ἰδιώτηςidiṓtēs
a private person, i.e. (by implication) an ignoramus (compare "idiot")
Greek (New Testament) · G2399
Meanings
1. a private person, as opposed to the State or an official (βασιλεῖς κ. ἰδιῶται, Proverbs 6:8; and cf. MM, Exp., xv).
2. one without professional knowledge, unskilled, uneducated, unlearned: 1 Corinthians 14:16, 1 Corinthians 14:23, 1 Corinthians 14:24 (R, margin, without gifts); ἀγράμματοι κ. ἰ., Acts 4:13; with dative (= classical Greek with genitive of thing), λόγῳ, 2 Corinthians 11:6.
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 5 times in the Bible.
- Acts 4:13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 14:16 For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying?
- 1 Corinthians 14:23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.
- 1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say.
- 2 Corinthians 11:6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.