What does δίκαιος (díkaios) mean in the Bible?
δίκαιος describes what is righteous, just, or upright according to God's standard. It can describe people, God, Christ, a judge, a command, or conduct that conforms to what is right.
Greek · G1342
δίκαιος
Just
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δίκαιος G1342
Pronunciation díkaios
What does δίκαιος (díkaios) mean in the Bible?
δίκαιος describes what is righteous, just, or upright according to God's standard. It can describe people, God, Christ, a judge, a command, or conduct that conforms to what is right.
Reader summary
Full entry for δίκαιος (G1342) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1342?
The BSB source-word alignment has 79 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include righteous (27), [the] righteous (7), right (6), just (5), a righteous [man] (4).
Where does δίκαιος (díkaios) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (17), Luke (11), Romans (7), 1 John (6).
Are there verse guides for δίκαιος (díkaios)?
This entry includes 4 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
δίκαιος describes what is righteous, just, or upright according to God's standard. It can describe people, God, Christ, a judge, a command, or conduct that conforms to what is right. In the Pastoral Epistles, the word appears negatively in 1 Timothy 1:9, where law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless, and positively in Titus 1:8, where an overseer must be upright.
The same family of language also appears in 2 Timothy 4:8 when Paul names the Lord as the righteous Judge. The adjective therefore presses character and verdict together. It does not flatter people as naturally righteous, because Romans says no one is righteous apart from grace. It also does not erase real uprightness, because Christ is the Righteous One and His people are called to practice righteousness.
How the Bible Uses It
δίκαιος names what is righteous, just, or upright before God. The Pastorals apply it to the kind of person for whom law is not aimed and to the upright character required of overseers, while the wider canon centers righteousness in God, Christ, and faith-shaped life.
- 1Tim.1.9
We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
The law is not enacted for the righteous but for the lawless. Paul contrasts righteous order with rebellion, not self-made moral superiority.
- Titus.1.8
Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
An overseer must be upright. Righteous character is not optional in church leadership or separated from hospitality, self-control, holiness, and discipline.
- Rom.1.17
For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The righteous live by faith. The adjective belongs to the gospel's revelation of righteousness, not autonomous moral achievement.
- Rom.3.10
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.
Paul denies natural human righteousness. This protects the word from self-righteous readings.
- 1Pet.3.18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
Christ is the righteous one who suffered for the unrighteous to bring them to God. Righteousness is centered in Christ's saving work.
- 1John.3.7
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
Practicing righteousness shows a life conformed to Christ, who is righteous. The adjective carries visible fruit without making that fruit the ground of salvation.
- Acts.3.14
You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
Jesus is called the Holy and Righteous One. The word reaches its personal center in Christ before it describes the church's upright life.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It righteous 27× Matthew 13:43, Matthew 13:49, Matthew 23:28, Matthew 23:29
[the] righteous 7× Matthew 5:45, Matthew 9:13, Matthew 23:35, Luke 5:32
right 6× Matthew 20:4, Luke 12:57, Acts 4:19, Ephesians 6:1
just 5× John 5:30, Romans 3:26, 1 John 1:9, Revelation 15:3
a righteous [man] 4× Matthew 10:41, Romans 5:7, 2 Peter 2:7
Righteous One 3× Acts 3:14, Acts 7:52, Acts 22:14
[is] right 2× Philippians 4:8, Colossians 4:1
of [the] righteous 2× Luke 1:17, Hebrews 12:23
[a] righteous 1× Luke 23:47
[He is] a righteous 1× Acts 10:22
[in his] righteous 1× 2 Peter 2:8
[it is] only right 1× 2 Thessalonians 1:6
[the] Righteous [One] 1× 1 John 2:1
[was] righteous 1× Luke 2:25
[were] righteous 1× 1 John 3:12
[who are] righteous 1× Romans 2:13
a righteous 1× Mark 6:20
a righteous [man’s] 1× Matthew 10:41
a righteous man 1× Matthew 1:19
for [the] righteous 1× 1 Timothy 1:9
innocent [man] 1× Matthew 27:19
just [are] 1× Revelation 16:7
justly 1× John 7:24
of a righteous [man] 1× James 5:16
righteous [man] 1× 2 Peter 2:8
righteous [men] 1× Matthew 13:17
righteous ones 1× Luke 15:7
righteousness 1× Luke 18:9
sincere 1× Luke 20:20
the righteous 1× Mark 2:17
upright 1× Titus 1:8
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:19 δίκαιος to a righteous man Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 5:45 δικαίους to [the] righteous Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural Matthew 9:13 δικαίους to [the] righteous Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural Matthew 10:41 δίκαιον to a righteous [man] Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 10:41 δικαίου to a righteous [man] Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 10:41 δικαίου to a righteous [man’s] Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 13:17 δίκαιοι to righteous [men] Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 13:43 δίκαιοι to righteous Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 13:49 δικαίων to righteous Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural Matthew 20:4 δίκαιον to right Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:19
Aligned rows 79
Books represented 20
Matthew 17 Mark 2 Luke 11 John 3 Acts 6 Romans 7 Galatians 1 Ephesians 1 Philippians 2 Colossians 1 2 Thessalonians 2 1 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 1 Titus 1 Hebrews 3 James 2 1 Peter 3 2 Peter 4 1 John 6 Revelation 5
Source forms
δίκαιον 15x dikaion Matthew 10:41, Matthew 20:4, Matthew 23:35, Mark 6:20
δίκαιος 15x dikaios Matthew 1:19, Luke 2:25, Luke 23:47, Luke 23:50
δίκαιοι 9x dikaioi Matthew 13:17, Matthew 13:43, Matthew 23:28, Matthew 25:37
δικαίους 6x dikaious Matthew 5:45, Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32
δικαίων 6x dikaiōn Matthew 13:49, Matthew 23:29, Luke 1:17, Luke 14:14
δικαίου 5x dikaiou Matthew 10:41, Matthew 23:35, Romans 5:7, James 5:16
δίκαιός 4x dikaios Hebrews 10:38, 1 John 2:29, 1 John 3:7
δίκαιαι 3x dikaiai Revelation 15:3, Revelation 16:7, Revelation 19:2
Parsing patterns
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular 20x Matthew 1:19, Luke 2:25, Luke 23:47, Luke 23:50
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular 9x Matthew 10:41, Mark 6:20, Acts 3:14, Acts 22:14
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural 9x Matthew 13:17, Matthew 13:43, Matthew 23:28, Matthew 25:37
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural 6x Matthew 5:45, Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural 6x Matthew 13:49, Matthew 23:29, Luke 1:17, Luke 14:14
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular 6x Matthew 10:41, Matthew 23:35, Acts 7:52, Romans 5:7
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular 6x Matthew 20:4, Matthew 23:35, Acts 4:19, Ephesians 6:1
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular 3x Luke 12:57, Colossians 4:1, 2 Peter 1:13
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Begin with Christ and the gospel before applying righteous language to personal character or leadership.
