Original Word: μνάομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mnaomai
Pronunciation: mnah'-om-ahee
Phonetic Spelling: (mnah'-om-ahee)
KJV: be mindful, remember, come (have) in remembrance
Word Origin: [middle voice of a derivative of G3306 (μένω - abides) or perhaps of the base of G3145 (μασσάομαι - gnawed) (through the idea of fixture in the mind or of mental grasp)]

1. to bear in mind, i.e. recollect
2. (by implication) to reward or punish

be mindful, remember

Middle voice of a derivative of meno or perhaps of the base of massaomai (through the idea of fixture in the mind or of mental grasp); to bear in mind, i.e. Recollect; by implication, to reward or punish -- be mindful, remember, come (have) in remembrance. Compare mimnesko.

see GREEK mimnesko

see GREEK meno

see GREEK massaomai

3415 mnáomai (a primitive verb, NAS dictionary) – to recall (bring to mind); remember, recollect, be mindful of. See also 3403 /mimnḗskō ("actively bring to mind").

Word Origin
variant reading for mnésteuó, q.v.

STRONGS NT 3415: μνάομαι

μνάομαι, see μιμνήσκω.

Semantic Range and Core Idea

Μνάομαι centers on deliberate, purposeful remembrance that issues in verbal mention or tangible action. It is more than passive recall; it is the conscious keeping of someone or something in the forefront of the mind so that appropriate response follows. Closest New Testament parallels are found in μιμνῄσκομαι (3403) and μνημονεύω (3421). Together these verbs form the backbone of the biblical theme of remembering, whether by God toward His covenant people or by believers toward God, His works, and one another.

Septuagint Foundations

Although μνάομαι itself does not appear in the Greek New Testament, the Septuagint employs it (often alongside the cognate nouns μνεία and μνημόσυνον) to translate the Hebrew זָכַר (zākar). By examining these Old Testament instances, the theological contours of remembrance become clear:

• Divine remembrance that moves God to act (Genesis 19:29; Genesis 30:22; Psalm 98:3).
• Human remembrance commanded as covenant faithfulness (Exodus 13:3; Deuteronomy 8:2; Psalm 105:5).
• Liturgical remembrance, where festivals, sacrifices, and memorial stones call Israel to fresh obedience (Joshua 4:7; Leviticus 23:24).

Divine Remembrance and Covenant Faithfulness

When Scripture states that the Lord “remembered,” it never suggests lapse or forgetfulness in God. Rather, it conveys that the time has come for Him to bring earlier promises to visible fulfillment. Divine remembrance, therefore, is a declaration of covenant faithfulness. Genesis 9:15 gives the pattern: “I will remember My covenant,” followed by the promise never again to destroy all flesh with a flood. The same pattern reappears with Noah (Genesis 8:1), Rachel (Genesis 30:22), and Israel in Egypt (Exodus 2:24).

Human Remembrance in Worship and Obedience

The people of God are repeatedly called to remember:

• God’s mighty acts: “Remember His wonders and the judgments He has pronounced” (Psalm 105:5).
• God’s statutes: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
• Personal deliverance: “Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:12).

Failure to remember leads to apostasy (Judges 8:34; Psalm 78:11); intentional remembrance fuels faithful living (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Remembrance in Intercessory Prayer

New Testament writers, though not using μνάομαι, embody its intent when they say, “I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16). The repeated formula “making mention of you” (Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:4) displays how purposeful remembrance shapes intercession and fosters spiritual unity.

Christological Focus

At the Last Supper Jesus instituted a perpetual act of remembrance: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). The command unites the whole biblical theology of remembering—God’s acts in redemption, human response in worship, and covenant renewal—around the person and saving work of Christ.

Pastoral and Devotional Implications

1. Cultivate deliberate remembrance through Scripture meditation, testimony, and historic creeds.
2. Use corporate worship elements—hymns, prayers, Communion—as ordained means to keep Christ’s saving work vivid.
3. Incorporate intentional “mentioning” of fellow believers in prayer lists, echoing Pauline practice.
4. Raise memorials (journals, family traditions, mission updates) that signal God’s faithfulness to the next generation (Joshua 4:6-7).

Historical and Liturgical Significance

Early Christian writers saw the Eucharist as the supreme μνημόσυνον, a “memorial offering” that proclaims the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). Patristic homilies often urged believers to recall martyrs and saints, not as intermediaries but as examples of persevering faith that stir present obedience (Hebrews 13:7).

Summary

Though μνάομαι does not surface in the New Testament text, its theological pulse beats throughout Scripture. The verb’s emphasis on purposeful remembrance undergirds covenant assurance, informs prayer and worship, and points decisively to the saving remembrance accomplished and commanded by Jesus Christ.

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