Figures of Speech in the Bible

Heart, Conscience, Pricked Heart, and Inner Witness Imagery in the Bible

Heart and conscience imagery uses heart, inner witness, pricked heart, clean heart, or conscience language to picture conviction, inward renewal, moral awareness, or purified access to God.

Simple Definition Technical Definition Scripture Examples JSON Data

Simple definition

Heart and conscience imagery uses heart, inner witness, pricked heart, clean heart, or conscience language to picture conviction, inward renewal, moral awareness, or purified access to God.

Technical nameHeart, conscience, pricked heart, burning heart, clean heart, circumcised heart, inner witness, and evil-conscience imagery
Alternate namesheart imagery; conscience imagery; pricked-heart imagery; burning-heart imagery; clean-heart imagery; inner-witness imagery
Reader categoryInner person, conviction, repentance, renewal, moral witness, conscience, and inward purification / Heart-conscience imagery
Bullinger classSupplemental biblical imagery form
Source hintWave 44 draft-normalized heart/conscience review; distinguish ordinary emotion, biblical inner-person language, conscience as moral witness, pricked-heart conviction, and new-covenant cleansing.
Examples on page10

Technical definition

An inner-person motif in which heart, conscience, pricking, burning, cleansing, circumcision, sprinkling, or inner witness language signifies conviction, repentance, regeneration, moral testimony, inward purity, or covenant transformation.

Publication note: Examples are curated from the final Wave 46 source state. Some examples carry review notes where final Bible-text stream verification may still be prudent before public release.

Scripture examples

These examples show how Heart, Conscience, Pricked Heart, and Inner Witness Imagery functions in biblical language, rhetoric, poetry, prophecy, narrative, or theological imagery.

Deut. 30:6
certain

circumcise thine heart

Circumcised-heart imagery portrays inward covenant transformation and love for the LORD.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
1 Sam. 24:5
certain

David’s heart smote him

Heart-smiting imagery depicts inward moral conviction after David’s action.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Ps. 51:10
certain

Create in me a clean heart

Clean-heart imagery asks God for inward renewal after sin.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Ezek. 36:26
certain

a new heart also will I give you

New-heart imagery promises inward renewal by God’s Spirit.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Luke 24:32
certain

Did not our heart burn within us

Burning-heart imagery describes inner recognition and illumination from Christ’s opened word.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Acts 2:37
certain

they were pricked in their heart

Pricked-heart imagery portrays conviction under apostolic preaching.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Acts 24:16
certain

a conscience void of offence

Conscience language describes moral integrity before God and people.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Rom. 2:15
certain

their conscience also bearing witness

Conscience is pictured as an inner witness that accuses or excuses.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
1 Tim. 1:5
certain

a good conscience

Good-conscience language marks inward moral sincerity joined to faith and love.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.
Heb. 10:22
certain

hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience

Sprinkled-heart and cleansed-conscience imagery depicts purified access to God through Christ.

Source: draft_normalized_scripture_example — Wave 44 inner life/moral response fear/zeal/shame/joy/grief/patience/anger/desire/conscience imagery expansion
Review status: draft_normalized | Source/context check before final publication.

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