Dangerous Suspicion: ὑπόνοια (Strong’s G5283: hyponoia) Warns Against Evil Thoughts

Strong’s G5283: A noun derived from hypo (under) with nous (mind), meaning suspicion or evil surmising. In biblical usage, it specifically refers to harmful suspicions arising from corrupt thinking, particularly in contexts of false teaching and divisive behavior.

U- Unveiling the Word

ὑπόνοια (hyponoia) combines ὑπό (hypo, “under”) with νοῦς (nous, “mind”), describing undercurrent thoughts that breed suspicion. In 1 Timothy 6:4, Paul uses it to describe the harmful suspicions that arise from corrupt thinking and false teaching. The early church saw this word as a warning against the destructive power of unfounded suspicions in Christian community. Today, it reminds us to guard against baseless suspicions that can damage fellowship and hinder truth.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑπόνοια, hyponoia, hoop-ON-oy-ah
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoop (as in “hoop”) + on (as in “on”) + oy (as in “boy”) + ah (as in “ah”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• ὑπό (hypo) – prefix meaning “under”
• νοῦς (nous) – noun meaning “mind”
• -ια (-ia) – abstract noun suffix
  Combined to mean “under-thinking”

D – Defining Meanings

• Evil suspicion
• Harmful surmising
• Malicious conjecture

For compound words:

• ὑπό indicates underlying thought
• νοῦς contributes mental activity
• -ια makes it an abstract concept

Translation Options:

• “Evil suspicion” – emphasizes harmful nature
• “Malicious conjecture” – highlights negative intent
• “Unfounded suspicion” – stresses baseless nature

E – Exploring Similar Words

• διαλογισμός (dialogismos, dee-al-og-IS-mos) – “disputing, evil thoughts”
  See G1261
• ὑπόληψις (hypolēpsis, hoop-OL-ayp-sis) – “supposition”
  See G5284
• κακοήθεια (kakoētheia, kak-o-AY-thei-a) – “malice”
  See G2550

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, ὑπόνοια exhibits these features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, or Accusative
• Number: Singular or Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Examples of morphological changes:

• Nominative singular: ὑπόνοια
• Genitive singular: ὑπονοίας
• Dative singular: ὑπονοίᾳ
• Accusative singular: ὑπόνοιαν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons emphasize ὑπόνοια’s negative connotation. BDAG highlights its use in contexts of harmful speculation. Thayer’s notes its connection to corrupt thinking and false teaching. LSJ traces its development from neutral suspicion to negative conjecture. Vine’s connects it to divisive behavior in church contexts. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature suggesting underlying harmful thoughts. Moulton and Milligan document its use in legal contexts of malicious accusation.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
1 Timothy 6:4: “he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil [ὑπόνοια] suspicions.”

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

ὑπόνοια warns against the destructive power of baseless suspicion in Christian community. Paul identifies it as a fruit of corrupt thinking that damages fellowship and hinders truth. The good news is that King Jesus offers transformation of our thought patterns, replacing harmful suspicion with trusting love and discerning wisdom.

D – Did You Know?

• The word appears in ancient legal documents about false accusations
• Early church fathers used it to warn against heretical thinking
• It influenced Christian teaching about unity and trust

Strong’s G5283: A noun derived from hypo (under) with nous (mind), meaning suspicion or evil surmising. In biblical usage, it specifically refers to harmful suspicions arising from corrupt thinking, particularly in contexts of false teaching and divisive behavior.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: suspicion, false teaching, evil thinking, division, unity, wisdom, discernment, trust, fellowship, church life​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​