Brief Overview of δικαιόω (G1344: dikaióō)

Word Details

• Transliteration: δικαιόω (dik-ai-OH-o)
• Etymology: Derived from the Greek word δίκαιος (dikaios), meaning “righteous” or “just,” combined with the verb-forming suffix -όω, which denotes an action or process. The word δικαιόω thus relates to the action of making or declaring someone righteous.
• Part of Speech: Verb
• The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon

Primary Meanings

• To Justify: δικαιόω primarily means “to justify,” referring to the act of declaring someone to be righteous or just, particularly in a legal or judicial context. In the New Testament, it often relates to God’s act of declaring a person righteous based on faith.
• To Vindicate: The verb can also mean “to vindicate” or “to show to be right,” especially in the sense of proving someone’s righteousness or correctness.
• To Set Right: δικαιόω can also carry the meaning of “setting right” or “making right,” implying the rectification of wrongs or the establishment of justice.

Further Insights

• Person: Third person
• Number: Singular
• Tense: Present
• Voice: Active
• Mood: Indicative

Further Insights Explained:

• δικαιόω in its typical New Testament form is often found in the third person, singular, present tense, active voice, and indicative mood. This usage reflects its role in declaring or recognizing righteousness as an ongoing or current reality, particularly in a legal or theological context.

Disclaimer: The morphological features provided here represent the common form of δικαιόω as it appears in Greek texts. Variations may occur depending on the grammatical and contextual demands of different passages.

Lexicon Descriptions

BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich):

• BDAG defines δικαιόω as “to declare righteous,” with a particular emphasis on legal contexts, where it involves pronouncing someone free of guilt or deserving of acquittal.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 3:24, where it states that believers are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

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Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:

• Thayer’s Lexicon emphasizes δικαιόω as “to render righteous or such as one ought to be,” noting its use in both a judicial sense and in relation to God’s act of justifying believers.
• Scripture Reference: Luke 18:14, where Jesus speaks of the tax collector who went home “justified” rather than the Pharisee.

LSJ (Liddell, Scott, Jones):

• LSJ defines δικαιόω broadly as “to make righteous,” “to justify,” or “to pronounce or treat as righteous.” The term is also used in classical texts to mean “to vindicate” or “to justify” in a moral or legal sense.
• Classical References: Plato uses δικαιόω in philosophical discussions about justice and moral rectitude.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary:

• Vine’s describes δικαιόω as “to justify” in a theological sense, specifically relating to God’s act of declaring believers righteous on the basis of faith in Christ.
• Scripture Reference: James 2:24, where it is mentioned that “a man is justified by works and not by faith only.”

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:

• Strong’s defines δικαιόω simply as “to justify” or “to render righteous,” underscoring its frequent use in the New Testament to describe God’s act of declaring a person righteous.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 5:1, where Paul writes, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Usage in Classical Greek Literature

• Plato, The Republic: In The Republic, δικαιόω is used in discussions of justice, where it denotes the process of making someone or something just or right.
• Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics: Aristotle uses the term in the context of ethics, where δικαιόω is linked with the concept of moral justice and the justification of actions.
• Sophocles, Antigone: In this play, δικαιόω appears in the context of legal and moral discussions, where characters seek justification or vindication for their actions before the law and the gods.

Summary

δικαιόω (G1344: dikaióō) is a Greek verb that primarily means “to justify” or “to declare righteous.” Derived from δίκαιος (dikaios), meaning “righteous” or “just,” the verb reflects an action related to making or declaring someone righteous, often in a legal or theological context. In the New Testament, δικαιόω is used to describe God’s act of justifying believers based on their faith in Jesus Christ. The word also carries meanings related to vindication and setting things right, emphasizing its role in both divine and human justice. Classical Greek literature also uses δικαιόω in philosophical discussions about justice and morality, where it denotes the process of making something just or correct. Understanding δικαιόω provides deep insights into the concept of righteousness and justification in both biblical and classical contexts.