Quick Definition
δικαιόω v. I make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Strong's Definition
from 1342; to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent
KJV Usage: free, justify(-ier), be righteous
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀδικέω · ἀδίκημα · ἀδικία · ἄδικος · ἀδίκως · ἀντίδικος · δικαιοκρισία · δίκαιος · δικαιοσύνη · δικαίωμα · δικαίως · δικαίωσις · δικαστής · δίκη · ἐκδικέω · ἐκδίκησις · ἔκδικος · ἔνδικος · καταδικάζω · καταδίκη · ὑπόδικος
34.46 · Association · Establish or Confirm a Relation
to put right with, to cause to be in a right relationship with to cause someone to be in a proper or right relation with someone else Some scholars, however, interpret δικαιόω, δικαίωσις, and δικαιοσύνη in the following contexts as meaning forensic righteousness, that is to say, the act of being declared righteous on the basis of Christ’s atoning ministry; but it would seem more probable that Paul uses these expressions in the context of the covenant relation rather than in the context of legal procedures.
It may be difficult in some languages to find a succinct expression equivalent to ‘to be put right with.’ Sometimes the closest equivalent may be ‘to be related to as one should be.’ In some instances the implication of a right relationship may be expressed by phrases involving ‘acceptance.’ For example, ROM 3:24 may be expressed as ‘by the free gift of God’s grace they are accepted by him through Christ Jesus who sets them free.’ Similarly, ROM 4:25 is sometimes expressed as ‘he was raised to life in order to cause us to be accepted by God.’ There are, however, certain dangers involved in terms indicating ‘acceptance,’ since this might imply God’s reluctance to accept people apart from the atoning work of Jesus Christ, while in reality it was God who was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. Therefore, one should clearly avoid a rendering which would seem to suggest different types of motivation in the Godhead.
ROM 2:13 · ROM 3:20 · ROM 3:24 · ROM 3:26 · ROM 3:28 · ROM 3:30 · ROM 4:2 · ROM 4:5 · ROM 5:1 · ROM 5:9 · ROM 8:30 · ROM 8:30 · ROM 8:33 · GAL 2:16 · GAL 2:16 · GAL 2:16 · GAL 2:17 · GAL 3:8 · GAL 3:11 · GAL 3:24 · GAL 5:4 · TIT 3:7
88.16 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Just, Righteous
to show to be right, to prove to be right to demonstrate that something is morally right
MAT 11:19 · LUK 7:35 · LUK 10:29 · LUK 16:15 · LUK 18:14 · ROM 3:4 · 1TI 3:16 · JAS 2:21 · JAS 2:24 · JAS 2:25
56.34 · Courts and Legal Procedures · Judge, Condemn, Acquit
to acquit, to set free, to remove guilt, acquittal the act of clearing someone of transgression In a number of languages the process of acquittal takes the form of a direct statement, for example, ‘to say, You are not guilty’ or ‘..., You no longer have sin’ or, as expressed idiomatically in some instances, ‘..., Sin is no longer on your head’ or ‘..., Your sins are now given back to you.’
37.138 · Control, Rule · Release, Set Free
to release, to set free to cause to be released from the control of some state or situation involving moral issues In a number of languages the rendering of this expression in ROM 6:7 is extremely difficult; first, because of the figurative meaning of ‘to die to sin’ and secondly, because of the phrase ‘to be released from sin.’ It may be necessary to introduce a simile into the first clause and then to restructure considerably the second clause if one cannot speak of ‘the power of sin’ but must regard sin as exercising some kind of direct control. Accordingly, one may sometimes translate this expression in ROM 6:7 as ‘when a person is, as it were, dead as far as sinning is concerned, then sin no longer dominates him’ or ‘... then he is not controlled by his desires to sin.’
