All word studies
Heart in the Bible
In Scripture the heart is more than emotion — it is the inner control center where thought, will, and worship meet. God's renewal begins there.
Greek & Hebrew words
Greek (New Testament)
Key KJV verses
All verses →Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”Read in context
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”Read in context
Ezekiel 36:26
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”Read in context
Heart as command center
Leb (H3820) and kardia (G2588) name the inner person — mind, will, conscience, and affections together. To love God with all the heart is to love Him with the whole self.
A new heart
Because the heart is sick (Jeremiah 17:9), salvation must reach it. God promises and gives a new heart in the new covenant (Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 5:5).
Frequently asked questions
What does the heart mean in the Bible?
The inner person — the seat of thought, will, conscience, and affections, not just emotion (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19).
What is a new heart in the Bible?
The promised inner renewal of the new covenant — God replacing the heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).