UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to deny

Semantic entry: 33.277

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Admit, Confess, Deny

Definition: to say that one does not know about or is in any way related to a person or event{N:001}

Notes: In translating ἀρνέομαι[a] and ἀπαρνέομαι[a], one can often use an equivalent phrase such as ‘to say that one does not know’ or ‘to say that one has nothing to do with.’|In denying an event, as in OET LUK 8:45, it may be possible to translate ‘but they all said they knew nothing about it.’ It is also possible to deny having done something, and therefore one may translate the response in OET LUK 8:45 as ‘but they all said that they did not do it’ or ‘… that they did not touch him.’

Sense 2: to deny

Semantic entry: 34.48

Semantic domains: Association

Subdomains: Establish or Confirm a Relation

Definition: to deny any relationship of association with someone

Notes: In a number of languages one may best translate ‘deny’ as ‘to make manifest not to know.’ Accordingly, one may translate the first part of OET LUK 12:9 as ‘whoever shows people that he does not know me’ or ‘whoever refuses to admit that he does know me.’ Denial need not involve some verbal formulation, though in some languages this is the most common practice. See also 33.277: ἀπαρνέομαι / 33.277: ἀρνέομαι.

Sense 3: to refuse to agree to, to not consent to

Semantic entry: 31.25

Semantic domains: Hold a View, Believe, Trust

Subdomains: Agree, Consent

Definition: to refuse to agree or consent to something

Sense 4: to disregard, to pay no attention to, to say No to

Semantic entry: 30.52

Semantic domains: Think

Subdomains: To Think About, with the Implied Purpose of Responding Appropriately

Definition: to refuse to give thought to or express concern for{N:002}

Notes: There are a number of problems involved in rendering appropriately ἀρνέομαι[d] and ἀπαρνέομαι[b] as in OET LUK 9:23 and OET MRK 8:34.|In a number of languages it simply makes no sense to translate ‘to say No to oneself,’ nor is it possible in many instances to use an expression such as ‘to deny oneself,’ since it almost always implies to deny oneself something. Sometimes the meaning may be expressed in a figurative or idiomatic manner, for example, ‘to refuse to pay attention to what one’s own desires are saying’ or ‘to refuse to think about what one just wants for oneself.’ In certain instances other kinds of idioms may be employed, for example, ‘to put oneself at the end of the line’ or even ‘to say to one’s heart, Keep quiet.’

Sense 5: to refuse to follow, to refuse to obey, to reject

Semantic entry: 36.43

Semantic domains: Guide, Discipline, Follow

Subdomains: Follow, Be a Disciple

Definition: to refuse to follow someone as a leader

Sense 6: to be false to oneself, to be untrue to oneself

Semantic entry: 88.231

Semantic domains: Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior

Subdomains: Hypocrisy, Pretense

Definition: to behave in a way which is untrue to one’s real self, in a sense of denying certain valid aspects of one’s personality

Notes: It is possible in some languages to translate ‘he cannot be false to himself’ in OET TI2 2:13 as ‘he cannot be different from what he really is’ or ‘he cannot be otherwise than good.’