36.22 · Guide, Discipline, Follow · Obey, Disobey
to obey righteous commands to conform to righteous, just commands In some languages it may be difficult to translate literally ‘God’s righteous commands’ in LUK 7:29, especially since the equivalent of ‘commands’ is often a verb. Accordingly, one may need to translate ‘what God commanded, and this was right.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δικαιόω, -d ; fut. δικαιώσω ; 1 aor. ἐδικαίωσα; Pass., [pres. δικαιοῦμαι] : pf. δεδικαίωμαι ; 1 aor. ἐδικαιώθην ; fut. δικαιωθήσομαι; (δίκαιος); Sept. for pay and ΟΣ; 1. prop. (ace. to the analogy of other verbs ending in da, as τυφλόω. δουλόω) to make δίκαιος ; to render righteous or such as he ought to be; (Vulg. justifico) ; but this meaning is extremely rare, if not altogether doubtful; ἐδικαί@oa τὴν καρδίαν μου stands for 237 ‘yt in Ps. Lxxii. (Ixxiii.) 13 (unless 7 have shown my heart to be upright be preferred as the rendering of the Greek there). 2. τινά, fo show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered (Ezek. xvi. 51 sq.3; τὴν Ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, Jer. iii. 11, and, probably, d:καιοῦν δίκαιον, Is. lili. 11): ἡ σοφία ἐδικαιώθη ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς, the wisdom taught and exemplified by John the Baptist, and by Jesus, gained from its disciples (i. e. from their life, character, and deeds) the benefit of being shown to be righteous, i. 6. true and divine [οἵ. B. 322 (277); al. interpret, was acknowledged to be righteous on the part of (nearly i. q. by) her children; ef. B. 325 (280); see ἀπό, 11. 2 d. bb.], Lk. vii. 35; Mt. xi. 19 {here T Tr txt. WH read ἔργων i. 6. by her works]; Pass., of Christ: ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, evinced to be righteous as to his spiritual (divine [(?) cf. 6. g. Ellic. ad loc., or Mey. on Ro. i. 47) nature, 1 Tim. iii. 16; of God: ὅπως δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, Ro. iii. 4 fr. Ps. |. (li.) 6 (αύριος μόνος δικαιωθήσεται, Sir. xviii. 2); pass. used reflexively, to show one’s self righteous : of men, Rev. xxii. 11 Rec.; (τί δικαιωθῶμεν ; Gen. xliv. 16). 3. τινά, to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be, (cf. ὁμοιόω to declare to be like, liken i. e. compare; ὁσιόω, Sap. vi. 11; ἀξιόω, which never means to make worthy, but to judge worthy, to declare worthy, to treat as worthy; see also κοινόω, 2 b.); a. with the negative idea predominant, to declare guiltless one accused or who may be accused, acquit of a charge or reproach, (Deut. xxv. 1; Sir. xiii. 22 (21), ete.; an unjust judge is said δικαιοῦν τὸν ἀσεβὴ in Ex. xxiii. 7; Is. v. 23): ἑαυτόν, Lk. x. 29; pass. οὐ δεδικαίωμαι, sc. with God, 1 Co. iv. 4; pregnantly with ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν added, to be declared innocent and therefore to be absolved from the charge of sins [ef. B. 322 (277)], Acts xiii. 38 (39) (so ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, Sir. xxvi. 29; simply, to be absolved, se. from the payment of a vow, Sir. xviii. 22 (21)); hence figuratively, by a usage not met with elsewhere, to be freed, ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, from its dominion, Ro. vi. 7, where cf. Fritzsche or [(less fully) Meyer]. b. with the positive idea predominant, fo judge, declare, pronounce, righteous and therefore acceptable, (God is said δικαιοῦν δίκαιον, 1 Κα. viii. 32): ἑαυτόν, Lk. xvi. 15; ἐδικαίωσαν τὸν θεόν declared God to be righteous, i.e. by receiving the baptism declared that it had been prescribed by God rightly, Lk. vii. 29; pass. by God, Ro. ii. 13; ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, got his reputation for righteousness (sc. with his countrymen [but see Mey. (ed. Weiss) ad loc.]) by works, Ro. iv. 2; ἐκ τῶν λόγων, by thy words, in contrast with καταδικάζεσθαι, sc. by God, Mt. xii. 37. Especially is it so used, in the technical phraseology of Paul, respecting God who judges and declares such men as put faith in Christ to be righteous and acceptable to him, and accordingly fit to receive the pardon of their sins and eternal life (see δικαιοσύνη. 