If you look in the Strongs...
Sometimes the well-worn dictum, "if in Strong's it is Wrong" applies.
Which is really to say, Strong provides
glosses. It is not a lexicon. You want and need a
lexicon, then you should use the gold standard, commonly known as BAGD ("bag-d" newer version, or BDAG ("bee-dag" older version):
https://www.amazon.com/Greek-English-Lexicon-Testament-Christian-Literature/dp/0226039331/
That said, BAGD/BDAG is not for the faint of heart and it assumes one has facility with the Biblical languages:
ἀκοή, ῆς, ἡ (in form
ἀκουή as early as Hom.;
freq.,
incl. ins,
pap,
LXX;
PsSol 8:5;
ApcSed;
ApcMos 8;
EpArist,
Test12Patr,
Philo, Joseph., Just.;
Ath. [1, 2]).
1
the faculty of hearing, hearing (Philo, Rer. Div. Her. 12 of images οἷς ὦτα μέν ἐστιν, ἀκοαὶ δ̓ οὐκ ἔνεισιν; given by God Did., Gen. 162, 21) 1 Cor 12:17; but mng. 3 is also prob.
2
the act of hearing, listening (Pla., Theaet. 142d λόγος ἄξιος ἀκοῆς; Antig. Car. 129 ἀκοῆς ἄξια; BGU 1080, 6; EpArist 142 w. ὅρασις; Jos., Ant. 8, 171; w. ὄψις 172) w. βλέμμα 2 Pt 2:8 (cp. New Docs 3, 61). ἀκοῇ ἀκούειν (Polyaenus, Exc. 55, 2; LXX) Mt 13:14; Ac 28:26 (both Is 6:9); B 9:2 (cp. Ex 15:26). εἰς ἀ. ὠτίου ὑπακούειν obey upon hearing with the ear, i.e. as soon as one hears B 9:1 (Ps 17:45; cp. 2 Km 22:45). ἀ. πίστεως hearing of faith (=that 'hearing' which Christians call faith) Gal 3:2, 5 (SWilliams, NTS 35, '89, 82-93, but most prefer mng. 4b).
3
the organ w. which one hears, ear (Sappho et al.; POxy 129, 4; PGM 4, 306; 323; 2 Macc 15:39; EpArist 166) esp. pl. (Dio Chrys. 15 [32], 11; Aelian, VH 3, 1 p. 39, 21; oft. Philo; Jos., Ant. 8, 172; SibOr 4, 172; Just., D. 131, 4; Orig., C. Cels. 1, 48, 33) αἱ ἀκοαί Mk 7:35. εἰσφέρειν εἰς τὰς ἀ. bring to someone's ears Ac 17:20 (cp. Soph., Ajax 147). εἰς τὰς ἀ. τινος in someone's ears Lk 7:1. νωθρὸς (q.v.) ταῖς ἀ. Hb 5:11. κνήθεσθαι τὴν ἀ. have itching ears (i.e. they like to have them tickled) 2 Ti 4:3, cp. vs. 4. Fig. περιτέμνειν τὰς ἀ. circumcise the ears=make someone attentive B 9:4; 10:12.
4
that which is heard
a
fame, report, rumor (Hom. et al.; Sb 7205, 8; 1 Km 2:24; 2 Km 13:30; 3 Km 2:28; 10:7) Mt 4:24; 14:1; 24:6; Mk 1:28; 13:7; 1 Cl 47:7.
b
account, report, message (Thu. 1, 20, 1 ἀκοὴν δέχεσθαι of things recounted by others in the past; Just., D. 8, 4 ματαίαν ἀ. παραδεξάμενοι) πιστεύειν τῇ ἀ. (cp. Jos., C. Ap. 2, 14; Just., D. 8, 4 [Is 53:1]; Did., Gen. 218, 2) J 12:38; Ro 10:16f; 1 Cl 16:3 (all three Is 53:1). ἐξ ἀ. πίστεως as the result of a message (proclamation) which elicited (only) faith Gal 3:2, 5 (difft. Williams, 2 above). λόγος τῆς ἀκοῆς the word of proclamation (preaching) Hb 4:2. λόγος ἀκοῆς παῤ ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ the word of divine proclamation that goes out from us 1 Th 2:13 (RSchippers, NovT 8, '66, 223-34 tradition).—AOepke, Die Missionspredigt d. Ap. Pls. 1920, 40ff.—DELG s.v. ἀκούω. M-M. TW. Sv.
