making.
• Questionings – Focuses on the doubting or interrogative quality, appropriate when the context suggests uncertainty or challenge.

Biblical Usage

The term διαλογισμός first appears in the New Testament in Matthew 15:19, where Yeshua (Jesus) teaches that “out of the heart come evil thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί]” – revealing that our internal reasoning processes expose our true spiritual condition. This establishes a pattern throughout the Gospels where διαλογισμός often indicates thoughts that reveal character and spiritual health.

In Luke’s Gospel, διαλογισμός appears more frequently, with a particular emphasis on how Yeshua perceives and responds to the unspoken reasonings of others. This demonstrates His divine ability to know what is in the human heart, as in Luke 9:47, where Yeshua “perceived the thoughts [διαλογισμὸν] of their hearts” and challenged the disciples’ prideful ambitions. Luke also uniquely reports Simeon’s prophecy that Yeshua would cause “the thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ] of many hearts to be revealed” (Luke 2:35), highlighting how an encounter with the Messiah brings our true inner reasonings to light.

• “For out of the heart come evil thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί], murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” Matthew 15:19
• “and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ] from many hearts may be revealed.'” Luke 2:34-35
• “But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking [διαλογισμοὺς] in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side.” Luke 9:47
• “And Jesus knowing their thoughts [διαλογισμοὺς] said, ‘Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?'” Matthew 9:4
• “And immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning [διαλογίζονται] that way within themselves, said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning [διαλογίζεσθε] about these things in your hearts?'” Mark 2:8
• “But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed [διελέχθησαν] with one another which of them was the greatest.” Mark 9:34
• “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” Matthew 6:25

Cultural Insights

In ancient Jewish thought, the heart (לֵב, lev) was understood not merely as the seat of emotions but as the center of intellect, will, and moral reasoning. When the New Testament speaks of διαλογισμοί coming from the heart, it reflects this Hebraic understanding. The sages of Israel taught that a person’s thoughts revealed their true character more than their actions, as expressed in the rabbinic saying, “The Holy One, blessed be He, requires the heart” (Sanhedrin 106b).

This concept connects to the Jewish practice of ḥeshbon ha-nefesh (חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ) or “accounting of the soul,” a reflective examination of one’s thoughts and intentions. The tradition of daily self-examination, especially during the month of Elul leading up to the High Holy Days, emphasized this awareness that God sees beyond actions to the διαλογισμοί of the heart. This practice parallels the New Testament’s emphasis on the moral importance of inner thoughts.

Furthermore, in the Greco-Roman context of the first century, the Stoic philosophers emphasized the examination of one’s διαλογισμοί as essential to moral development. Unlike this self-directed examination, however, the biblical understanding emphasizes that our διαλογισμοί are always under God’s gaze and judgment, removing the illusion of purely private thoughts.

Theological Significance

The biblical concept of διαλογισμός reveals a profound truth about God’s omniscience and the transparency of human hearts before Him. When Psalm 94:11 declares that “יהוה knows the thoughts [διαλογισμοὺς] of man,” it affirms that nothing in our inner life is hidden from the Creator. This divine awareness of our thoughts stands in stark contrast to the limited perspective of human judgment, which sees only outward appearances (1 Samuel 16:7).

The connection between διαλογισμός and heart condition reflects the biblical principle that spiritual transformation begins with renewing the mind (Romans 12:2). When Yeshua identifies evil διαλογισμοί as proceeding from the heart, He challenges the Pharisaic emphasis on external purity and redirects attention to the need for inner cleansing. This aligns with the prophetic promise of the New Covenant, where God would “put My law within them and on their heart I will write it” (Jeremiah 31:33).

Most profoundly, the biblical treatment of διαλογισμός reveals the Messiah’s divine nature. Throughout the Gospels, Yeshua demonstrates supernatural knowledge of others’ thoughts (Luke 5:22, Matthew 12:25), fulfilling the uniquely divine attribute of knowing human hearts. This ability to perceive διαλογισμοί authenticates His claim to be one with the Father, who alone “searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Personal Application

Understanding διαλογισμός invites us to practice greater mindfulness about our thought life. Just as Yeshua taught that our inner reasonings reveal our true spiritual condition, we are called to examine our thoughts with honesty and humility. This practice involves asking: What occupies my mental space throughout the day? Do my private διαλογισμοί align with the values I profess publicly? The apostle Paul urges us toward thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8), recognizing that our thought patterns shape our character.

As we grow in awareness that our διαλογισμοί are fully known to God, we can embrace this knowledge not with fear but with liberation. Rather than maintaining the exhausting façade of outward righteousness while harboring contrary thoughts, we can invite God’s transforming work in the deepest places of our minds. The practice of bringing our διαλογισμοί before God in prayer allows the light of His presence to illuminate and purify our inner life, as we “take every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Related Words

• λογισμός (logismos) – a calculation, reasoning, thought – This term lacks the διά (through) prefix and typically refers to more straightforward cognitive processes rather than the back-and-forth internal deliberation of διαλογισμός. See G3053
• ἔννοια (ennoia) – a thought, intention, concept – While διαλογισμός emphasizes the process of reasoning, ἔννοια typically denotes the resulting concept or understanding that emerges from thinking. See G1771
• διανόημα (dianoema) – a thought, purpose, intent – Related to διάνοια (mind, understanding), this rare term focuses more on the purposeful, intentional aspect of thinking rather than the deliberative process. See G1270
• ἐνθύμησις (enthumesis) – an inward thought, deliberation – Deriving from θυμός (strong feeling or passion), this term often carries emotional undertones that may be absent in the more analytical διαλογισμός. See G1761
• νόημα (noema) – a thought, purpose, mind – This term typically refers to the product of intellectual activity rather than the process itself, often with an emphasis on the spiritual dimensions of thought. See G3540

Did you Know?

• Did you know? The ancient Jewish practice of Hitbodedut (התבודדות), or “self-seclusion,” was a spiritual discipline where one would regularly withdraw to examine their διαλογισμοί in solitude before God. This practice, formalized in later Jewish mysticism but with roots in biblical examples like Isaac’s meditation in the field (Genesis 24:63), parallels Yeshua’s emphasis on examining the thoughts of the heart and His own practice of withdrawing for prayer.
• Did you know? In modern psychology, what the Bible calls διαλογισμός parallels what cognitive behavioral therapy identifies as “self-talk” or “automatic thoughts” – the continuous internal dialogue that shapes our emotional responses and behaviors. While modern psychology focuses on identifying and altering unhealthy thought patterns for mental health, biblical teaching on διαλογισμός recognized the spiritual significance of these patterns thousands of years earlier, emphasizing their moral and spiritual dimensions.
• Did you know? The philosophical school of Stoicism, prominent during the New Testament era, placed great emphasis on examining one’s διαλογισμοί through a daily practice called “evening reflection” (ἑσπερινὸς διαλογισμός). While this practice shows parallels with biblical self-examination, the Stoics sought self-sufficiency and personal virtue, whereas biblical examination of διαλογισμοί acknowledges human dependence on God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s transforming work to purify our thoughts.

Remember This

The διαλογισμοί of your heart reveal who you truly are before God—not your public words or actions—making the transformation of your thought life the foundation of authentic spiritual growth.