1 ¢.): thus absolutely, δικαιοῦν twa, Ro. iii. 26; iv. 5; viii. 30, 33 (se. ἡμᾶς, opp. to ἐγκαλεῖν) ; with the addition of ἐκ (in consequence of) πίστεως, Ro. iii. 30; Gal. iii. 8; of διὰ τῆς πίστεως, Ro. iii. 30; men are said δικαιοῦσθαι, δικαιωθῆναι, τῇ χάριτι τοῦ θεοῦ, Tit. iii. 7; δωρεὰν τῇ χάρ. τ. θεοῦ, Ro. iii. 24; πίστει, Ro. iii. 28; ἐκ πίστεως, by means of faith, Ro. v. 1; Gal. ii. 16; iii. 24; ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ (as the meritorious cause of their acceptance, as the old theologians say, faith being the apprehending or subjective cause), Ro. v. 9; ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν, by confessing the name of the Lord (which implies faith in him, Ro. x. 10, cf. 2 Co. iv. 13), and by the Spirit of God (which has awakened faith in the soul), 1 Co. vi. 11; ἐν Χριστῷ through Christ, Gal. ii. 17; Acts xiii. 39; it is vehemently denied by Paul, that a man δικαιοῦται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, Gal. ii. 16,—with the addition ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, i. 6. of God, Ro. iii. 20, ef. vs. 28; iv. 2, (see δικαιοσύνη, 1 6. sub fin.) ; a statement which is affirmed by James in ii. 21, 24 sq. (though he says simply ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται, significantly omitting νόμου) ; to the same purport Paul denies that a man δικαιοῦται ἐν νόμῳ. in obeying the law, or by keeping it, Gal. v. 4; with the addition παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, in the sight of God, Gal. iii. 11. Lk. xviii. 14 teaches that a man δικαιοῦται by deep sorrow for his sins, which so humbles him that he hopes for salvation only from divine grace. The Pauline conceptions of δίκαιος, δικαιοσύνη, δικαιόω, are elucidated esp. by Winzer, De vocabulis δίκαιος, etc., in Ep. ad Rom., Lips. 1831; Usteri, Paulin. Lehrbegriff p- 86 sq. ed. 4 ete.; Neander, Gesch. der Pflanzung u.s.w. ii. p. 567 sqq. et passim, ed. 3, [Robinson’s trans. of ed. 4, pp. 382 sqq-, 417 sqq.]; Baur, Paulus p. 572 sqq. [(Zeller’s) ed. 2, vol. ii. 145-183; Eng. trans. vol. ii. p. 134 sqq.]; Rauwenhoff, Disqvisitio ete., Lugd. Bat. 1852; Lipsius, Die paulin. Rechtfertigungslehre, Lpz. 1853; Schmid, Bibl. Theologie des N. T. p. 562 sqq. ed. 2, [p. 558 sqq. ed. 4; Eng. trans. p. 495 sq.]; Ernesti, Vom Ursprung der Siinde u.s.w. i. p. 152 sqq. ; Messner, Lehre der Apostel, p. 256 sqq., [summary by S. R. Asbury in Bib. Sacr. for 1870, p. 140 sq.]; Jul. Kostlin in the Jahrbb. fiir deutsche Theol. 1856 fase. 1 p. 85 sqq.-; Wieseler, Commentar ii. d. Br. an d. Galater, p. 176 sqq. [see in Schaff’s Lange’s Rom. p. 122 sq.]; Aahnis, Lutherische Dogmatik, Bd. i. p. 592 sqq.; Philippi, Dogmatik, v. 1 p. 208 sqq.; Weiss, Bibl. Theol. des N. T. § 65; Ritschl, Die christl. Lehre v. d. Versohnung ἃ. Rechtf. ii. 318 sqq.; P/fleiderer, Paulinismus, p. 172 sqq. [Eng. trans. vol. i. p. 171 sqq.; but esp. Dr. Jas. Morison, Crit. Expos. of the Third Chap. of the Ep. to the Rom. pp. 163-198. On the patristic usage see Reithmayr, Galaterbrief, p. 177 sq.; Cremer, Worterbuch, 4te Aufl. p. 285; Suicer, Thesaur. s. v.]. Tn classic Grk. δικαιόω (Ionic δικαιέω, Η αἴ.) is ul i. q. δίκαιον νομίζω, to deem right or fair: ri, often foll. by the inf.; to choose what is right and fair, hence univ. to choose, desire, decide: Hdt., Soph., Thuc., al. 25 with ace. of person, τὸ δίκαιον ποιῶ τινα to do one justice, in a bad sense, viz. to condemn, punish, one: Hdt., Thuc., Plat., al.; hence δικαιοῦσθαι, to have justice done one’s self, to suffer justice, be treated rightly, opp. to ἀδικεῖσθαι, Aristot. eth. Nic. 5, 9, 11 p. 1136*, 18 sqq. (In like manner the German rechtfertigen in its early forensic use bore a bad sense viz. to try judicially (so for ἀνακρίνειν, Acts xii. 19 Luther), then condemn; execute judgment, esp. put to death.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
δικαιόω dikaioō 39x
pr. to make or render right or just; mid. to act with justice, Rev. 22:11; to avouch to be good and true, to vindicate, Mt. 11:19; Lk. 7:29; to set forth as good and just, Lk. 10:29; 16:15; in NT to hold as guiltless, to accept as righteous, to justify, Rom. 3:26, 30; 4:5; 8:30, 33; pass. to be held acquitted, to be cleared, Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:24; 6:7; to be approved, to stand approved, to stand accepted, Rom. 2:13; 3:20, 28
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δικαιόω, -ῶ
(< δίκαιος), [in LXX chiefly for צדק pi., hi., (1) as Ez 16:51, Je 3:11 (cf. NT usage); (2) as De 25:1; Ex 23:7, Is 50:8 ;]
in cl.,
c. acc rei, to deem right;
c. acc pers., to do one justice; pass., δικαιοῦσθαι, to be treated rightly, opp. to ἀδικεῖσθαι.
