verb
mathamō
Strong’sG3129
I learn, ascertain
stem math-25 times in the New Testamentin 15 of 27 books14 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
To learn — to gain knowledge of something, especially by inquiry, instruction, study, or hearing it from another person or source 124. This can mean learning a fact or piece of teaching, learning something by being told or reading it, or coming to know a person, and it can also shade into simply finding out or ascertaining that something is the case 134.
To become accustomed to something through practice — to acquire a habit by repeated use, so that one comes to do a thing as a matter of course, such as learning to be idle through repeated inactivity 13.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
μανθάνω,
[in LXX chiefly for למד;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3129 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidman-than'-o
to learn (in any way)
Fromprolongation from a primary verb, another form of which, μαθέω, is used as an alternate in certain tenses;
King Jameslearn, understand.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Refs 5th c.BC+: future μᾰθήσομαι Refs 6th c.BC+; Doric dialect μᾰθεῦμαι uncertain in Refs 3rd c.BC+: aorist ἔμᾰθον Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect ἔμμαθον Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect μεμάθηκα Refs 6th c.BC+pluperfect ἐμεμαθήκηRefs; 3rd.pers. singular ἐμεμαθήκει Refs; 3rd.pers. plural μεμαθήκεσαν Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, used by good writers only in present, as Refs 8th c.BC+aorist forms μάθον, ἔμμαθες, ἔμμαθε:—learn, especially by study (but also, by practice, Refs 4th c.BC+; by experience, Refs 8th c.BC+: with infinitive, μάθον ἔμμεναι ἐσθλός Refs 8th c.BC+; ταλάντου τοῦτ᾽ ἔμαθεν for a talent, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ μανθάνοντες learners, pupils, Refs 5th c.BC+; μ. τὰ Ὁμήρου ἔπη learn by heart, Refs 5th c.BC+; μ. τί τινος learn from.., Refs 5th c.BC+ Thgn.[same place]; μ. καθ᾽ Ὅμηρον Xenoph.[same place]; τι ἔκ τινος Refs 5th c.BC+; παρά τινος ὅτι.. Refs 5th c.BC+; πρὶν μάθοιμ᾽ εἰ.. Refs: with infinitive, learn to.., or how to.., Refs 8th c.BC+
II acquire a habit of, and in past tenses, to be accustomed to.., with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ μεμαθηκός that which is usual, πρότερον ἢ ὕστερον τοῦ μ. Refs; ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσι acquire a habit of idleness, NT
III perceive, remark, notice, τὸ πλῆθος Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 frequently with participle, μ. τὴν νέα ἐμβαλοῦσαν Refs 5th c.BC+; μάνθανε ὤν know that you are, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.3 with ὅτι, Refs 5th c.BC+; with ὡς, Refs 5th c.BC+
IV understand Refs 5th c.BC+ if you take me, Refs 5th c.BC+; d'ye see? Answ., πάνυ μανθάνω perfectly! Refs 5th c.BC+
V τί μαθών..; frequently in questions, literal under what persuasion, with what idea? hence ironically for why on earth? τί δὴ μ. φαίνεις ἄνευ θρυαλλίδο; Refs 5th c.BC+; τί τοῦτο μ. προσέγραψε; Refs 4th c.BC+ (sometimes with variant{τί παθών}; what possessed you to.. ? compare πάσχω); imitated in later Greek, Refs 2nd c.AD+; also indirectly, because (with a sense of disapprobation), ὅ τι μαθόντες τοὺς ξένους μὲν λέγετε ποιητὰς σοφούς Refs 5th c.BC+: even with neuter subject, ὅμως δ᾽ ἂν κακὰ ἦν, ὅ τι μαθόντα χαίρειν ποιεῖ Refs
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| mathalōμανθάνουσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | learn | 1× |
| mathamaἔμαθον | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | learned | 1× |
| mathasaἔμαθες | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | learned | 2× |
| mathataἔμαθεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | learned | 1× |
| mathavaἐμάθετε | happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural | learned | 4× |
| mathaleiōμανθάνωσιν | happening now · theypresent active subjunctive 3rd person plural | learn | 1× |
| mathaveiaμάθητε | happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural | learn | 1× |
| mathatōrμανθανέτω | happening now · he/she/itpresent active imperative 3rd person singular | learn | 1× |
| mathalōrμανθανέτωσαν | happening now · theypresent active imperative 3rd person plural | learn | 2× |
| mathavarμάθετε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | learn | 4× |
| matharaμαθεῖν | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | learn | 3× |
| matharōnteimμανθάνοντα | happening now · objectpresent active participle direct plural neuter | learning | 1× |
| matharantosμαθὼν | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | learned | 2× |
| matharēntosμεμαθηκώς | has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative singular masculine | studied | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 9 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | mathamō | mathame | mathami | mathama1×ἔμαθον | mathamē | mathamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | mathasō | mathase | mathasi | mathasa2×ἔμαθες | mathasē | mathaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | mathatō | mathate | mathati | mathata1×ἔμαθεν | mathatē | mathatelē |
| we 1st person plural | mathanō | mathane | mathani | mathana | mathanē | mathanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | mathavō | mathave | mathavi | mathava4×ἐμάθετε | mathavē | mathavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | mathalō1×μανθάνουσιν | mathale | mathali | mathala | mathalē | mathalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | mathameiō | mathameia | mathameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | mathaseiō | mathaseia | mathaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | mathateiō | mathateia | mathateiē |
