UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to profess, to confess, confession

Semantic entry: 33.274

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Profess Allegiance

Definition: to express openly one’s allegiance to a proposition or person

Notes: It is often extremely difficult, if not impossible, to translate ὁμολογέω[a], ὁμολογία, and ἐξομολογέω[b] by the usual expression for ‘confess,’ since this would usually imply that one has done something wrong. It is normally necessary, therefore, to employ quite a different type of relationship, usually involving a public utterance and an expression of confidence or allegiance. For example, in RV MAT 10:32 · LV MAT 10:32 · Read together MAT 10:32 it may be necessary to translate ‘whoever tells people publicly that he is loyal to me, I will tell my Father that I am loyal to that person.’ Similarly, in RV HEB 10:23 · LV HEB 10:23 · Read together HEB 10:23 one may translate ‘let us hold on to the hope in which we have told people we have such confidence.’ Likewise, in RV ROM 15:9 · LV ROM 15:9 · Read together ROM 15:9 one may translate ‘therefore I will tell the Gentiles how I have put my confidence in you.’

Sense 2: to admit, to confess

Semantic entry: 33.275

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Admit, Confess, Deny

Definition: to acknowledge a fact publicly, often in reference to previous bad behavior

Notes: In RV PHP 2:11 · LV PHP 2:11 · Read together PHP 2:11 the statement πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (‘that everyone may confess that Jesus Christ is Lord’) means simply to acknowledge a fact publicly, and in this instance there is no implication of previous bad behavior.

Sense 3: to declare, to assert

Semantic entry: 33.221

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Assert, Declare

Definition: to make an emphatic declaration, often public, and at times in response to pressure or an accusation