In NT, as in LXX, and as usual with verbs in -όω from adjectives of moral meaning;
to show to be righteous: Mt 11:19, Lk 7:35, Ro 3:4 (LXX), I Ti 3:16;
to declare, pronounce righteous: Lk 7:29 10:29 16:15 18:14, Ro 2:13 3:24, 26, 28 4:5 8:30, 33, Tit 3:7; seq. ἀπό, Mt 11:19, Lk 7:35, Ac 13:39, Ro 6:7; ἐκ πίστεως, Ro 3:30 5:1, Ga 2:16 3:8, 24; ἐξ ἔργων, Ro 3:20 (LXX) 4:2, Ga 2:16, Ja 2:21, 24, 25; ἐκ τ. λόγων, Mt 12:37; διὰ τ. πίστεως, Ro 3:30; c. dat., Ro 3:24, 28, Tit 3:7; seq. ἐν, Ac 13:39, Ro 3:4 5:9, I Co 4:4 6:11, Ga 2:17 3:11 5:4, I Ti 3:16 (v. Cremer, 193, 693; DB, ii, 826 ff.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
δικαιόω is used in a general sense ‘‘ think or deem right” in P Giss I. 471° (time of Hadrian) with reference to a girdle (mapaζώνιον) of which a man reports—@AN οὐδὲ ἐδικαίωσα ayopaσαι ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι δυνάμενον, “1 did not think it right to purchase it, seeing that it is hable to be rejected.” In P Ryl 11. 119! (A.v. 54-67) the reference is to awarding a verdict in the courts: ἐδικαίωσεν ἀποδοῦναι ἡμᾶς τὸ κεφάλαιον καὶ ἀνακομίσασθαι τὴν ὑποθήκην, ‘* he decided that we should repay the capital sum and recover the mortgage,” etc. The case was before ἃ δικαιοδότης, and the verb gives an interesting contemporary illustration of Paul’s usage. Irom the same century comes P Tebt II. 444 τὰ 8[ta] τῆς συνγραφῆς δετακιομένα kepada (/. δεδικαιωμένα κεφάλαια), “the sums “xed [declared just] by the contract.” The
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
δικαιόω (dikaioō) — to justify. δῐκαι-όω, Ionic dialect imperfect ἐδικαίευν [Refs 5th c.BC+]future -ώσω Oracle texts cited in [same work][Refs 5th c.BC+]; -ώσομαι [Refs]:aorist ἐδικαίωσα [Refs]:—passive, future -ωθήσομαι[LXX]: aorist ἐδικαιώθην [Refs 4th c.BC+]: perfect δεδικαίωμαι [LXX]
I. set right, νόμος.. δικαιῶν τὸ βιαιότατον [Refs 5th c.BC+]proved, tested, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. hold or deem right, claim or demand as a right, with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive omitted, οὕτω δ. (i.e. γενέσθαι) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκας δ. (i.e. γενέσθαι)[Refs 5th c.BC+]; pronounce judgement, [Refs]: with infinitive, ἐδικαίωσεν ἀποδοῦναι ἡμᾶς τὸ κεφάλαιον [Refs 1st c.AD+]; consent, δουλεύειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἐδικαίου οὐδένα οἱ ἐσαγγεῖλαι he would not allow.. [Refs]:—passive, τὸ δικαιωθὲν ὑπό τινος that which is ordained, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
III. do a man right or justice: hence,
III.1. chastise, punish, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; pass sentence on, ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς δικαιώσεσθε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. passive, also, have right done one, opposed to ἀδικεῖσθαι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III.3. pronounce and treat as righteous, justify, vindicate, [LXX+NT]passive [Refs]