Bible Dictionaries
Forget, Forgetful

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: λανθάνω

(Strong's #2990 — Verb — lanthano — lan-than'-o )

"to escape notice," is translated "they (wilfully) forget" in 2 Peter 3:5 , RV, lit., "this escapes them (i.e., their notice, wilfully on their part)," AV, "they willingly are ignorant of;" in ver. 2 Peter 3:8 , RV, "forget not," lit., "let not this one thing escape you" (your notice), AV, "be not ignorant of." See HIDE , IGNORANT , UNAWARES.

A — 2: ἐπιλανθάνομαι

(Strong's #1950 — Verb — epilanthanomai — ep-ee-lan-than'-om-ahee )

"to forget, or neglect" (epi, "upon," used intensively, and No. 1), is said (a) negatively of God, indicating His remembrance of sparrows, Luke 12:6 , and of the work and labor of love of His saints, Hebrews 6:10; (b) of the disciples regarding taking bread, Matthew 16:5 : Mark 8:14; (c) of Paul regarding "the things which are behind," Philippians 3:13; (d) of believers, as to showing love to strangers, Hebrews 13:2 , RV, and as to doing good and communicating, ver. Hebrews 13:16; (e) of a person who, after looking at himself in a mirror, forgets what kind of person he is, James 1:24 .

A — 3: ἐκλανθάνομαι

(Strong's #1585 — Verb — eklanthanomai — ek-lan-than'-om-ahee )

"to forget utterly" (ek, "out," intensive), is used in the Middle Voice in Hebrews 12:5 , of "forgetting" an exhortation.

B — 1: λήθη

(Strong's #3024 — Noun Feminine — lethe — lay'-thay )

"forgetfulness" (from letho, "to forget," an old form of lanthano, see A, No. 1; cp. Eng. "lethal," "lethargy," and the mythical river "Lethe," which was supposed to cause forgetfulness of the past to those who drank of it), is used with lambano, "to take," in 2 Peter 1:9 , "having forgotten," lit., "having taken forgetfulness" (cp. 2 Timothy 1:5 , lit., "having taken reminder"), a periphrastic expression for a single verb.

B — 2: ἐπιλησμονή

(Strong's #1953 — Noun Feminine — epilesmone — ep-ee-lace-mon-ay' )

"forgetfulness" (akin to A, No. 2), is used in James 1:25 , "a forgetful hearer," RV, "a hearer that forgetteth," lit., "a hearer of forgetfulness," i.e., a hearer characterized by "forgetfulness."

Bibliography Information
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Forget, Forgetful'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​f/forget-forgetful.html. 1940.