Insight (5428) (phronesis from phroneo = to have understanding, to think <> from phren = midriff, heart, mind, thought) describes practical understanding discernment of the needs, problems principles of everyday life which leads to right action. Thoughtful planning. From the uses in the Lxx we discern that ultimately true understanding is an attribute of God and thus the goal for a godly man or woman should be divinely bestowed phronesis. (cf 1Cor 2:16) Study the uses of phronesis in Proverbs (see listing below) using the 5W/H questions (you may need to check the context) and take notes to come up with your own Scripture based "definition" of phronesis (e.g., in Pr 7:4 phronesis is to be our "intimate friend"), and then ask the Spirit of the Living God to lead you into all the truth of that great word for the glory of the Lamb. Amen. Phronesis is the ability to govern one’s own life wisely. It is a skill and carefulness in dealing with one’s own resources. Phronesis is prudence which is caution in practical affairs or action that shows care and thought for the future. It describes the practical use of wisdom and spiritual discernment. TDNT (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament- Abridged in One Volume) - 1. History and Oldest Sense. phren, or plural phrenes, means “diaphragm,” regarded as the seat of mental and spiritual activity, then “mind” or “understanding.” The compounds reflect the intellectual focus, phroneo usually means “to think” or “to plan,” and the nouns phronema and phronesis mean “thought,” “thinking,” or “reason.” 2. From Homer to the Classical Period. Homer refers to the possibilities of a sound or sick development of the mind. Aeschylus uses phren for the “disposition”; this may be arrogant or rational. aphrosyne is a term for “youthful folly,” while aphron means “out of one's mind.” phroneo occurs for “to have understanding” but also “to intend,” and we find phronesis for divine “counsel” and phronema for human “pride” or “arrogance.” 3. phronesis and Cognates in Philosophy. a. Plato uses phren in the physical sense and also for the inner person. The soul has phronesis (“receptivity”) prior to being in us. sophia differs from the more practical phronesis, but the two are also interchangeable. phronesis is the right state of the intellect and the source of virtue. Education is admonition in phronesis and truth. phronesis is the chief virtue. All culture is linked to it. It is a divine gift that should guide lawgivers and that directs the mind to immortality. phronema is the disposition, the intellectual and spiritual attitude, or self-confidence, which may produce arrogance if based on physical fitness alone. b. Aristotle uses phren only in quotations. phroneo as the ability to comprehend belongs only to the few. phronesis is God's gift; it is moral insight or knowledge leading to a virtuous life. As practical acumen it differs from theoretical wisdom. c. In Stoicism the three other cardinal virtues proceed from phronesis or sophia. Since philosophy and virtue are one, phronesis is integral to philosophy. d. In Neo-Platonism phronesis is an emanation ruled by nous. The rational soul is beautiful. Regard for nous is phronesis. phronesis is the intellectual activity of an individual soul related to a body. By a later tradition labor and training precede phronesis (cf. the discussion of physis, mathesis, and virtue in Plato). e. In popular usage we find the term on magical papyri, in Gnostic texts, and in a legal context (for “competence”). UBS - insight, wisdom; way of thinking Liddell-Scott - a minding to do so and so, purpose, intention, Soph. 2. arrogance, Eur. II. thoughtfulness, prudence, BDAG: (1) the faculty of thoughtful planning, way of thinking, (frame of) mind (2) the ability to understand, understanding, insight, intelligence (Pr 10:23, 4Macc 1:18) Here is the only other NT use of phronesis... Luke 1:17 "It is he (John the Baptist) who will go as a forerunner before Him (Messiah) in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN (Quoting Mal 4:6-note), and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous (Ed: Is this not a manifestation of God's gracious gift of repentance?), so as (Whenever you see a purpose clause, pause and ponder and query the underlying sense) to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Phronesis - 59v in the non-apocryphal Septuagint - often translates "Wisdom" - Josh 5:1; 1 Sam 2:10; 1 Kgs 2:35; 8" class="scriptRef">3:28; 4:29f; 10:4, 6, 8, 23-1Kgs.10.29" class="scriptRef">23f; 11:41; Job 5:13; 17.4" class="scriptRef">17:4; Pr 1:2; 3:13, 19; 7:4; 8:1, 14; 9:6, 16; 10:23; 14:29; 16:16; 19:8; 24:5; 30:2; Isa 40:28; 44:19; Jer 10:12; Ezek 28:4; Dan 1:4, 17; 2:21, 23; 5:12; Joshua 5:1 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel. 1 Samuel 2:10 "Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed." 1 Kings 2:35 The king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar. 1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. 1 Kings 4:29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 1 Kings 10:4 When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 6 ¶ Then she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 8 "How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. 23 ¶ So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. 1 Kings 11:41 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? Job 5:13 "He captures the wise by their own shrewdness, And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted. Job 17:4 "For You have kept their heart from understanding, Therefore You will not exalt them. Proverbs 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Proverbs 3:13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. Proverbs 7:4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your intimate friend; Proverbs 8:1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? 14 "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. Proverbs 9:6 "Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding." 16 "Whoever is naive, let him turn in here," And to him who lacks understanding she says, Proverbs 10:23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. Proverbs 16:16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Proverbs 19:8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. Proverbs 24:5 A wise man is strong, And a man of knowledge increases power. Proverbs 30:2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. Isaiah 44:19 No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!" Jeremiah 10:12 It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. Ezekiel 28:4 "By your wisdom and understanding You have acquired riches for yourself And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries. Daniel 1:4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king's court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. Daniel 2:21 "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. 23 "To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king's matter." Daniel 5:12 "This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation."