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Romans 9:31 — Word Study

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N1904Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

BSAIsraelIsraēl [the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants] howeverde pursuingdiōkō [followed after, sought to attain] a lawnomos [set of rules, regulations] of righteousnessdikaiosunē [living according to God's will, being in right standing] toeis [that] lawnomos [the true purpose of the law] righteousnessdikaiosunē notou did attain.phthanō [completely failed to, arrive at, reach]

Word
Listen & take awayRomans 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 is in this chapter.
Greek ↓ Download MP3 Nestle 1904 — the very text on this page — read by Andy Martin in Erasmian pronunciation.
Say the word Each Greek word carries its transliteration (phthanō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
Romans 9:31quick helps
In a sentenceIsrael sought to follow the law of righteousness but ultimately did not achieve it.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul is addressing the situation of Israel in relation to righteousness.
Where we areThis verse is part of Paul's argument about the distinction between Israel and the Gentiles regarding righteousness.
The hard wordδιώκων
Take awayPursuing righteousness through the law does not guarantee its attainment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectδιώκω verbδιώκω The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the New Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the New Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — , the commonest word in the Greek New Testament, stands 19,867 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Romans 9:31

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Israel's Pursuit of Righteousnessgenerated

30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Romans 9:31 highlights the contrast between Israel's pursuit of righteousness through the law and the Gentiles, who achieved righteousness through faith. Paul explains that despite their efforts, Israel did not attain the righteousness they sought, emphasizing a deeper issue of faith versus works, as elaborated in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Romans 9:30–32What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
2Romans 10:2–4For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.
3Galatians 3:21Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
4Philippians 3:6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
5Romans 3:20Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word διώκων, diōkōgenerated

The word διώκων (diōkō) is a present active participle meaning 'pursuing.' It indicates an ongoing action of seeking or following after something, which can imply both earnestness and hostility, depending on the context.

In this verse, it describes Israel's active pursuit of righteousness through the law, suggesting a determined effort that ultimately did not lead to the desired outcome.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.' The KJV uses 'which followed after,' while the ASV states 'following after a law of righteousness.'

The translations differ mainly in how they express the action of pursuing the law. For example, the KJV and NWB use 'followed after,' while others like the BSB and YLT use 'pursued.' Additionally, the rendering of 'a law' versus 'the law' appears in several versions, indicating different interpretations of the Greek term.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the sentence is ἔφθασεν, has not attained, with several phrases modifying the subject Ἰσραὴλ, Israel. This structure emphasizes Israel's action and the result of that action.

The clauses are organized with the subject followed by a participial phrase describing the action and concluding with a negative statement about the attainment of righteousness, illustrating the failure of their pursuit.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

Ἰσραὴλ corresponds to the Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el), which refers to Jacob and his descendants. This term is significant in both the Septuagint and the New Testament, representing the people of Israel.

νόμος is used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew תּוֹרָה, meaning 'law.' This connection highlights the continuity of the concept of law from the Old Testament to the New Testament.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Romans 9:31 states that Israel pursued the law of righteousness but did not achieve it. This reflects a broader theme in Paul's writing about the difference between seeking righteousness through the law versus through faith.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Israel pursued a law of righteousness?

It means that Israel sought to follow the commandments and regulations set forth in the law, aiming to live righteously according to God's standards.

Why did Israel not attain righteousness?

Israel failed to attain righteousness because their pursuit was based on works rather than faith, as Paul explains in the following verses.

How does this verse relate to the Gentiles?

This verse contrasts Israel's efforts with the Gentiles, who obtained righteousness through faith without pursuing the law.

What is the significance of the law in this context?

The law serves as a standard for righteousness, but Paul argues that it cannot lead to true righteousness without faith in Christ.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I seek righteousness in my own life, and am I relying on faith or works?
  2. How can I better understand the relationship between the law and faith in my spiritual journey?
  3. What lessons can I learn from Israel's pursuit of righteousness that apply to my own faith?
  4. How can I encourage others to pursue righteousness through faith rather than through their own efforts?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early church Fathers comment on this verse to illustrate the spiritual state of Israel in relation to the law and grace.

Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS c. 185–253
Israel pursued the law of righteousness according to the letter but did not fulfill the law. What law? No doubt the law of the Spirit.
Early Church Fathers on Romans 9 →
PelagiusPELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS c. 354–418
Paul explains once again why the Jews did not find righteousness. Having wrongly gloried in their works they refused to believe and rejected grace on the ground that they were righteous already.
Early Church Fathers on Romans 9 →
AmbrosiasterCOMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES fl. c. 366–384
Faith is the fulfilling of the law. It is because the Gentiles have faith that they appear to fulfill the whole law. But the Jews, who out of envy did not believe in the Savior,
Early Church Fathers on Romans 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Romans 9:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness,.... The Israelites, the far greater part of the Jews, who were not called by the grace of God, were all very zealous of the law, called "the

Read John Gill on Romans 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Read Robert Jamieson on Romans 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness; i.e. the unbelieving Jews, who paid great reverence to the law of God, regarding and observing the outward precepts and ceremonies thereof. Hath not attained to the law of righteousness; they came short of that righteousness which the law requires, which God will accept, and which is to be attained, not by works, but by faith, as it follows in the next verse .

Read Matthew Poole on Romans 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Ver. 31. The law of righteousness] That is, the righteousness of the law.

Read John Trapp on Romans 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) Israel, on the other hand, though ostensibly pursuing a law the object of which was righteousness, did not reach such a law. They tried to keep the Law, but failed to keep it, and to bring themselves under its protection. The second “righteousness” is omitted in the best MSS.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Romans 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 31. But Israel, which followed after] But the Jews, who have hitherto been the people of God, though they have been industrious in observing a rule by which they supposed they could secure the blessings of God's peculiar kingdom, yet have not come up to the true and only rule by which those blessings can be secured.

Read AdamClarke on Romans 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31. which followed] Lit. following; and so better.the law of righteousness] Not simply “righteousness,” as in Romans 9:30; because Israel had, what the Gentiles had not, the detailed revealed precepts. These precepts they “followed after,” i.e. strove to keep as a covenant of salvation. For this very reason they “did not attain to” them, i.e. they failed to reach the true use of the Law—its revelation of God’s will to be followed by His reconciled children, His people justified by faith.—“Of righteousness:”—this phrase may, as often, be explained to mean “connected with righteousness.” So the Law is connected, whether it condemns, acquits, or guides. Israel “followed after it” as an…

Read Cambridge on Romans 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But Israel - The Jews. The apostle does not mean to affirm that none of the Jews had obtained mercy, but that “as a people,” or acting according to the prevalent principles of the nation to work out

Read Albert Barnes on Romans 9 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

NETBNew English Translation2006

but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

RVARevised Version, American1894

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnes, could not arteine vnto the Law of righteousnes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to [that] law.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at a law of righteousness;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But Israel, who did pursue a law of righteousness, did not arrive at it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But the people of Israel, who looked to the law to make them right with God, never succeeded.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.

Word by word, the decisions they made

διώκωνdiōkō pursuing G1377 2 different renderings
pursuingDBY LSV NETB YLT
followed afterKJV NWB
νόμονnomos a law G3551 2 different renderings
a lawASV BBE BSB DBY LSV MSB NETB RVA ULB YLT
the lawDRA FBV GNV KJV NWB WEB
νόμονnomos [that] law G3551 2 different renderings
lawASV BBE BSB DBY LSV MSB NETB RVA ULB YLT
the lawDRA FBV GNV KJV NWB WEB

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseδὲhoweverclausesubjectἸσραὴλIsraelclause · adverbialverbδιώκωνpursuingnoun phrase · objectνόμονa lawδικαιοσύνηςof righteousnessprepositional phrase · adverbialεἰςtoνόμον[that] lawadverbialοὐκnotverbἔφθασενdid attain

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac

Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.

Latin VulgateAD 382–405

Israël vero sectando legem justitiæ, in legem justitiæ non pervenit.

Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.

Syriac Peshittaby AD 400

ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܕܝܢ ܕܪܗܛ ܗܘܐ ܒܬܪ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܟܐܢܘܬܐ ܠܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܟܐܢܘܬܐ ܠܐ ܐܕܪܟ

The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.

Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.


The Greek editions compared — what the manuscripts actually say

Eight printed editions of the Greek New Testament, side by side. Where they agree the wording is settled; where a word is missing from an edition it is marked, so you can see the difference rather than take it on trust.

Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

An independent critical text built from the oldest witnesses then known.

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

The printed tradition behind the King James Version.

Every witness on this verse they differ
Critical editions
Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993SBL Greek New Testament2010Westcott–Hort1881Tregelles1857–1879Tyndale House Greek NT2017
Byzantine / Majority
Byzantine majority text2018
Received Text
Textus Receptus1550/1894

A witness that read differently would show its variant word here, marked.

Word by word, across the editions

WordEditions carrying itMissing from
δικαιοσύνης righteousnessTR, ByzNA28, NA27, SBL, WH, Treg, Tyn

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Greek New Testament — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Romans 9:31ἸσραήλIsraelIsraelἸσραήλδέhoweverhoweverδέδιώκωpursuingpursuingδιώκωνόμοςa lawa lawνόμοςδικαιοσύνηof righteouof righteousnesδικαιοσύνηεἰςtotoεἰςνόμος[that] law[that] lawνόμοςδικαιοσύνηrighteousnerighteousnessδικαιοσύνηοὐnotnotοὐφθάνωdid attain.did attain.φθάνωδίκαιοςAdj just, Adj just, rightδίκαιοςδειλόςAdj cowardAdj cowardly, tδειλόςδιάκονοςn.f. & n.mn.f. & n.m. a wδιάκονοςμήNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. not, lμήΜωϋσῆςn.m. Mosesn.m. MosesΜωϋσῆςὑπόPrep. by, Prep. by, underὑπόλογίζομαιv. I reckov. I reckon, coλογίζομαιδιώκωv. I pursuv. I pursue, peδιώκωφυλήn.f. a trin.f. a tribe, rφυλήοἶκοςn.m. a houn.m. a house, hοἶκοςΣαούλProp.n. SaProp.n. SaulΣαούλεὐλογέωv. I blessv. I blessεὐλογέωἹεροσόλυμαn.f. & n.nn.f. & n.n. JerἹεροσόλυμαεἰσέρχομαιv. I go inv. I go in, comεἰσέρχομαιἔξεστι(ν)v. it is pv. it is permitἔξεστι(ν)μόνοςAdv alone,Adv alone, but,μόνοςἄραDisj.prt. Disj.prt. then,ἄραδαιμόνιονn.n. an evn.n. an evil-spδαιμόνιον
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Romans 9:31

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Greek lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. Imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, the full Liddell-Scott-Jones, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate LSJ, Robinson and Packard on the Greek, Webster and Cawdrey on the English the translators were using. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
ἸσραὴλIsraēl Israel G2474 Noun · proper name, indeclinable
68× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to Israel, the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants, as seen in Matthew 2:6 and Acts 7:42.
Amplified meaning
the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word Ἰσραήλ (i.e., *Israēl*) refers to Israel, the name given to Jacob and his descendants. It is used in various contexts in the New Testament, including references to the house, people, and tribes of Israel, as well as metaphorically for Christians. The term is indeclinable and has a range of meanings related to the Jewish nation and its heritage.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

Ἰσραήλ (FlJ, Ἰσράηλος, -ου), ὁ, indecl. (Heb. יִשְׂרָאֵל, Ge 32:28),

Israel: ὁ οἶκος Ἰ., Ac 7:42(LXX), al.; λαός, Ac 4:10; υἱοί, Ac 5:21, al.; αἱ φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἰ., Mt 19:28, al. By meton., for the Israelites, Mt 2:6, Lk 1:54, Ro 11:2, al.; ὁ λαὸς Ἰ., Ac 4:10; γῆ Ἰ., Mt 2:20, 21; βασιλεὺς Ἰ., Read the full entry →

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

Ἰσραήλ (Joseph. Ἰσράηλος, -ov), 6, indecl., Osi, fr. by and wv, wrestler with God, Gen. xxxii. 28; Hos. xii. 4, cf. Gen. xxxy. 10), Israel, a name given to the patriarch Jacob (and borne by him in addition to his former name from Gen. xxxii. 28 on): ὁ οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, the family or descendants of Israel, the race of Israel [A. V. the house of Israel], Mt. x.6; xv. 24; Acts vii. 42, (Ex. xvi. 31; 1S. vii. 2, and often) ; of υἱοὶ Ἰσρ. the [sons i. 6. the children, the] posterity of Israel, Lk. i. 16; Acts v. 21; vii. 23,37; Ro. ix. 27; ai φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἴσρ., Mt. xix. 28; Lk. xxii. 30; Rev. vii.4. | By meton. for the posterity of Israel i. e. the Israelites (a name of esp. honor because it made reference to the promises of salvation through the Messiah, which were given to Jacob in preference to Esau, and to be fulfilled to his posterity [see Ἰουδαῖος, b.]): Mt. ii. 6; vili.10; ix.33; Lk.i. 54…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

Ἰσραήλ (Israēl) — Israel.

Ἰσραήλ (FlJ, Ἰσράηλος, -ου), ὁ indecl. (Heb. יִשְׂרָאֵל, Gen.32:28),

Israel: ὁ οἶκος Ἰ., Act.7:42 (LXX), al.; λαός, Act.4:10; υὁοί, Act.5:21, al.; αἱ φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἰ., Mat.19:28, al. By meton., for the Israelites, Mat.2:6, Luk.1:54, Rom.11:2, al.; ὁ λαὸς Ἰ., Act.4:10; γῆ Ἰ., Mat.2:20-21

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

Ἰσραήλ

Israel

of Hebrew origin (3478); Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of

Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively):--Israel.

see HEBREW for 03478

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

Ἰσραήλ, ὁ

Prop.n.

Israel

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

Ἰσραήλ Israēl 68x

Israel, pr. name, indecl.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-PRI — Noun · proper name, indeclinable
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-PRI Indeclinable PRoper Noun

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
93%israel
israel93% · 64×israel?3% · 2×other renderings4% · 3×

69 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 5 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial38%object19%subject18%predicate12%indirect object10%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 68 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ἐνἐγώπόλιςa city
υἱόςa son, descendent
Article theφυλήa tribe, raceἀπό
οἶκοςa house, household
ἀπόλλυμιI destroy, lose,Article theπᾶςall, the whole,
λαόςa people, the crowd
Article theκαίand, even, also,
γῆthe earth, soil, lan
εἰς
ἸσραήλIsrael68×
what comes after →
καίand, even, also, nam
πνεῦμαwind, breath, spεἰςοὗτος
ὅτιthat, since, because
ἐπισκέπτομαιI look upon, visκαίand, even, also,ἐν
Article the
ἅλυσιςa light chainθεόςGod, a god
οὗτος
ἸσραήλPropοὐNeg
εἰς
Article the

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

ConcordanceἸσραήλ · 68× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Matthew Romans John Hebrews Revelation 2 Corinthians Mark 1 Corinthians Ephesians Galatians
Across the New Testament13 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,204 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria The Epistle of Barnabas Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 2.34c. AD 40

οὐκ ἀφήσει δὲ ὁ θεὸς τὸν τοῦ ὁρῶντος ἔγγονον Ἰσραὴλ οὕτως τραπῆναι, ὥστε πληγῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς τροπῆς, ἀλλὰ ἀναδραμεῖν καὶ ἀνακῦψαι ὥσπερ ἐκ βυθοῦ καὶ ἀνασωθῆναι βιάσεται.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 4.14c. AD 100

ἔτι δὲ κἀκεῖνο, ἀδελφοί μου, νοεῖτε: ὅταν βλέπετε μετὰ τηλικαῦτα σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γεγονότα ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ οὕτως ἐγκαταλελεῖφθαι αὐτούς: προσέχωμεν, μήποτε, ὡς γέγραπται, πολλοὶ κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ εὑρεθῶμεν.

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 4.13c. AD 96

διὰ ζῆλος Δαυεὶδ φθόνον ἔσχεν οὐ μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὸ Σαοὺλ βασιλέως Ἰσραὴλ ἐδιώχθη.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
4th c. AD
ZPE 205 (2018), p. 127-142Fundort: Kellis (Oasis MagnaAD 301–AD 400

ἀνθρώπωι καὶ γεννητὸς ἐσταυρωμένος ἀγέννητος δὲ καὶ ὡς ἔστιν ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰουδᾶ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ - ἐν γὰρ Κέλλει ἦν καὶ ὁ ποταμός -, καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἔθνει

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
δὲde however G1161 Conjunction
2,787× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Romans as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a conjunction that means and, but, or then, used to connect ideas like in Matthew 1:2 and 2 Corinthians 6:15.
Tyndale gloss
then
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δέ (de) is a post-positive particle in Greek, primarily used as a conjunction to connect clauses. It can express contrast (but, on the other hand) or continuation (and, also), and is often used to transition between ideas or to add emphasis. In the New Testament, it appears frequently in various contexts, such as contrasting statements or resuming interrupted discourse, with notable examples in Matthew and 2 Corinthians.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δέ (before vowels δ’; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, v. WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96),

post-positive conjunctive particle;

copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mt 1:2ff., II Co 6:15, 16, II Pe 1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Ro 3:21, 22, 9:30, I Co 2:6, Ga 2:2, Phl 2:8; in transition to something new, Mt 1:18 2:19, Lk 13:1, Jo 7:14, Ac 6:1, Read the full entry →

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

δέ (related to δή, as μέν to μήν, ef. Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2 p. 355), a particle adversative, distinctive, disjunctive, but, moreover, (W.§ 53, 7 and 10, 2); it is much more freq. in the historical parts of the N. T. than in the other books, very rare in the Epp. of John and the Apocalypse. {On its general neglect of elision (when the next word begins with a vowel) cf. Tdf. Proleg. p. 96; WH. App. Ῥ 146; W.§5,1a.; B. p.10sq.] It is used ἘΠ ΟἹ δὲ univ. by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opp. to a preceding statement: ἐὰν yap ἀφῆτε... ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε, Mt. vi. 14 sq.; ἐὰν de ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς κτλ. Mt. vi. 23; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι, Mk. ii. 20; it opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of, —either with strong emphasis: ἐγὼ δέ, Mt. v. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39,44; ἡμεῖς de, 1 Co. i. 23; 2 Co. x. 13; σὺ δέ, Mt. vi. 6; ὑμεῖς δέ, Mk. viii. 29; of δὲ…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

δεῖ. For the conjunctive, as in Mt 26%, cf. P Fay 109° (early i/A.D.) ἐάν σε δῇ (for δέῃ) τὸ εἱμάτιόν σου θεῖναι ἐνέχυρον. “even if you have to pawn your cloak” (Edd.). In P Tebt I. 585° (B.c. 111) we have ἐάν followed by the indicative— ἐὰν δεῖ σε συνπεσεῖν τῶι ᾿Ανικήτωι, σύνπεσαι, ‘if you must meet Anicetus, meet him” (Edd.): cf. Mayser G7. p. 325. Other examples of the verb are l’ Par 461® (B.C. 153) διὸ Kal ἡγούμενος δεῖν ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου μὲν μηθενὸς αὐτῶι διακριθῆναι» P Lille I. 267 (iii.B.c.) περὶ (corr. from πεερὶ) δὲ τούτου τοῦ μέρους δεήσει ἐπισχεῖν, P Tebt 11. 3414 (A.p. 140-1) δεήσι ἐπισταλῆναι εἰς δάνε[ι]α σπέρματα κατασπίο]ρᾶς KTA., “ΕἼ will be necessary to send on account of loans of seedcorn for the sowing,” etc., AécheZ 1001" © (Theran Doric —c. B.C. 200) no one may bring forward a proposal ὡς δεείσῃ διαλῦσαι τὸ κοινὸν εἰ τὰς θυσίας, P Flor II. 133" (A.D. 257) ἔδι μὲν ὑμᾶς μηδὲ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δέ (de) — then.

δέ,

but: adversative and copulative Particle,

I. answering to μέν (which see), τὴν νῦν μὲν Βοιωτίαν, πρότερον δὲ Καδμηίδα γῆν καλουμένην [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. without preceding μέν,

II.1. adversative, expressing distinct opposition, αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλα.. μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾽ οὔτε τί πω εἶπας[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Prose, οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐλευθερώσει δέ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II.2. copulative,

II.2. a in explanatory clauses, ξυνέβησαν.. τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἑλεῖν (ἦν δὲ σταδίων μάλιστα ὀκτώ) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: when a substantive is followed by words in apposition, Ἀρισταγόρῃ τῷ Μιλησίῳ, δούλῳ δὲ ἡμετέρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in answers, διπλᾶ λέγειν. —Answ. διπλᾶδ᾽ ὁρᾶν…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

δέ

de

a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and,

etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δέ

Cj.

but, on the other hand, and

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δέ de 2x

a conjunctive particle, marking the superaddition of a clause, whether in opposition or in continuation, to what has preceded, and it may be variously rendered but, on the other hand, and, also, now, etc.; καὶ δέ, when there is a special superaddition in continuation, too, yea, etc. It sometimes is found at the commencement of the apodosis of a sentence, Acts 11:17. It serves also to mark the resumption of an interrupted discourse, 2 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 2:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέ but: conjunctive Particle, with adversative force: it commonly answers to μέν, and may often be rendered by while, whereas, on the other hand, v. μέν:— but μέν is often omitted, δέ being used merely to pass on from one thing to another; ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν, θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι Il.; etc.; κινεῖ κραδίην κινεῖ δὲ χόλον Eur.

δέ is often redundant,

to introduce the apodosis, where it may be rendered by then, yet, εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they will not give it, then I will take it, Il.; so at in Lat., si tu oblitus es, at Dii meminerint Catull.

to resume after interruption caused by a parenthesis, where it may be rendered by I say, now, so then, Hdt.

POSITION of δέ: properly second, being often put between the Art. and Subst., the prep. and case.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
conjunction — it joins clauses, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

CONJ CONJunction or conjunctive particle

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
33%now
now33% · 974×however27% · 780×then21% · 620×and12% · 360×but5% · 154×other renderings2% · 49×

2,937 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 15 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,787 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existσύ
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςκύριοςlord, Lord, mastπεντακισχίλιοιfive thousand
εἰCond
παλαιόςold, ancient, woσύεἰμίI am, exist
εἰμίI am, exist
περιπατέωI walk, conduct ἀναπίπτωI lie down, reclμνημεῖονa tomb, sepulche
οὗτος
δίδωμιI offer, giveθεόςGod, a godπίστιςfaith, belief, t
δέhowever2787×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusθεόςGod, a godκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐπί
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theσύ
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὗτοςἸωάννηςJohn
τὶς
Article theαὐτόςὄνομαname, character,

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceδέ · 2,787× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Matthew 1 Corinthians John Mark Romans 2 Corinthians Hebrews Galatians James 1 Timothy

2 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
διώκωνdiōkō pursuing G1377 Verb · present · active · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
45× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To pursue or follow someone, which can be done with or without hostile intent, as seen in Matthew 5:10-12 and Luke 17:23. It can also mean to persecute, as in Acts 26:11 and Revelation 12:13. This word is used to describe chasing after something or someone.
Amplified meaning
followed after, sought to attain
Tyndale gloss
to pursue
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

διώκω (diōkō) means to pursue or chase, often with a sense of hostility, as in persecution. It can also refer to following eagerly after something, such as righteousness or peace. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including persecution (e.g., Matthew 5:10-12) and the pursuit of virtues (e.g., Romans 12:13). The lexicons do not show significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

διώκω

[in LXX chiefly for רדף ;]

to put to flight, drive away: Mt 23:34.

to pursue;

of persons; c. acc, without hostility, to follow after: Lk 17:23; with hostile purpose: Ac 26:11, Re 12:13. Hence, to persecute: Mt 5:10-12, 44 10:23, Lk 11:49 21:12, Jo 5:16 15:20, Ac 7:52 9:4, 5 22:4, 7, 8 26:14, 15, Ro 12:14, I Co 4:12 15:9, II Co 4:9,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

διώκω ; impf. ἐδίωκον ; fut. διώξω (Mt. xxiii. 34; Lk. xxi. 12; Jn. xv. 20; 2S. xxii. 38; Sap. xix. 2; a rarer form for the more com. Attic διώξομαι, ef. Bitm. Ausf. Spr. ii. 154; W.84 (80); [B. 53 (46); esp. Veitch s. v.; Rutherford, New Phryn. p. 377]); 1 aor. ἐδίωξα ; Pass., [pres. διώκομαι]; pf. ptep. dediwypevos; 1 fut. διωχθήσομαι; (fr. δίω to flee) ; Sept. commonly for 17; 1. to run or flee, put to flight, drive away: (τινὰ) ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν, Mt. xxiii. 34, cf. x. 23 Grsb. 2. to run swiftly in order to catch some person or thing, to run after; absol. (Hom. Il. 23, 8344; Soph. El. 738, ete.; διώκειν δρόμῳ, Xen. an. 6, 5, 25; ef. 7, 2, 20), to press on: fig. of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal, Phil. iii. 12 (where distinguished fr. καταλαμβάνειν, [cf. Hdt. 9, 58; Leian. Hermot. 77]), vs. 14. fo pursue (in a hostile manner): τινά, Acts xxvi. 11; Rev. xii. 138.…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

διώκω. P Fay 11139 (A.D. 95-6) (= Sevections, p. 67) τὸν λ[ι]μνασμ[ὸν] δ[(Ποξον τῶν [ἐ]ϊλα[ι]ώνίων τ]ῶν πάντον, “hasten with the flooding of all the olive-yards " (Edd.), 76, 1125 (A.D. 99) εὖ πυήσις διῶξαι τοὺς σκαφήτρους τῶν ἐλαιώνον, ‘please carry forward the digging of the olive-yards’’ (Edd.). For διώκω = ‘pursue,’” cf. OG/S 532° (B.C. 3) ὅπλο[ις τε] καὶ σιδήρωι διώξειν, and the moral tale in P Grenf II. 84? (v/vi A.D.) where a patricide, fleeing into the desert, ἐδιόκαιτο (2. ἐδιώκετο) ὑπὸ λέωντος, ‘was pursued by a kon.” The phrase δίωκε τὸν λόγον = ‘‘ pursue the recital of the formula’’ is common in the magic papyri: see the editor’s note on P Lond 46" (iv/A.D.) (=I. p. 78). We may add two exx. of the verb from Christian amulets. The first, P Oxy VIII. 1151 (? v/A.D.) opens, Φεῦγε πν(εῦμ)ᾳ μεμισιμένον, Χιριστό)ς σε διώκει, ** Fly, hateful spirit ! Christ In the second, BGU III.…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

διώκω (diōkō) — to pursue.

διώκω,

Epic dialect infinitive διωκέμεναι, -έμεν (see. below): future -ξω[Refs 7th c.BC+]aorist ἐδίωξα: aorist 2 ἐδιώκαθον (see. διωκάθω): perfect δεδίωχα [Refs 4th c.BC+] —middle (see. below):—passive, future διωχθήσομαι [Refs 1st c.BC+]; but διώξομαι in passive sense, [LXX+1st c.BC+]: aorist ἐδιώχθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect δεδίωγμαι [NT]; see at {δίω}):—cause to run, set in quick motion, opposed to φεύγω:

1. pursue, chase, in war or hunting, φεύγοντα διώκειν [Refs 8th c.BC+] —middle, διώκεσθαί τινα πεδίοιο, δόμοιο, chase one over or across.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]

1. b with accusative person, of a lover, [Refs 7th c.BC+] [same place]; follow, [NT+5th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

διώκω

dioko

a prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee;

compare the base of 1169 and 1249); to pursue (literally or

figuratively); by implication, to persecute:--ensue, follow (after),

given to, (suffer) persecute(-ion), press forward.

see GREEK for 1169

see GREEK for 1249

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

διώκω

v.

I pursue, persecute

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

διώκω diōkō 45x

to put in rapid motion; to pursue; to follow, pursue the direction of, Lk. 17:23; to follow eagerly, endeavor earnestly to acquire, Rom. 9:30, 31; 12:13; to press forwards, Phil. 3:12, 14; to pursue with malignity, persecute, Mt. 5:10, 11, 12, 44

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

διώκω δίω II to pursue aperson, to chase, hunt, Il., etc.:—so in Mid., διώκεσθαί τινα πεδίοιο to chase one over or across the plain, Hom.: — to be a follower of a person, attach oneself to him, Xen.

to pursue an object, seek after, Od., etc.; δ. τὰ συμβάντα to follow or wait for the event, Dem.

to drive or chase away, banish, Od., Hdt.

of the wind, to drive a ship, of rowers, to impel, speed on her way, Od.; of a chariot, to drive, Orac. ap. Hdt.; δ. πόδα to urge on, Aesch.:—then, intr. to drive, drive on, Il.: to gallop, speed, run, Aesch.

as law-term, to prosecute, bring an action against a man, ὁ διώκων the prosecutor (opp. to ὁ φεύγων the defendant), Hdt., etc.; ὁ διώκων τοῦ ψηφίσματος he who impeaches the words of the decree, Dem.; c. gen. poenae, θανάτου or περὶ θανάτου δ. τινά, Lat. capitis accusare, Xen.: but c. gen. criminis, to…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAP-NSM — Verb · present · active · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAP-NSM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
18%persecuting
persecuting18% · 8×do pursue9% · 4×pursuing7% · 3×persecuted4% · 2×persecute you?4% · 2×i was persecuting4% · 2×being persecuted4% · 2×they may persecute4% · 2×other renderings44% · 20×

45 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 26 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb98%adverbial2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 45 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
καίand, even, also, nam
σύἀποκτείνωI put to death, αὐτός
Article the
μακάριοςhappy, blessedὑπέρεὐλογέωI bless
ἐγώ
τίςIrgεἰCond
σύ
ὅςκαίand, even, also,
δέbut, on the other ha
ὅτανwhen, whensoeverἸσραήλProp
διώκωpursuing45×
what comes after →
Article the
ἐκκλησίαan assembly, conπροφήτηςa prophet, poetἸουδαῖοςJewish
καίand, even, also, nam
λέγωI say, speakσύArticle the
δέbut, on the other ha
δικαιοσύνηjustice, justnesεἰCond
σύ
ἐν
εἰς
Article theἀλλήλων

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceδιώκω · 45× in the New Testament
Acts Matthew Galatians Romans 1 Corinthians John Luke Philippians 2 Timothy 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy
Across the New Testament15 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 43 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Didache Clement of Rome Polycarp
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Posterity of Cain 18c. AD 40

διοιχθέντων γὰρ τῶν διανοίας ὀμμάτων ὀξυδερκέστερον εἶδεν ὅτι ἐπὶ τὴν δυσαλώτου πράγματος θήραν ἀναδέδυκεν ἐξαναχωροῦντος αἰεὶ καὶ μακρὰν ἀφισταμένου καὶ φθάνοντος ἀπείρῳ τῷ μεταξὺ διαστήματι τοὺς διώκοντας.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.178c. AD 75–95

Ἅβραμος δὲ διώκων εἵπετο μέχρι καὶ δευτεραίους συνήλασεν αὐτοὺς εἰς Ὠβὰ τῆς Δαμασκηνῶν γῆς, ἐπιδείξας ὅτι τὸ νικᾶν οὐκ ἐν τῷ πλήθει καὶ τῇ πολυχειρίᾳ κεῖσθαι συμβέβηκεν, ἀλλὰ προθυμία τῶν μαχομένων καὶ τὸ γενναῖον κρατεῖ παντὸς ἀριθμοῦ, τριακοσίοις…

Clement of RomeSecond Clement 20.4c. AD 96

εἰ γὰρ τὸν μισθὸν τῶν δικαίων ὁ θεὸς συντόμως ἀπεδίδου, εὐθέως ἐμπορίαν ἠσκοῦμεν καὶ οὐ θεοσέβειαν: ἐδοκοῦμεν γὰρ εἶναι δίκαιοι, οὐ τὸ εὐσεβές, ἀλλὰ τὸ κερδαλέον διώκοντες.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 5th c. AD 3rd c. AD 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD
BGU 11 2129Alexandria (?)AD 101–AD 200

σε ὑγιαίνειν μετὰ τῶν σῶν πάντων, καὶ ἐγὼ αὐτὸς ἔρρωμαι. ἐξελθὼν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν πολλὰ ἐδίωξα θέλων καταλαβεῖν τὸ πλοῖόν μου ἵνα πέμψω ὑμῖν τὸ περὶ τῶν οὐετρανῶν, καὶ οὐ

P.Wisc. 2 48AD 154–AD 159

ἔβαλόν μοι τὰ μὲν ἔρριπτον καὶ γὰρ ἄν τινας οἵτινες μήτε … ἐξ ὅσων ἐδίωξαν μήτε στρατοπεδάρχου μήτε ἑκατον… … ου κελεύσαντι … δι … … … χαρισθέντες ἔδησάν

P.Ross.Georg. 3 2AlexandriaAD 270

τὴν τελευτὴν τοῦ … τρου ἀηδῶς ἔσχον. ἀλλὰ ἀνθρώπινον· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῦτο διώκομεν. πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τὸν Μάρκον παρεμυθησάμεθα λυπούμενον ἤτε διὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν ἤτε διὰ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
νόμονnomos a law G3551 Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
194× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for law, referring to a set of rules or regulations, such as Moses' law or the law of Christ in Galatians 6:2.
Amplified meaning
set of rules, regulations
Tyndale gloss
law
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

νόμος refers to a law or custom, derived from the idea of distribution. It encompasses various meanings, including general law, the Mosaic law, and Christian teachings. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts such as the law of Moses and principles of Christian conduct. Notably, it is used in verses like Romans 3:27 and Galatians 6:2.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

νόμος, -ου, ὁ

(< νέμω, to deal out, distribute),

[in LXX chiefly for תּוֹרָה, also for חֻקָּה, etc.;]

that which is assigned, hence, usage, custom, then law; in NT (only in Mt, Jo, Ja, and the Lucan and Pauline bks.);

of law in general: Ro 3:27 5:13b; pl., of divine laws, He 8:10 10:16; ὁ ν. τ. Χριστοῦ, Ga 6:2; (τ.) ἐλευθερίας, Ja 1:25 2:12; βασιλικιός (Hort., in l.; Deiss., LAE, 3673), Ja 2:8.

Of a force or influence impelling to action: Ro 7:21, 23a, 25 8:2.

Of the Mosaic law: Mt 5:18, Lk 2:27, Jo 1:17,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

νόμος, -ov, 6, (νέμω to divide, distribute, apportion), in prof. auth. fr. Hes. down, anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, usage, law; in Sept. very often for ΓΙ ΓΙ, also for 7p, ΠῚ, ete. In the N. T. a command, law; and 1. of any law whatsoever: διὰ ποίου νόμου; Ro. iii. 27; νόμος δικαιοσύνης, a law or rule producing a state approved of God, i. e. by the observance of which we are approved of God, Ro. ix. 31, ef. Meyer [see ed. Weiss], Fritzsche, Philippi ad loe.; α precept or injunction: κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκ. Heb. vii. 16; plur. of the things prescribed by the divine will, Heb. viii. 10; x. 16; νόμος τοῦ νοός, the rule of action prescribed by reason, Ro. vii. 23; the mention of the divine law causes those things even which in opposition to this law impel to action, and therefore seem to have the force of a law, to be designated by the term νόμος, as ἕτερος…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

νόμος (nomos) — law.

νόμος, ὁ,

(νέμω) that which is in habitual practice, use or possession, not in [Refs 8th c.BC+]

I. usage, custom, [Μοῦσαι] μέλπονται πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνά [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔνθα ν. (i.e. ἐστί) with infinitive, where it is the custom.., [Refs 7th c.BC+]; ν. πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, law, ordinance, τόνδε.. ν. διέταξε Κρονίων.. θηρσὶ.. ἐσθέμεν ἀλλήλους [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ν. κοινός, ={ὀρθὸς λόγος}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. b in VT, of the law of God, ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ [LXX]; νόμον ὃν ἐνετείλατο ὑμῖν Μωϋσῆς[LXX]; so in NT, ὁ ν. Μωϋσέως [NT]; ὁ ν. τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς, opposed to ὁ ν. τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

νόμος

nomos

from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to

animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case

(regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the

Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):--law.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

νόμος, ου, ὁ

n.m.

a law, the Mosaic Law

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

νόμος nomos 194x

a law, Rom. 4:15; 1 Tim. 1:9; the Mosaic law, Mt. 5:17, et al. freq.; the Old Testament Scripture, Jn. 10:34; a legal tie, Rom. 7:2, 3; a law, a rule, standard, Rom. 3:27; a rule of life and conduct, Gal. 6:2, Jas. 1:25

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

νόμος anything assigned, a usage, custom, law, ordinance, Lat. institutum, Hes.; νόμος πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, Pind. ap. Hdt.; κατὰ νόμον according to custom or law, Hes., Hdt., attic; poet. κὰν νόμον Pind.:— παρὰ νόμον contrary to law, Aesch.:—dat. νόμῳ by custom, conventionally, opp. to φύσει, Hdt., Arist.:—at Athens νόμοι were Solon.'s laws, those of Draco being called θεσμοί.

ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ by the law of force, in the fight or scuffle, Hdt.; ἐν χειρὸς νόμῳ in actual warfare, Arist.; also, ἐς χειρῶν νόμον ἀπικέσθαι to come to blows, Hdt.

a musical mode or strain, Aesch., Plat., etc.; νόμοι κιθαρῳδικοί Ar.

a song sung in honour of some god, Hdt.; νόμοι πολεμικοί war- tunes, Thuc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-ASM — Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-ASM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Law

A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.

(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.

(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized authority; but when the word is used with the article, and without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way; the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word, however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos , when used by him with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses; but when used without the article, so as to embrace any manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, signifies sometimes the whole word of God, Ps 19:7-11 119:1-176 Isa 8:20; sometimes the Old Testament, Joh 10:34 15:25, and sometimes the five books of Moses, which formed the first of the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures, Lu 24:44 Ac 13:15. The Pentateuch was probably "the law," a copy of which every king was to transcribe for himself and study, and which was to be made known to young and old, in public and in private, De 6:7 17:18,19 31:9-19,26. In other places the Mosaic institutions as a whole are intend by "the law," in distinction from the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 19:7-9; 119:1-8; Pr 28:4,5; Mt 22:21; Lu 16:17; 20:22-25; Ro 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 13:10; 1Ti 1:5,8-10; Jas 1:25; 1Jo 3:4; 5:3

→ See LITIGATION

→ See COMMANDMENTS

→ See DUTY TO GOD

→ OF MOSES

→ (Contained in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

Given at Sinai Ex 19; De 1:1; 4:10-13; 33:2; Hab 3:3

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
93%law
law93% · 184×the law2% · 4×other renderings3% · 6×other renderings2% · 3×

197 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 7 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial43%object22%subject22%predicate10%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 194 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ἐνκατάἀπό
ὑπό
Article theεἰμίI am, existὡςas, like as, how
ἔργονwork, labor, action,
ἐκχωρίςapart from, with
γάρfor
Article theδιάἄχριas far as, up to
ἐν
γράφωI writeδύναμαιI am powerful, aὅσος
νόμοςa law194×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godἁμαρτίαa sinπνεῦμαwind, breath, sp
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὐδείςno one, none, noπαρανομέωI act contrary t
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
καίand, even, also,ἐγώἀνάγωI lead up, put t
οὐNeg
δικαιόωI make righteousφθάνωI anticipate, prεἰμίI am, exist
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theκαλόςbeautiful, good,ἐκ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceνόμος · 194× in the New Testament
Romans Galatians Acts John Hebrews James 1 Corinthians Luke Matthew Philippians 1 Timothy Ephesians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament12 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 138 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 3c. AD 40

ἡ δ’ ἀρχή, καθάπερ ἔφην, ἐστὶ θαυμασιωτάτη κοσμοποιίαν περιέχουσα, ὡς καὶ τοῦ κόσμου τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τῷ κόσμῳ συνᾴδοντος καὶ τοῦ νομίμου ἀνδρὸς εὐθὺς ὄντος κοσμοπολίτου πρὸς τὸ βούλημα τῆς φύσεως τὰς πράξεις ἀπευθύνοντος, καθ’ ἣν καὶ ὁ σύμπας…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.10c. AD 75–95

Εὗρον τοίνυν, ὅτι Πτολεμαίων μὲν ὁ δεύτερος μάλιστα δὴ βασιλεὺς περὶ παιδείαν καὶ βιβλίων συναγωγὴν σπουδάσας ἐξαιρέτως ἐφιλοτιμήθη τὸν ἡμέτερον νόμον καὶ τὴν κατʼ αὐτὸν διάταξιν τῆς πολιτείας εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν μεταβαλεῖν,

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.6c. AD 100

ταῦτα οὖν κατήργησεν, ἵνα ὁ καινὸς νόμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης ὤν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 6th c. AD 1st c. AD 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD
P. Grenf. 1 21Pathyris127 BC

τῶι ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἐξ Σαραπιάδος τῆς Ἐσθλάδου τοῦ Θεωνος ἀστῆς ἧι συνήμην γυναικὶ κατὰ νόμους καὶ κατὰ διαθήκην τὴν κεχρηματισμένην διὰ τοῦ ἐν Διὸς πόλει τῆι μικρᾶι ἀρχείου ἐπὶ

ἔπιπλα καὶ κτήνη καὶ ὅσα ἂν προσεπικτήσωμαι Ταθώτηι Ἁρυώτου Περσίνῃ ᾗ σύνειμι γυναικὶ κατὰ νόμους, πλὴν στρώματος ἑνὸς καὶ κλείνης τορυνευτῆς α Πατ … ει καὶ Πετεσοράθηι τῶν Παχνούβιος

τῶν οἰκετικῶν σωμάτων, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κόχλακος τῆς Ἀραβίας τοῦ δηλουμένου Παθυρίτου νομοῦ μέρους ἡμίσους ἀπὸ ἐδάφους ἀμπελῶνος ἀρουρῶν β ἡμίσους ἢ ὅσαν ἂν ἦι ἐπὶ τὸ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
δικαιοσύνηςdikaiosunē of righteousness G1343 Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
91× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Righteousness is about living according to God's will, as seen in Matthew 5:6 and Romans 4:3, where it's about being in right relationship with God.
Amplified meaning
living according to God's will, being in right standing
Tyndale gloss
righteousness
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē) means righteousness or justice, derived from the word for just, δίκαιος. It encompasses conformity to divine will and the state of being acceptable to God. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including teachings on living righteously and the concept of divine righteousness. Notably, it appears in verses like Matthew 5:6 and Romans 1:17.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δικαιοσύνη, -ης, ἡ

(< δίκαιος),

[in LXX chiefly for צֶדֶק, and cognates, Ge 15:6, al., rarely for חֶסֶד, Ge 19:19 ;]

the character of ὁ δίκαιος (q.v.)

in broad sense, righteousness, conformity to the Divine will in purpose, thought and action: Mt 5:6, Jo 16:8, Ac 13:10, Ro 4:3; λόγος δικαιοσύνης, teaching of r., He 5:13; βασιλεὺς δ. (cf. FlJ, BJ, vi, 10, β. δίκαιος), He 7:2; ὅπλα δ., Ro 6:13; ὁδὸς δ., Mt 21:32; θώραξ τῆς δ., Eph…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

δικαιοσύνη, -ης, 7), (δίκαιος) ; most frequently in Sept. for pr and ΠΡῚΝ, rarely for 10m]; the virtue or quality or state of one who is δίκαιος; 1. in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness (Germ. Rechtbeschaffenheit) ; the condition acceptable to God (Germ. Gottwohlgefdlligkeit); a. univ.: λόγος τῆς δικαιοσύνης (like λόγος τῆς καταλλαγῆς; A. τοῦ σταυροῦ), the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain to a state approved of God, Heb. v. 13; βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, the king who himself has the approbation of God, and who renders his subjects acceptable to God, Heb. vii. 2; οἵ. Bleek ad loc. b. integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting: Mt. iii. 15; v. 6, 10,20; vii 1 GL Τ ΤΥ WH; Acts xiii. 10; xxiv. 25; Ro. vi. 13, 16, 18-20 (opp. to ἁμαρτία, ἀνομία, and ἀκαθαρσία) ; Ro. viii. 10 (opp. to…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

δικαιοσύνη. So far as we have noticed, this word is rare in the papyri, though it occurs very frequently in the inscriptions. From the papyri we can quote P Rein ro®(B.c. 111), where it is used as a_name or title of Cleopatra: cf. Sy// 763 Ἴσιδι Δικαιοσύνηι with the editor’s note, BGU IV. 11384 (B.c. 19), in a cancelled line, ἐπὶ τὸ(ν) τῆς SuKarortyn(s) gov [χ]ρηματισίμόν), in a petition to an epistrategus. P Leid σύνη οὐκ ἀποκινῖται, οὗ al μοῦσαι ὑμνοῦσι τὸ ἔνδοξον (ὄνομα). In the magic P Lond 46:95 (iv/a.p.) (=I. p. 78) it is found in a hymn addressed to Hermes. In P Thead 23° (A.D. 342) a man petitions Flavius Abinnaeus with reference to his neighbour who has attacked his sheep ληστρικῷ τρόπ[ῳ] .. . παρὰ τὴν [δικα]ήιοσύνην, ‘after the manner of a brigand, contrary to justice.” From the inserr. it is sufficient to add OGJS 33945 (c. B.C. 120) διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν δικαιοσύνην τε καὶ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē) — righteousness.

δῐκαι-οσύνη, ἡ,

righteousness, justice, [LXX+6th c.BC+]; δ. δικαστική legal justice, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to ἐπιείκεια, [Refs]

2. fulfilment of the Law, [LXX+NT]

II. justice, the business of a judge, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. Δ., personified, [Refs]

IV. [Refs 4th c.BC+] name for four, [Refs]

V. δικαιοσύνη· ἡ χοῖνιξ, μυστικῶς, [Refs 5th c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

δικαιοσύνη

dikaiosune

from 1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian)

justification:--righteousness.

see GREEK for 1342

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δικαιοσύνη, ης, ἡ

n.f.

justice, justness, righteousness

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē 92x

fair and equitable dealing, justice, Acts 17:31; Heb. 11:33; Rom. 9:28; integrity, virtue, Lk. 1:75; Eph. 5:9; in NT generosity, alms, 2 Cor. 9:10, v.r.; Mt. 6:1; piety, godliness, Rom. 6:13; investiture with the attribute of righteousness, acceptance as righteous, justification, Rom. 4:11; 10:4, et al. freq.; a provision or mean for justification, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δικαιοσύνη δι^καιοσύνη, ἡ, ndi^kaiosun h_hs stem_acc fem ndi^kaioth s_tos fem Xen. Plat. from δίκαιος righteousness, justice, Theogn., Hdt., Xen., Plat. etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-GSF — Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-GSF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Genitive Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent

2. Social Customs and Righteousness

3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power

4. Righteousness as Inner

5. Righteousness as Social

6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth

LITERATURE

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:

In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Righteousness

See JUSTIFICATION.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,

→ By faith Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3,5,9,11,13,20,22,24

→ Garment of Job 29:14; Mt 22:11-14

→ Counted (regarded) for the sake of obedience De 6:25; Job 33:26

→ FRUITS OF De 6:25; Jos 22:31; Ps 1:3; 15:1-5; 24:3-5; 101:3,4; 106:3; 112:4-8; Pr 2:5-20; 10:2,16; 11:5,6,18,19,30; 12:28; 13:6; 14:34; 21:3; 29:7; Isa…

Across the New Testament19 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 178 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 51c. AD 40

πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνο ἀγνοητέον, ὅτι πρῶτος ἀριθμῶν ὁ τέτταρα τετράγωνός ἐστιν ἰσάκις ἴσος, μέτρον δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἰσότητος, καὶ ὅτι μόνος ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ συνθέσει καὶ δυνάμει πέφυκε γεννᾶσθαι, συνθέσει μὲν ἐκ δυοῖν καὶ δυοῖν, δυνάμει δὲ…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.53c. AD 75–95

Ἄβελος μὲν γὰρ ὁ νεώτερος δικαιοσύνης ἐπεμελεῖτο καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πραττομένοις παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν νομίζων ἀρετῆς προενόει, ποιμενικὸς δʼ ἦν ὁ βίος αὐτῷ·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.4c. AD 100

πεπεισμένος οὖν τοῦτο καὶ συνειδὼς ἐμαυτῷ, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν λαλήσας πολλὰ ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι ἐμοὶ συνώδευσεν ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης κύριος, καὶ πάντως ἀναγκάζομαι κἀγὼ εἰς τοῦτο, ἀγαπᾶν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι μεγάλη πίστις καὶ ἀγάπη ἐγκατοικεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐπ’…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. BC 6th c. AD 4th c. AD 3rd c. AD 1st c. AD
ZPE 5 (1970), p. 68-106 BC–105 BC

βασιλευόντων Κλεοπάτρας θεᾶς Εὐεργέτιδος τῆς καὶ Φιλομήτορος Δικαιοσύνης Νικηφόρου καὶ Πτολεμαίου τοῦ καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου θεοῦ Φιλομήτορος ἔτους ιγ τοῦ καὶ ι, ἱερατευούσης

χαίρειν … … Μητροδώρου βιβλί Ἐπικούρου περὶ δικαιοσύνης α … … ἀρίστων ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡδονῆς … γου … … τὸ γὰρ β

BGU 13 2218Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 101–AD 200

α … … ἕτερον χαλκοῦν, καὶ ζῳδαρίδια, καὶ θυμιατήρια … … χαλκᾶ, καὶ Δικαιοσύνη, καὶ μασθός, ἀμφότερα χαλκᾶ, καὶ λαβίδια παρʼ … … ἡμεῖν χαλκᾶ … · καὶ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
εἰςeis to G1519 Preposition
1,766× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Romans as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means toward or into, indicating direction or purpose, as seen in Matthew 8:23 and Mark 1:45. It can also imply a sense of movement or action. The KJV translates it in various ways.
Tyndale gloss
toward
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

εἰς is a preposition meaning 'into' or 'to,' used with the accusative case. It indicates direction, entrance, or limit, applicable to place, time, and figurative purposes. The New Testament frequently employs it to express movement toward locations or states, as seen in passages like Matthew 8:23. It can also denote relationships or results, such as 'for' or 'among.'

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

εἰς,

prep. c. acc.,

expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, c. acc.).

Of place.

After verbs of motion;

of entrance into: Mt 8:23 9:7, Mk 1:45, Lk 2:15 8:31, al.;

of approach, to or towards: Mk 11:1, Lk 6:8 19:28, Jo 11:31 21:6, al.;

before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mk 4:7 8:19, 20, Lk 11:49, Jo 21:23, al.;

Of a limit reached, unto, on, upon: Mt 8:18, 21:1, Mk…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

εἰς, a Prep. governing the Accusative, and denoting entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, towards, for, among. It is used A. Property I. of Place, after verbs of going, coming, sailing, flying, falling, living, leading, carrying, throwing, sending, etc. ; 1. of a place entered, or of entrance into a place, into; and 8. it stands before nouns designating an open place, a hollow thing, or one in which an object can be hidden: as εἰς (τὴν) πόλιν, Mt. xxvi. 18; xxviii. 11; Mk. i. 45, and often; εἰς r. οἶκον, Mt. ix. 7; συναγωγήν, Acts xvii. 10; πλοῖον, Mt. viii. 23; Jn. vi. 17; Acts xxi. 6; θάλασσαν, Mt. xvii. 27; ἄβυσσον, Lk. viii. 31; οὐρανόν, Lk. ii. 15; κόσμον, In. 1. 9; iii. 19, ete.; τὰ ἴδια, Jn. i. 11; xvi. 32; Acts xxi. 6; ἀποθήκην, Mt. iii. 12; εἰς ra ὦτα, Lk. i. 44; εἰς τὰς ζώνας or ζώνην, Mt. x. 9; Mk. vi. 8, etc.; εἰς ἀέρα, 1 Co. xiv. 9; eis πῦρ, Mk. ix. 22, ete.…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

εἰς ἁλιέων εἰς ᾿Αλεξάνδριί[αν (P Oxy II. 2943 = Selections, Ρ- 34): see further Pro/eg. pp. 234 f., 245. For εἰς in the wide sense in which we use ‘‘for” we may cite such passages as P Lille I. 261 (iii/B.c.) ἔγραψάς μοι περὶ τῆς εἰς THY σησαμείαν γῆς, 20." ἕως ἂν] μάθωμεν περὶ τῶν κ[εχρ]ηματισμένων εἰς τὸν νομόν, P Petr II. 11 (1)" (mid. iii/B.c.) (= Witkowski*, p. 8) ἀπὸ τούτου τὸ μὲν ἥμυσυ εἰς τὰ δέοντα ὑπελιπόμην, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν εἰς τὸ δάνειον κατέβαλον, P Lond 43? (ii/B.c.) (=I. p. 48, Witkowski’, p- 110) ἕξεις ἐφόδιον εἰς τὸ γῆρας, P Tebt I. 577 (8.6. 118) προστε]τάχασι δὲ καὶ τὰ els τὴν ταφὴν τοῦ “Amos, P Oxy I. 379 (A.D. 149) (= Selections, p. 49) ἐγένετο ἐνθάδε ἡ τροφεῖτις εἰς υἱὸν tod ΤΠεσούριος, ‘‘there was concluded here the nursing-contract for the son of Pesouris”; and the recurring formulae in a private account of ς. A.D. 15 τό. 1V. 736° θρύων εἰς τοὺς ἄρτους (ὀβολοὶ δύο)…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

εἰς (eis) — toward.

ἐν εἰς

or ἐς, PREP. WITH ACC. ONLY:—both forms are found in [Refs 8th c.BC+], Ionic dialect poets, and early metrical Inscrr.; ἐς is best attested in [Refs 5th c.BC+], and is found in nearly all early Ionic dialect Inscrr. (except [Refs 5th c.BC+]; and usually in Attic dialect Prose (except [Refs 5th c.BC+] is used before vowels for the sake of meter; ἐς was retained in the phrases ἐς κόρακας (whence the Verb σκορακίζω), ἐς μακαρίαν. Aeolic dialect poets have εἰς before vowels, ἐς before consonants, and this is given as the rule in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; compare ἐν, ἰν. The diphthong is genuine in Aeolic dialect εἰς, but spurious in Attic dialect-Ionic dialect) Radical sense into, and then more loosely, to:

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

εἰς

eis

a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or

entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.);

also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at,

(back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more

exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore,

+ forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the

intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at

one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the

end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often

used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs

(etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

εἰς

Prep.

into, in, among, till, for

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

εἰς

into, to c. acc.

PREP. WITH ACC. ONLY. Radical sense, into, and then to:

OF PLACE, the commonest usage, εἰς ἅλα into or to the sea, Hom., etc.:—properly opposed to ἐκ, ἐς σφυρὸν ἐκ πτέρνης from head to foot, Il.; εἰς ἔτος ἐξ ἔτεος from year to year, Theocr.:—then, with all Verbs implying motion or direction, ἰδεῖν εἰς οὐρανόν Il.; εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι to look in the face, id. Il.:—in Hom. and Hdt. also c. acc. pers., where the attic use ὡς, πρός, παρά.

with Verbs which express rest in a place, when a previous motion into or to it is implied, ἐς μέγαρον κατέθηκε, i. e. he brought it into the house, and put it there, Od.; παρεῖναι ἐς τόπον to go to a place and be there, Hdt.

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
preposition — its sense depends on the case of the word it governs.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PREP PREPosition

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
33%into
into33% · 595×to32% · 570×for10% · 185×in9% · 160×unto4% · 69×toward2% · 44×other renderings8% · 145×other renderings2% · 29×

1,797 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 37 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial95%predicate3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,766 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
αὐτός
βάλλωI cast, throw, rεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inδέbut, on the othe
εἰσέρχομαιI go in, come in, en
καίand, even, also,μήNegαὐτός
ἔρχομαιI come, go
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςοὗτος
καίand, even, also, nam
αὐτόςἐκκόπτωI cut out, cut oπόλιςa city
ἐγώ
εἰμίI am, existκαίand, even, also,δίδωμιI offer, give
εἰςto1766×
what comes after →
Article the
αἰώνan age, a cycle οἶκοςa house, househoοὐρανόςthe sky, the hea
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,οὗτος
ἹεροσόλυμαJerusalem
καίand, even, also,εἰςὅτιthat, since, bec
ὅς
καίand, even, also,δέbut, on the otheἄνDisj
σύ
καίand, even, also,μήNegἐν

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceεἰς · 1,766× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Matthew John Mark Romans Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Peter 1 Corinthians Ephesians

3 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 9c. AD 40

τὸ δὲ παθητὸν ἄψυχον καὶ ἀκίνητον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, κινηθὲν δὲ καὶ σχηματισθὲν καὶ ψυχωθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ νοῦ μετέβαλεν εἰς τὸ τελειότατον ἔργον, τόνδε τὸν κόσμον·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὅτι λιμοῦ τὴν Χαναναίαν καταλαβόντος εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπῆρε καὶ διατρίψας ἐν αὐτῇ τινα χρόνον ὑπέστρεψεν ὀπίσω.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD 2nd c. BC
P.Grenf. 2 33Pathyris101 BC

καὶ τοῖς μετόχοις γῆς σιτοφόρου λεγομένης Νεχθαραῦτι θεοῦ μεγάλου παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων ἐτῶν δέκα εἰς τὰ ἐνλιπόντα αὐτῷ ἑτέρων , τεσσάρων εἰς συμπλήρωσιν ἐτῶν πέντε , ὥστε γεωργῆσαι ἧς

BGU 3 999Pathyris100 BC

καὶ ἀπηλιώτου τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς Εὐνόου οἰκίας λιβὸς ῥύμη ἐφ ᾧ ἀνοίξει τὴν θύραν εἰς τὴν Ὀρσηοῦς οἰκίαν ἢ οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Πετεσοῦχος Νεχθανούπιος ὡς ἐτῶν

P.Adl. 17Krokodilopolis (Pathyrites)100 BC

ος, βορρᾶ γῆ Σχώτου τοῦ Τρύφωνος, ἀπηλιώτου τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς γῆς, λιβὸς ἡ φέρουσα εἰς τὸ Κρόνειον ὁδός, ἢ οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Ὧρος Νεχούτου Πέρσης τῆς

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
νόμονnomos [that] law G3551 Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
194× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for law, referring to a set of rules or regulations, such as Moses' law or the law of Christ in Galatians 6:2.
Amplified meaning
the true purpose of the law
Tyndale gloss
law
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

νόμος refers to a law or custom, derived from the idea of distribution. It encompasses various meanings, including general law, the Mosaic law, and Christian teachings. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts such as the law of Moses and principles of Christian conduct. Notably, it is used in verses like Romans 3:27 and Galatians 6:2.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

νόμος, -ου, ὁ

(< νέμω, to deal out, distribute),

[in LXX chiefly for תּוֹרָה, also for חֻקָּה, etc.;]

that which is assigned, hence, usage, custom, then law; in NT (only in Mt, Jo, Ja, and the Lucan and Pauline bks.);

of law in general: Ro 3:27 5:13b; pl., of divine laws, He 8:10 10:16; ὁ ν. τ. Χριστοῦ, Ga 6:2; (τ.) ἐλευθερίας, Ja 1:25 2:12; βασιλικιός (Hort., in l.; Deiss., LAE, 3673), Ja 2:8.

Of a force or influence impelling to action: Ro 7:21, 23a, 25 8:2.

Of the Mosaic law: Mt 5:18, Lk 2:27, Jo 1:17,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

νόμος, -ov, 6, (νέμω to divide, distribute, apportion), in prof. auth. fr. Hes. down, anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, usage, law; in Sept. very often for ΓΙ ΓΙ, also for 7p, ΠῚ, ete. In the N. T. a command, law; and 1. of any law whatsoever: διὰ ποίου νόμου; Ro. iii. 27; νόμος δικαιοσύνης, a law or rule producing a state approved of God, i. e. by the observance of which we are approved of God, Ro. ix. 31, ef. Meyer [see ed. Weiss], Fritzsche, Philippi ad loe.; α precept or injunction: κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκ. Heb. vii. 16; plur. of the things prescribed by the divine will, Heb. viii. 10; x. 16; νόμος τοῦ νοός, the rule of action prescribed by reason, Ro. vii. 23; the mention of the divine law causes those things even which in opposition to this law impel to action, and therefore seem to have the force of a law, to be designated by the term νόμος, as ἕτερος…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

νόμος (nomos) — law.

νόμος, ὁ,

(νέμω) that which is in habitual practice, use or possession, not in [Refs 8th c.BC+]

I. usage, custom, [Μοῦσαι] μέλπονται πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνά [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔνθα ν. (i.e. ἐστί) with infinitive, where it is the custom.., [Refs 7th c.BC+]; ν. πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, law, ordinance, τόνδε.. ν. διέταξε Κρονίων.. θηρσὶ.. ἐσθέμεν ἀλλήλους [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ν. κοινός, ={ὀρθὸς λόγος}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. b in VT, of the law of God, ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ [LXX]; νόμον ὃν ἐνετείλατο ὑμῖν Μωϋσῆς[LXX]; so in NT, ὁ ν. Μωϋσέως [NT]; ὁ ν. τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς, opposed to ὁ ν. τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

νόμος

nomos

from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to

animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case

(regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the

Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):--law.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

νόμος, ου, ὁ

n.m.

a law, the Mosaic Law

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

νόμος nomos 194x

a law, Rom. 4:15; 1 Tim. 1:9; the Mosaic law, Mt. 5:17, et al. freq.; the Old Testament Scripture, Jn. 10:34; a legal tie, Rom. 7:2, 3; a law, a rule, standard, Rom. 3:27; a rule of life and conduct, Gal. 6:2, Jas. 1:25

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

νόμος anything assigned, a usage, custom, law, ordinance, Lat. institutum, Hes.; νόμος πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, Pind. ap. Hdt.; κατὰ νόμον according to custom or law, Hes., Hdt., attic; poet. κὰν νόμον Pind.:— παρὰ νόμον contrary to law, Aesch.:—dat. νόμῳ by custom, conventionally, opp. to φύσει, Hdt., Arist.:—at Athens νόμοι were Solon.'s laws, those of Draco being called θεσμοί.

ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ by the law of force, in the fight or scuffle, Hdt.; ἐν χειρὸς νόμῳ in actual warfare, Arist.; also, ἐς χειρῶν νόμον ἀπικέσθαι to come to blows, Hdt.

a musical mode or strain, Aesch., Plat., etc.; νόμοι κιθαρῳδικοί Ar.

a song sung in honour of some god, Hdt.; νόμοι πολεμικοί war- tunes, Thuc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-ASM — Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-ASM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Law

A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.

(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.

(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized authority; but when the word is used with the article, and without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way; the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word, however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos , when used by him with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses; but when used without the article, so as to embrace any manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, signifies sometimes the whole word of God, Ps 19:7-11 119:1-176 Isa 8:20; sometimes the Old Testament, Joh 10:34 15:25, and sometimes the five books of Moses, which formed the first of the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures, Lu 24:44 Ac 13:15. The Pentateuch was probably "the law," a copy of which every king was to transcribe for himself and study, and which was to be made known to young and old, in public and in private, De 6:7 17:18,19 31:9-19,26. In other places the Mosaic institutions as a whole are intend by "the law," in distinction from the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 19:7-9; 119:1-8; Pr 28:4,5; Mt 22:21; Lu 16:17; 20:22-25; Ro 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 13:10; 1Ti 1:5,8-10; Jas 1:25; 1Jo 3:4; 5:3

→ See LITIGATION

→ See COMMANDMENTS

→ See DUTY TO GOD

→ OF MOSES

→ (Contained in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

Given at Sinai Ex 19; De 1:1; 4:10-13; 33:2; Hab 3:3

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
93%law
law93% · 184×the law2% · 4×other renderings3% · 6×other renderings2% · 3×

197 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 7 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial43%object22%subject22%predicate10%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 194 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ἐνκατάἀπό
ὑπό
Article theεἰμίI am, existὡςas, like as, how
ἔργονwork, labor, action,
ἐκχωρίςapart from, with
γάρfor
Article theδιάἄχριas far as, up to
ἐν
γράφωI writeδύναμαιI am powerful, aὅσος
νόμος[that] law194×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godἁμαρτίαa sinπνεῦμαwind, breath, sp
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὐδείςno one, none, noπαρανομέωI act contrary t
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
καίand, even, also,ἐγώἀνάγωI lead up, put t
οὐNeg
δικαιόωI make righteousφθάνωI anticipate, prεἰμίI am, exist
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theκαλόςbeautiful, good,ἐκ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceνόμος · 194× in the New Testament
Romans Galatians Acts John Hebrews James 1 Corinthians Luke Matthew Philippians 1 Timothy Ephesians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament12 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 138 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 3c. AD 40

ἡ δ’ ἀρχή, καθάπερ ἔφην, ἐστὶ θαυμασιωτάτη κοσμοποιίαν περιέχουσα, ὡς καὶ τοῦ κόσμου τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τῷ κόσμῳ συνᾴδοντος καὶ τοῦ νομίμου ἀνδρὸς εὐθὺς ὄντος κοσμοπολίτου πρὸς τὸ βούλημα τῆς φύσεως τὰς πράξεις ἀπευθύνοντος, καθ’ ἣν καὶ ὁ σύμπας…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.10c. AD 75–95

Εὗρον τοίνυν, ὅτι Πτολεμαίων μὲν ὁ δεύτερος μάλιστα δὴ βασιλεὺς περὶ παιδείαν καὶ βιβλίων συναγωγὴν σπουδάσας ἐξαιρέτως ἐφιλοτιμήθη τὸν ἡμέτερον νόμον καὶ τὴν κατʼ αὐτὸν διάταξιν τῆς πολιτείας εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν μεταβαλεῖν,

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.6c. AD 100

ταῦτα οὖν κατήργησεν, ἵνα ὁ καινὸς νόμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης ὤν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 6th c. AD 1st c. AD 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD
P. Grenf. 1 21Pathyris127 BC

τῶι ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἐξ Σαραπιάδος τῆς Ἐσθλάδου τοῦ Θεωνος ἀστῆς ἧι συνήμην γυναικὶ κατὰ νόμους καὶ κατὰ διαθήκην τὴν κεχρηματισμένην διὰ τοῦ ἐν Διὸς πόλει τῆι μικρᾶι ἀρχείου ἐπὶ

ἔπιπλα καὶ κτήνη καὶ ὅσα ἂν προσεπικτήσωμαι Ταθώτηι Ἁρυώτου Περσίνῃ ᾗ σύνειμι γυναικὶ κατὰ νόμους, πλὴν στρώματος ἑνὸς καὶ κλείνης τορυνευτῆς α Πατ … ει καὶ Πετεσοράθηι τῶν Παχνούβιος

τῶν οἰκετικῶν σωμάτων, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κόχλακος τῆς Ἀραβίας τοῦ δηλουμένου Παθυρίτου νομοῦ μέρους ἡμίσους ἀπὸ ἐδάφους ἀμπελῶνος ἀρουρῶν β ἡμίσους ἢ ὅσαν ἂν ἦι ἐπὶ τὸ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
δικαιοσύνηςdikaiosunē righteousness G1343 Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
91× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Righteousness is about living according to God's will, as seen in Matthew 5:6 and Romans 4:3, where it's about being in right relationship with God.
Tyndale gloss
righteousness
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē) means righteousness or justice, derived from the word for just, δίκαιος. It encompasses conformity to divine will and the state of being acceptable to God. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including teachings on living righteously and the concept of divine righteousness. Notably, it appears in verses like Matthew 5:6 and Romans 1:17.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δικαιοσύνη, -ης, ἡ

(< δίκαιος),

[in LXX chiefly for צֶדֶק, and cognates, Ge 15:6, al., rarely for חֶסֶד, Ge 19:19 ;]

the character of ὁ δίκαιος (q.v.)

in broad sense, righteousness, conformity to the Divine will in purpose, thought and action: Mt 5:6, Jo 16:8, Ac 13:10, Ro 4:3; λόγος δικαιοσύνης, teaching of r., He 5:13; βασιλεὺς δ. (cf. FlJ, BJ, vi, 10, β. δίκαιος), He 7:2; ὅπλα δ., Ro 6:13; ὁδὸς δ., Mt 21:32; θώραξ τῆς δ., Eph…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

δικαιοσύνη, -ης, 7), (δίκαιος) ; most frequently in Sept. for pr and ΠΡῚΝ, rarely for 10m]; the virtue or quality or state of one who is δίκαιος; 1. in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness (Germ. Rechtbeschaffenheit) ; the condition acceptable to God (Germ. Gottwohlgefdlligkeit); a. univ.: λόγος τῆς δικαιοσύνης (like λόγος τῆς καταλλαγῆς; A. τοῦ σταυροῦ), the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain to a state approved of God, Heb. v. 13; βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, the king who himself has the approbation of God, and who renders his subjects acceptable to God, Heb. vii. 2; οἵ. Bleek ad loc. b. integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting: Mt. iii. 15; v. 6, 10,20; vii 1 GL Τ ΤΥ WH; Acts xiii. 10; xxiv. 25; Ro. vi. 13, 16, 18-20 (opp. to ἁμαρτία, ἀνομία, and ἀκαθαρσία) ; Ro. viii. 10 (opp. to…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

δικαιοσύνη. So far as we have noticed, this word is rare in the papyri, though it occurs very frequently in the inscriptions. From the papyri we can quote P Rein ro®(B.c. 111), where it is used as a_name or title of Cleopatra: cf. Sy// 763 Ἴσιδι Δικαιοσύνηι with the editor’s note, BGU IV. 11384 (B.c. 19), in a cancelled line, ἐπὶ τὸ(ν) τῆς SuKarortyn(s) gov [χ]ρηματισίμόν), in a petition to an epistrategus. P Leid σύνη οὐκ ἀποκινῖται, οὗ al μοῦσαι ὑμνοῦσι τὸ ἔνδοξον (ὄνομα). In the magic P Lond 46:95 (iv/a.p.) (=I. p. 78) it is found in a hymn addressed to Hermes. In P Thead 23° (A.D. 342) a man petitions Flavius Abinnaeus with reference to his neighbour who has attacked his sheep ληστρικῷ τρόπ[ῳ] .. . παρὰ τὴν [δικα]ήιοσύνην, ‘after the manner of a brigand, contrary to justice.” From the inserr. it is sufficient to add OGJS 33945 (c. B.C. 120) διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν δικαιοσύνην τε καὶ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē) — righteousness.

δῐκαι-οσύνη, ἡ,

righteousness, justice, [LXX+6th c.BC+]; δ. δικαστική legal justice, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to ἐπιείκεια, [Refs]

2. fulfilment of the Law, [LXX+NT]

II. justice, the business of a judge, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. Δ., personified, [Refs]

IV. [Refs 4th c.BC+] name for four, [Refs]

V. δικαιοσύνη· ἡ χοῖνιξ, μυστικῶς, [Refs 5th c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

δικαιοσύνη

dikaiosune

from 1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian)

justification:--righteousness.

see GREEK for 1342

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δικαιοσύνη, ης, ἡ

n.f.

justice, justness, righteousness

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē 92x

fair and equitable dealing, justice, Acts 17:31; Heb. 11:33; Rom. 9:28; integrity, virtue, Lk. 1:75; Eph. 5:9; in NT generosity, alms, 2 Cor. 9:10, v.r.; Mt. 6:1; piety, godliness, Rom. 6:13; investiture with the attribute of righteousness, acceptance as righteous, justification, Rom. 4:11; 10:4, et al. freq.; a provision or mean for justification, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δικαιοσύνη δι^καιοσύνη, ἡ, ndi^kaiosun h_hs stem_acc fem ndi^kaioth s_tos fem Xen. Plat. from δίκαιος righteousness, justice, Theogn., Hdt., Xen., Plat. etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-GSF — Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-GSF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Genitive Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent

2. Social Customs and Righteousness

3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power

4. Righteousness as Inner

5. Righteousness as Social

6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth

LITERATURE

1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:

In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Righteousness

See JUSTIFICATION.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,

→ By faith Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3,5,9,11,13,20,22,24

→ Garment of Job 29:14; Mt 22:11-14

→ Counted (regarded) for the sake of obedience De 6:25; Job 33:26

→ FRUITS OF De 6:25; Jos 22:31; Ps 1:3; 15:1-5; 24:3-5; 101:3,4; 106:3; 112:4-8; Pr 2:5-20; 10:2,16; 11:5,6,18,19,30; 12:28; 13:6; 14:34; 21:3; 29:7; Isa…

Across the New Testament19 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 178 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 51c. AD 40

πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνο ἀγνοητέον, ὅτι πρῶτος ἀριθμῶν ὁ τέτταρα τετράγωνός ἐστιν ἰσάκις ἴσος, μέτρον δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἰσότητος, καὶ ὅτι μόνος ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ συνθέσει καὶ δυνάμει πέφυκε γεννᾶσθαι, συνθέσει μὲν ἐκ δυοῖν καὶ δυοῖν, δυνάμει δὲ…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.53c. AD 75–95

Ἄβελος μὲν γὰρ ὁ νεώτερος δικαιοσύνης ἐπεμελεῖτο καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πραττομένοις παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν νομίζων ἀρετῆς προενόει, ποιμενικὸς δʼ ἦν ὁ βίος αὐτῷ·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.4c. AD 100

πεπεισμένος οὖν τοῦτο καὶ συνειδὼς ἐμαυτῷ, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν λαλήσας πολλὰ ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι ἐμοὶ συνώδευσεν ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης κύριος, καὶ πάντως ἀναγκάζομαι κἀγὼ εἰς τοῦτο, ἀγαπᾶν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι μεγάλη πίστις καὶ ἀγάπη ἐγκατοικεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐπ’…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. BC 6th c. AD 4th c. AD 3rd c. AD 1st c. AD
ZPE 5 (1970), p. 68-106 BC–105 BC

βασιλευόντων Κλεοπάτρας θεᾶς Εὐεργέτιδος τῆς καὶ Φιλομήτορος Δικαιοσύνης Νικηφόρου καὶ Πτολεμαίου τοῦ καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου θεοῦ Φιλομήτορος ἔτους ιγ τοῦ καὶ ι, ἱερατευούσης

χαίρειν … … Μητροδώρου βιβλί Ἐπικούρου περὶ δικαιοσύνης α … … ἀρίστων ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡδονῆς … γου … … τὸ γὰρ β

BGU 13 2218Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 101–AD 200

α … … ἕτερον χαλκοῦν, καὶ ζῳδαρίδια, καὶ θυμιατήρια … … χαλκᾶ, καὶ Δικαιοσύνη, καὶ μασθός, ἀμφότερα χαλκᾶ, καὶ λαβίδια παρʼ … … ἡμεῖν χαλκᾶ … · καὶ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
οὐκou not G3756 Particle · negative
1,622× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Romans as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a strong 'no', used to deny something completely. It appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13:29 and John 1:21. It is a negative answer to a question.
Tyndale gloss
no
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word οὐ (transliterated as ou) is a primary negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no.' It is used to negate verbs or statements, often appearing in various forms depending on the following sound. In the New Testament, it frequently serves to deny facts and is distinct from another negative particle, μή (transliterated as ), which is used for prohibitions or wishes.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Ac 2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., § 409; M, Pr., 44, 244),

[in LXX for לֹא, אַיִן, אֵין;]

neg. particle,

not, no, used generally c. indic. and for a denial of fact (cf . μή);

absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mt 13:29, Jo 1:21 21:5; οὒ οὔ, Mt 5:37, Ja 5:12.

Most freq. negativing a verb or other word, Mt 1:25 10:26, 38, Mk 3:25 9:37, Jo 8:29, Ac 7:5, Ro 1:16, Phl 3:3, al.; in…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

οὐ before a consonant, οὐκ before a vowel with a smooth breathing, and ody before an aspirated vowel ; but sometimes in the best codd. οὐχ occurs even before a smooth breathing; accordingly LT WH mrg. have adopted οὐχ ἰδού, Acts ii. 7; LT οὐχ ᾿Ιουδαϊκῶς, Gal. ii. 14 (see WH. Introd. § 409); L οὐχ ὀλίγος, Acts xix. 23; οὐχ ἠγάπησαν, Rev. xii. 11; and contrariwise οὐκ before an aspirate, as οὐκ ἕστηκεν, Jn. viii. 44 T; [οὐκ ἕνεκεν, 2 Co. vii. 12 T]; (οὐκ εὗρον, Lk. xxiv. 3; [οὐκ ὑπάρχει, Acts iii. 6] in cod. x [alsoC*; ef. cod. Alex. in 1 ἔβαν. iv. 2,12; Job xix. 16; xxxviiil. 11, 26]); cf. W. $5, 14d. 14; Β. τ; [A. v. Schiitz, Hist. Alphab. Att., Berol. 1875, pp: 54-58 ; Sophocles, Hist. of Grk. Alphab., 1st ed. 1848, p- 64 sq. (on the breathing); Tdf Sept., ed. 4, Proleg. pp: Xxxiii. xxxiv.; Scrivener, Collation ete., 2d ed., p. lv. no. 9; id. cod. Bezae p. xlvii. no. 11 (ef. p. xlii.…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ου to make the voyage” (Edd.), and P Amh II. 78?! (a.p. 184) τοιαύτης ο[ὖ]ν αὐθαδίας ἐν αὐτῷ οὔσης οὐ δυνάμενος [ἐν]καρτερεῖν ἐπιδίδωμι, ‘“ his audacity having reached this pitch I can endure no longer and present this petition.” See further Proleg. p. 231 f. In support of the translation ‘‘ I determined not to know” in 1 Cor 2, we may cite P Par 2657 (B.c. 163) (= UPZi. Ρ-. 248) οὐκ ἐκρίναμεν καταχωρῆσαι, ‘we determined not to record,” P Tebt I. 124° (c. B.c. 118) οὐκ (ἐκδρίναμεν ἐξαρ[ιθ]μεῖ[σθαι, “we determined not to be counted,” and the classical formula in P Hamb I. 27° (B.c. 250 (249)) οὐκ ἔφη εἰδέναι, ‘he said that he did not know.” The origin of the double negative οὐ μή is fully discussed by Moulton Pro/eg. p. 187 ff. When we pass to its actual occurrences in the NT, we find that these for the most part are found in passages derived from the OT and in the Sayings of our Lord…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

οὐ (ou) — no.

οὐ,

the negative of fact and statement, as μή of will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. —The same differences hold for all compounds of οὐ and μή, and some examples of οὐδέ and οὐδείς are included below.—As to the Form, see infr. G. USAG[Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. as the negative of single words,

II. as the negative of the sentence.

I. οὐ adhering to single words so as to form a quasi-compound with them:—with Verbs: οὐ δίδωμι withhold, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ εἰῶ prevent, [Refs]; οὐκ ἐθέλω refuse, [Refs]; οὔ φημι deny, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but sometimes οὐ is retained, εἰ δ᾽ ἂν.. οὐκ ἐθέλωσιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐάντε.. οὐ (variant{μή}) φῆτε ἐάντε φῆτε [Refs 8th c.BC+] —On the use of οὐ in contrasts, see below [Refs 5th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

οὐ

ou

ouk ook, and (before an aspirate)

ouch ookh

a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or

not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, +

nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also

3364, 3372.

see GREEK for 3361

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

οὐ

Neg.prt.

no, not

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

οὐ ou 1x

negative adverb, originally the gen. of ὅς, spelled οὐκ if followed by a word beginning with a vowel and a smooth breathing, οὐχ if followed by a vowel and rough breathing, not, no, Mt. 5:37; 12:43; 23:37; for the peculiarities of its usage (especially as distinct from μή) consult a grammar

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
82%not
not82% · 1383×certainly6% · 96×surely4% · 70×no longer3% · 50×no2% · 39×other renderings3% · 51×

1,689 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 17 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial82%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,622 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
καίand, even, also, nam
εἰμίI am, existἐγώαὐτός
ὅς
ἐγώθερίζωI reap, gatherδέbut, on the othe
ὅτιthat, since, because
σύαὐτόςἐγώ
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakἐνἐπί
σύ
λέγωI say, speakγάρforὅς
οὐnot1622×
what comes after →
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐκArticle theἐγώ
μήNeg
παρέρχομαιI pass byεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inπίνωI drink, imbibe
οἶδαI know, remember
ὅτιthat, since, becArticle theτίςIrg
γάρfor
εἰμίI am, existθέλωI will, wish, deArticle the
δύναμαιI am powerful, am ab
ἔρχομαιI come, goσῴζωI save, healArticle the

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceοὐ · 1,622× in the New Testament
John Matthew Luke 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts 2 Corinthians Revelation Hebrews 1 John Galatians

8 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 6c. AD 40

ὡς γὰρ τῶν κολοσσιαίων μεγεθῶν τὰς ἐμφάσεις καὶ ἡ βραχυτάτη σφραγὶς τυπωθεῖσα δέχεται, οὕτως τάχα που καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναγραφείσης ἐν τοῖς νόμοις κοσμοποιίας ὑπερβάλλοντα κάλλη καὶ ταῖς μαρμαρυγαῖς τὰς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ψυχὰς ἐπισκιάζοντα βραχυτέροις…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.11c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέων οὐδενὸς ἀρετῇ δεύτερος Ἐλεάζαρος τῷ προειρημένῳ βασιλεῖ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὠφελείας οὐκ ἐφθόνησε πάντως ἀντειπὼν ἄν, εἰ μὴ πάτριον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ μηδὲν ἔχειν τῶν καλῶν ἀπόρρητον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.8c. AD 100

ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ὡς διδάσκαλος, ἀλλ̓ ὧς εἰς ἐξ ὑμῶν ὑποδείξω ὀλίγα, δἰ ὧν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσιν εὐφρανθήσεσθε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 3rd c. BC 4th c. AD 6th c. AD

δὲ γενόμεναι κατὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον κληρονομήσασαι ταξάμεναι τὰ καθήκοντα τέλη θεᾶι Βερενίκηι κυριεύομεν. ὅθεν οὐκ ἀποδιδόντων τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐπεδώκαμεν ἐν τῶι λ ἔτει προσανγελίαν Ἡρακλείδει γενομένωι ἀρχιφυλακίτηι τοῦ Παθυρίτου

C.Erbstreit16Diospolis Magna (Theben)135 BC

ι ἀρουρῶν πρόκτησιν … ένου αὐτὸν ἐν συνεδρίωι καὶ συγχώρησιν … ειν, ἐν ἧι οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ πατήρ. ὅθεν καταβεβραβευμένοι … ήρου συνεριου ἀξιοῦμεν, ἐὰν φαίνηται, συντάξαι γράψαι, οἷς

P.Adl. 2Pathyris125 BC

ὠνῆς ἐν πίστει διὰ τῶν περὶ τὸν Πανεβχοῦνιν ἐκτελειωθεῖσαν τῶι … ἔτει ἀντὶ ὀφειλημάτων, οὐκ ἐπελευσομένους τὸν Πανερέα καὶ τὴν Σενενοῦπιν περὶ ὀφειλημάτων μηδὲ περὶ ἄλλου μηδενός. ταῦτα δὲ

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law righteousness not did attain.
ἔφθασεν.phthanō did attain. G5348 Verb · aorist · active · indicative · third person · singular
7× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Romans than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To precede or arrive means to come before someone or something else. This word is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and Romans 9:31. It can also mean to arrive at a place.
Amplified meaning
completely failed to, arrive at, reach
Tyndale gloss
to precede/arrive
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word φθάνω (phthano) means to come before or anticipate. It can also refer to arriving at or attaining something. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts such as 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and Romans 9:31. Some lexicons note a shift in meaning from 'preceding' to simply 'arriving' in later texts.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

φθάνω

[in LXX for נגע hi., מטא, etc. ;]

to come before another, anticipate (cl.): c. acc. pers., I Th 4:15.

In late writers and MGr. (v. Kennedy, Sources, 156; Lft., Notes, 35), to come, arrive: Ro 9:31; seq. εἰς, Phl 3:16; ἄχρι, II Co 10:14; ἐπί (cf. Da TH 4:21, and v. Dalman, Words, 107), Mt 12:28, Lk 11:20, I Th 2:16 (cf. προ-φθάνω).†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

φθάνω: 1 aor. ἔφθασα [W.§ 15s. v.]; pf. ἔφθακα (1 Th. ii. 16 Ltxt. WH mrg.); fr. Hom. down; 1. to come before, precede, anticipate: ἡμεῖς od μὴ φθάσωμεν (see μή, IV. 2) rods κοιμηθέντας, we shall not get the start of those who have fallen asleep, i.e. we shall not attain to the fellowship of Christ sooner than the dead, nor have precedence in blessedness, 1 Th. iv. 15; ἔφθασεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ ὀργή, (God’s penal) wrath came upon them unexpectedly, 1 Th. ii. 15; ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, the kingdom of God has come upon you sooner than you expected, Mt. xii. 28; Lk. xi. 20; [but all the preceding exx. except the first are referred by the majority of recent interpp. to the foll. head ;—a meaning esp. common when the verb is construed with prepositions]. 2. in the Alex. [and other later] writ. the idea of priority disappears, fo come to, arrive at: eis τι, Phil. iii. 16; to reach…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

φθάνω 844 (v/vi A.D.) πατέραν φωνεύσας (/. πατέρα φονεύσας) νόμους φοβηθεὶς ἔφυγεν εἰς ἐρημίαν, ‘having killed his father, in fear of the laws he fled into the desert,” and the Christian amulet P Oxy VIII. 1151} (v/a.n.?2) φεῦγε πν(εῦμ)αᾳ μεμισιμένον, Χ(ριστό)ς σε διώκει, ““ἢγ, hateful spirit ! Christ pursues thee” (Ed.). A somewhat weakened sense is found in P Giss I. goii- 16 (A.D. 215) Αἰ[γύπτι]οι πάντες, οἵ εἰσιν ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ, καὶ μάλιστα ἄ[γ]ροικοι, οἵτινες πεφε[ύγασιν] ἄλ[λοθεν, and 7b.*5 οἵτινες φεύγουσι τὰς χώρας τὰς ἰδίας.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

φθάνω (phthanō) — to precede/arrive.

φθάνω,

[Refs 8th c.BC+], imperfect ἔφθανον [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future φθήσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but φθάσω [ᾰ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔφθᾰσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; optative 3rd.pers. singular φθάσειε [Refs 5th c.BC+] (this tense prevails in later Gk., [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; Doric dialect ἔφθασσα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]aorist is ἔφθην,[Refs 5th c.BC+], but the more usual form in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; plural ἔφθημεν, -ητε, -ησαν, [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect plural 3 φθάν [Refs 8th c.BC+]subjunctive φθῶ, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθήῃ, φθῇσιν, [Refs]; Epic dialect 1st pers. plural φθέωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural φθέωσι [Refs]; optative φθαίην, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθαίησι (παρα-) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; infinitive φθῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; participle φθάς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect participle middle φθάμενος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

φθάνω

phthano

apparently a primary verb; to be beforehand, i.e. anticipate or

precede; by extension, to have arrived at:--(already) attain, come,

prevent.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

φθάνω

v.

I anticipate, precede, arrive

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

φθάνω phthanō 7x

come before, precede, 1 Thess. 4:15; absol. to advance, make progress, 2 Cor. 10:14; Phil. 3:16; to come up with, come upon, be close at hand, Mt. 12:28; Lk. 11:20; 1 Thess. 2:16; to attain an object of pursuit, Rom. 9:31*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

φθάνω φθανω always in attic; φθα_νω twice in Il. to come or do first or before others:

c. acc. pers. to be beforehand with, overtake, outstrip, anticipate, Il., Hdt., attic; so, ἔφθησαν τὸν χειμῶνα Hdt.:—Pass. to be overtaken, Anth.

absol. to come first, Eur., etc.; τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή the prey of the first comer, Aesch.:—with Preps. to come or arrive first, ἐς τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον Thuc., etc.

the action in which one outstrips another is expressed by the part. agreeing with the subject, [Ἄτη] φθάνει βλάπτουσα is beforehand in doing mischief, Il.; φθῆ μιν Τηλέμαχος βαλών Telemachus was beforehand with him in striking, Od.:—in translation, the part. often becomes the chief Verb and φθάνειν is rendered by an adv., quicker, sooner, first, before, beforehand, ἔφθησαν ἀπικόμενοι arrived first, Hdt.; so with part. pass. εἴ…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-AAI-3S — Verb · aorist · active · indicative · third person · singular
aorist active indicative — a completed action, viewed as a whole.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-AAI-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Active Mood: Indicative Person: third Number: Singular

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-tan': The rendering of qanah = "buy," "get" (Pr 1:5); nasagh= "reach," "a meal-offering .... according as he is able" (Eze 46:7 margin), "not attained unto the days" (Ge 47:9); yakhol or yakhowl ="be able," "overcome," "attain to innocency" (Ho 8:5); bo' = "come," "follow" (2Sa 23:19,23; 1Ch 11:21,25); katantao="arrive at" (Ac 27:12 the King James Version; Php 3:11); katalambano ="take eagerly," "seize," "apprehend," "attained to righteousness" (

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
43%has come
has come43% · 3×did attain14% · 1×we came14% · 1×we have attained14% · 1×may precede14% · 1×

7 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 5 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb100%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 7 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
ἄραDisj
δαιμόνιονan evil-spirit,
οὐNeg
νόμοςa law, the Mosai
σύ
καίand, even, also,
ὅς
εἰς
πάντοτεalways, at all times
ἁμαρτίαa sin
φθάνωdid attain.
what comes after →
ἐπί
σύ
Article the
αὐτόςκοιμάομαιI fall asleep, a
ἐν
Article the
δέbut, on the other ha
ἐπί

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceφθάνω · 7× in the New Testament
1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians Luke Matthew Philippians Romans
Across the New Testament6 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 3.215c. AD 40

οὐκ ἂν δὲ ἔφθασεν, εἰ μὴ ὁ καλῶν χρηστὸς ἦν.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 7.263c. AD 75–95

πάντας δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους ἔφθασεν ἡ Ἰούδα φυλὴ πρὸς τὸν Ἰόρδανον ποταμὸν ἀπαντῆσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ὁ Γήρα παῖς Σαμούις μετὰ χιλίων ἀνδρῶν, οὓς ἐκ τῆς Βενιαμίδος φυλῆς ἐπήγετο, καὶ Σιβᾶς δὲ ὁ ἀπελεύθερος Σαούλου καὶ οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πεντεκαίδεκα τὸν…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. AD 2nd c. AD 4th c. AD 7th c. AD 5th c. AD
CPR 6 80Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)?AD 101–AD 200

r Εὐδαίμων Ἀπολλῶτι τῷ κυρίῳ μου ἀδελφῶι χαίρειν. φθάνω σοι γράψας καὶ διετέλεσα περὶ τῶν τοῦ μετάλλου φυλάκων περὶ τῶν χωμάτων ἵνα αὐτὰ

P.Oxy. 34 2726OxyrhynchosAD 101–AD 200

r Πανεχώτης Ἡφαιστίωνι τῶι καὶ Σαραπίωνι τῷ τιμιωτάτῳ χαίρειν· φθάνω μέν σοι δεδηλωκὼς ἣν ἔχω πρὸς σὲ στοργήν· καὶ νῦν δὲ σοῦ δέομαι, κύριε,

BASP 18 (1981), p. 135OxyrhynchosAD 101–AD 300

τέκνων αὐτοῦ. ὃ δὲ ἄλλο εἶχον περὶ Τῆιν ἐκ τοῦ Καλλικράτους κλήρου ἀμπελικὸν κτῆμα φθάνω καταγράψαι

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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