to weigh someone or something and give the verdict that it measures up: to count a person worthy of an honor or of a punishment, or to judge that a course of action is the right one
Behind this verb stands a balance scale, the same picture that lies under the adjective for "worthy" (ἄξιος) that it is built from. To use the verb is to set two things on that scale and deliver a verdict: this person matches the honor, this deed matches the penalty, this is the fitting thing to do. The verb names the act of judging, not the quality being judged.
The verdict falls three ways in the New Testament:
- on a person who measures up to an honor, a calling, or a standing
- on a person whose deed measures up to a punishment
- on a plan or course of action that is judged to be the right one
Most often the person is the one being weighed rather than the one weighing, and the judge goes unnamed. In Hebrews that unnamed judge is God, who has reckoned Jesus to deserve more glory than Moses and who will reckon a far worse punishment to anyone who tramples the Son of God. In 1 Timothy it is the congregation that must do the reckoning, giving elders who lead well the double honor they have earned. A centurion in Luke does his own weighing and comes up short, deciding he does not measure up to having Jesus under his roof.
Twice in Acts what is weighed is not a person but a plan, and English hides the connection entirely. Paul judged that taking Mark along again was not the right call, and versions render that "insisted" or "kept insisting." The Jewish leaders in Rome judged it right to hear Paul out, and versions render that "we would like" or "we desire" to hear you. Both are the same verb as "counted worthy," now weighing a course of action instead of a person.