Bible Dictionary
TROW
“Trow” is an obsolete English verb meaning “to believe.” In the King James Version it appears in Luke 17:9 in the phrase “I trow not,” though the words are omitted in later translations because they are considered a textual gloss.
Definition
“Trow” is an obsolete English verb meaning “to believe.” It expresses belief or confidence, though it is no longer used in ordinary modern English.
Biblical Usage
The King James Version uses “I trow not” in Luke 17:9 as an answer to a question about whether a servant would be thanked. Later versions omit the expression because the underlying words are regarded as a later gloss.
Historical Background
The word is related to “trust” and to the German trauen. Its only biblical occurrence is in the King James Version of Luke 17:9.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>tro: An obsolete verb meaning "to believe"; compare "trust" and the German trauen. It occurs only in Lu 17:9, the King James Version "Doth he thank that servant. ...? I trow not," as a translation of ou doko, "I believe not." The words ou doko, however, are not part of the original text, but are a later gloss to supply an answer to the question, and hence, "I trow not" is omitted by the Revised Version (British and American).</p>