| we 1st person plural | mathaneiō | mathaneia | mathaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | mathaveiō | mathaveia1×μάθητε | mathaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | mathaleiō1×μανθάνωσιν | mathaleia | mathaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 7 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | mathasōr | mathasar | mathasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | mathatōr1×μανθανέτω | mathatar | mathatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | mathavōr | mathavar4×μάθετε | mathavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | mathalōr2×μανθανέτωσαν | mathalar | mathalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | mathamoiō | mathamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | mathasoiō | mathasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | mathatoiō | mathatoia |
| we 1st person plural | mathanoiō | mathanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | mathavoiō | mathavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | mathaloiō | mathaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | matharō | mathari | mathara3×μαθεῖν | matharē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | matharōntos1× | matharintos | matharantos2×μαθὼν | matharēntos1×μεμαθηκώς |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
math is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
25 occurrences, every one of them listed
mathalō“learn”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural1×
1 Timothy 5:13hama de kai argais mathalō, perierchorōntais tain oikiain, ouk monem de …… the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house …
mathama“learned”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Philippians 4:11… hoti kata husterēsian legamō, mis gar mathama en hei amō autarkos arō;… out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my …
mathasa“learned”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular2×
2 Timothy 3:14sis de menasōr en hei mathasa kai pistisa, horarēntos para tinoiu mathasa,… continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know …
2 Timothy 3:14… mathasa kai pistisa, horarēntos para tinoiu mathasa,… you know from whom you have learned them.
mathata“learned”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 5:8kaiper arōntos huios, mathata apo heiu paschata tan hupakoan,Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.
mathava“learned”happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural4×
Romans 16:17… skandaleim para tan didachan han vis mathava poiarōntoin, kai ekklinavōr apo autoiu;… contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
Ephesians 4:20“learned”vis de ouk houtōs mathava ton Christon,But this is not the way you came to know Christ.
Philippians 4:9heim kai mathava kai paralabava kai akouava kai horava …Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me …
Colossians 1:7kathōs mathava apo Epafrou tou agapētou sundoulou nu, …You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow …
mathaleiō“learn”happening now · theypresent active subjunctive 3rd person plural1×
1 Corinthians 14:31“learn”… kata henon pantois profēteuarō, hina pantois mathaleiō kai pantois parakaloleiō… you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
mathaveia“learn”happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural1×
1 Corinthians 4:6… Apollon dia vin, hina en ni mathaveia tem; Mē huper heim grafotē, hina …… your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond …
mathatōr“learn”happening now · he/she/itpresent active imperative 3rd person singular1×
1 Timothy 2:11gunaikas en hēsuchia mathatōr en panta hupotaga;A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness.
mathalōr“learn”happening now · theypresent active imperative 3rd person plural2×
1 Timothy 5:4… tinas chēras tekneim ē ekgoneim echatō, mathalōr prōton ton idion oikon eusebarō kai …… children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own …
Titus 3:14mathalōr de kai tois hēmeterois kaleiu ergeiu …And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works …
mathavar“learn”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural4×
Matthew 9:13poreuirantois de mathavar tinem atō; Elesem thelamō kai ouk …But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy …
Matthew 11:29… ton zugon mu epi vin kai mathavar apo mu, hoti prauos amō kai …Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle …
Matthew 24:32Apo de tau sukau mathavar tan parabolan; hotan ēdē tos klados …Now learn this lesson from the fig tree …
Mark 13:28Apo de tau sukau mathavar tan parabolan; hotan ēdē tos klados …Now learn this lesson from the fig tree …
mathara“learn”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive3×
1 Corinthians 14:35“learn”ei de tinem mathara thelalō, en oiko toin idioin androin …If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it …
Galatians 3:2houtem monem thelamō mathara apo vu, ek ergeiu nomou tem …I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did …
Revelation 14:3… kai toiu presbuteroiu; kai oudenos dunote mathara tan ōdan ei mē tais hekaton …… the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had …
matharōnteim“learning”happening now · objectpresent active participle direct plural neuter1×
2 Timothy 3:7pantote matharōnteim kai mēdepote eis epignōsian alētheiau erchara …who are always learning but never able to come to …
matharantos“learned”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine2×
John 6:45… tos akouarantos para tou patrou kai matharantos erchotō pros min.… who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me —
Acts 23:27… autoiu epistēarantos sun te strateume exairema, matharantos hoti Rōmaios atō,… to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
matharēntos“studied”has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative singular masculine1×
John 7:15… legarōntois; Pōs houtos grammeim oidatē mē matharēntos?… man attain such learning without having studied?”