Word Study for G3403 (μιμνήσκω)

mimnḗskō /mim-nace'-ko/ Ask about this word

Meaninga prolonged form of μνάομαι (from which some of the tenses are borrowed); to remind, i.e. (middle voice) to recall to mind

KJV usagebe mindful, remember.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mimnḗskō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word mimnḗskō, represented by G3403, means to recall to mind, to be mindful, or to remember. It is a prolonged form of μνάομαι and appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The term conveys an active state of remembrance, not merely a passive recollection of a past event.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical applications, G3403 is used in two distinct but related ways. In Hebrews 2:6, it is part of a quotation that questions the status of humanity, asking, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" Here, God's remembrance is presented as a profound act of attention and care. The second usage, in Hebrews 13:3, is an ethical command to believers: "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them," which calls for an active empathy and solidarity with those who are suffering.

Related Words & Concepts

Two related words appear in the same context as G3403, adding depth to its meaning:

G1263 diamartýromai (to attest or protest earnestly, or (by implication) hortatively:--charge, testify (unto), witness): This word sets the stage in Hebrews 2:6, where a testimony is given about God being mindful of man.
G1980 episképtomai (to inspect, i.e. (by implication) to select; by extension, to go to see, relieve:--look out, visit): Used in direct parallel to G3403 in Hebrews 2:6 ("thou art mindful of him...thou visitest him"), this word connects the act of remembering with the action of visiting or providing relief.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3403 centers on the nature of active remembrance, both divine and human.

Divine Mindfulness: God's act of being "mindful" of humanity is not passive but is linked directly to His "visitation" and care Hebrews 2:6. This remembrance establishes humanity's value and position in relation to God.
Ethical Remembrance: For believers, to "remember" is a moral imperative that requires empathy and action. The command to remember those in bonds "as bound with them" transforms memory into a form of compassionate solidarity Hebrews 13:3.

Summary

In summary, G3403 moves beyond simple recollection to describe a profound and active state of mind. Whether referring to God's attentive care for humanity or the believer's duty to show solidarity with the suffering, mimnḗskō illustrates that true remembrance is fundamentally connected to action, visitation, and care.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 23 occurrences, inflected in 14 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 5×
Aorist Passive Infinitive 3×
Aorist Passive Imperative 2nd Plural 2×
Aorist Passive Imperative 2nd Singular 2×
Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Aorist Passive Indicative 1st Plural 1×
Aorist Passive Indicative 1st Singular 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 1st Singular 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 2nd Singular 1×
Future Passive Indicative 1st Singular 1×
Perfect Middle Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Perfect Middle Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

+ 2 rarer forms

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Hebrews — and none of the other 26 New Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.