From a kinder and gentler, word study
resource:
ἀκοή [See Stg:
<G189>]
akoé; gen.
akoés, fem. noun from
akoúō <G191>, to hear. Hearing, the faculty of hearing (
Rom. 10:16, 17 [cf. Matt. 13:14; Acts 28:26; Gal. 3:2, 5]; Sept.: Ex. 15:26; 19:5); the sense of hearing (1 Cor. 12:17; Heb. 5:11); the organ or instrument of hearing, the ear (Mark 7:35; Acts 17:20; 2 Tim. 4:3, 4); something which is or may be heard, a rumor, report (Matt. 4:24; 14:1; 24:6; Mark 1:28; 13:7; Luke 7:1; John 12:38; Rom. 10:16; Gal. 3:2, 5, doctrine taught and received with faith; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 4:3; Heb. 4:2; 2 Pet. 2:8; Sept.: Isa. 53:1; 2 Sam. 13:30).
Syn.:
oús <G3775>, ear;
ōtíon <G5621>, a diminutive of
oús, ear;
phémē <G5346>, fame, report;
lógos <G3056>, a word, report, account;
échos <G2279>, noise, sound, rumor, echo;
aggelía <G31>, a message, proclamation, news;
presbeía <G4242>, embassy, a message, messengers;
kérugma <G2782>, proclamation, preaching;
marturía <G3141>, witness, report;
diágnōsis <G1233>, diagnosis, hearing for the purpose of discerning;
akroatérion <G201>, a place of hearing.
Ant.:
parakoé <G3876>, not hearing, disobedience;
hēsuchía <G2271>, silence.
Lastly, one from
Mounce, always a favorite of many:
HEARING
New Testament Noun: (ako), GK 198 (S 189), 24x. ako can mean “hearing,” but it can also refer to the organ of hearing (“ ear”) or to what is actually heard (“ message”). In emphasizing the importance of all the parts of the body (i.e., the church), Paul asks, “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?” (1 Cor. 12: 17). Jesus quotes Isa. 6: 9, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving” (Mt. 13: 14; cf. Acts 28: 26). When Jesus heals a man who is deaf, Mark writes, “the man’s ears were opened” (Mk. 7: 35). The philosophers in the Athenian marketplace report about Paul’s teaching, “You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears” (Acts 17: 20; cf. 2 Tim. 4: 3). Matthew comments on the reports that were spreading about Jesus and writes, “News about him spread all over” (Mt. 4: 24; cf. 14: 1; 24: 6; Mk. 1: 28; 13: 7). In a similar vein Paul writes, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). See NIDNTT-A, 29-31.
The verse in question, Romans 10:17 is not a complex verse, despite a few odd renderings here and there:
https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Romans 10:17
How do we apprehend faith?
By hearing.
How do we hear the message of our faith?
By God first acting.
We all have ears attached to our heads that process sound waves that our mind translates into meanings. So all hear the
outward call of the Gospel. But only those granted "
ears to hear" by God, which is part of the
inward call of God, will translate those words into a positive personal meaning of which he or she will appropriate in faith.
On the matter of using Strong's the following cautionaries are worth a read:
http://www.tidings.org/wp/?p=3505
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-ways-not-to-use-greek-in-bible-study/
https://hermeneutics.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/923/strongs-is-a-concordance-not-a-lexicon
https://openoureyeslord.com/2016/08/16/strongs-concordance-a-good-tool-gone-bad/
AMR