Bible Dictionaries
Reputation, Repute

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies (a) "to be of opinion" (akin to doxa, "an opinion"), "to suppose," e.g., Luke 12:51; 13:2 (see SUPPOSE); (b) "to seem, to be reputed;" in Galatians 2:2 , RV , "who were of repute" (AV, "which were of reputation"); in Galatians 2:6 (twice),9, RV , "were reputed" and "were of repute" (AV, "seemed"); in each case the present participle of the verb with the article is used, lit., "(well) thought of" by them, persons held in consideration; in Galatians 2:6 , RV, "(those) who were reputed to be somewhat" (AV, "who seemed to be somewhat"); so Galatians 2:9 , where there is no irony [cp. the rendering "are accounted" in Mark 10:42 (i.e., not rulers nominally)], Paul recognized that James, Cephas, and John were, as they were "reputed" by the church at Jerusalem, its responsible guides; (c) impersonally, "to think, to seem good." See SEEM and THINK.

The first meaning, "to suppose," implies a subjective opinion based on thought; the second meaning, exemplified in the Galatians passages, expresses, from the standpoint of the observer, his own judgment about a matter (Trench, Syn., lxxx).

Notes: (1) In Acts 5:34 , AV, timios, "honored, had in honor" (RV), is translated "had in reputation." (2) In Philippians 2:29 , AV, entimos, "honorable," with echo, "to have," i.e., "to hold in honor," is translated "hold ... in reputation" (RV, "hold ... in honor"). (3) For kenoo, in Philippians 2:7 , AV, "made (Himself) of no reputation," see EMPTY.