- Let righteous character be visible, but never make it the ground of acceptance before God.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that people are naturally righteous before God. Romans 3:10 says otherwise.
- Do not claim that upright leadership is optional. Titus 1:8 includes it among overseer qualifications.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Matthew 1:19 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
δίκαιος dikaios just The adjective strengthens the verse's portrayal of Joseph as acting from a righteous concern, not from public disgrace or harshness. Read verse guide Revelation 22:11 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
δίκαιος dikaios just The form helps the reader hear a direct address to the righteous person within the verse's parallel summons, while the surrounding imperatives carry the main force of the line. Read verse guide Romans 3:10 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
δίκαιος dikaios just The form sharpens the verse into a direct predicate claim: no one is righteous. Read verse guide Romans 3:26 Adjective Accusative Singular Masculine
δίκαιον dikaion just The form strengthens the portrayal of righteousness as part of the clause's purpose statement, but the surrounding syntax still carries the main interpretive weight. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
Greek word. Conformity to God's standard of right rather than human standards; righteousness as measured against divine justice.
Source Gloss
just
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 81 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
dikaiov
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 5:45 Adjective Accusative Plural Masculine
δικαίους dikaiouv
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 9:13 Adjective Accusative Plural Masculine
δικαίους, dikaiouv
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 10:41 Adjective Accusative Singular Masculine
δίκαιον dikaion
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 10:41 Adjective Genitive Singular Masculine
δικαίου dikaiou
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 10:41 Adjective Genitive Singular Masculine
δικαίου dikaiou
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 13:17 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
δίκαιοι dikaioi
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 13:43 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
δίκαιοι dikaioi
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 13:49 Adjective Genitive Plural Masculine
δικαίων, dikaiwn
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 20:4 Adjective Nominative Singular Neuter
δίκαιον dikaion
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 20:7 Adjective Nominative Singular Neuter
δίκαιον dikaion
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 23:28 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
δίκαιοι, dikaioi
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 23:29 Adjective Genitive Plural Masculine
δικαίων, dikaiwn
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 23:35 Adjective Nominative Singular Neuter
δίκαιον dikaion
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 23:35 Adjective Genitive Singular Masculine
δικαίου, dikaiou
just, righteous, impartial
Read verse Matthew 25:37 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
δίκαιοι, dikaioi
just, righteous, impartial
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 10 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 10 Aligned forms 79 Case pattern Nominative (42) Number pattern Singular (37)
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 1:19 · Luke 2:25 · Luke 23:47 · Luke 23:50 · Acts 10:22 · Rom 1:17 · Rom 3:10 · Gal 3:11 · 2 Tim 4:8 · Heb 10:38 · Heb 11:4 · 1 Pet 3:18 · 1 Pet 4:18 · 2 Pet 2:8 · 1 John 1:9 · 1 John 2:29 20×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Matt 13:17 · Matt 13:43 · Matt 23:28 · Matt 25:37 · Matt 25:46 · Luke 1:6 · Luke 18:9 · Rom 2:13 · Rom 5:19 9×
Nominative · Singular · Neuter Matt 20:4 · Matt 23:35 · Acts 4:19 · Eph 6:1 · Phil 1:7 · 2 Thess 1:6 6×
Nominative · Plural · Feminine Rev 15:3 · Rev 16:7 · Rev 19:2 3×
Nominative · Singular · Feminine John 5:30 · Rom 7:12 2×
Nominative · Plural · Neuter Phil 4:8 · 1 John 3:12 2×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Matt 10:41 · Matt 23:35 · Acts 7:52 · Rom 5:7 · Jas 5:16 6×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Matt 13:49 · Matt 23:29 · Luke 1:17 · Luke 14:14 · Acts 24:15 · Heb 12:23 6×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine 2 Thess 1:5 1×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Matt 27:19 · 1 Tim 1:9 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
Morally upright and fully aligned with God’s law and character.
The just or righteous one.
The just or innocent one.
Additional Occurrences
1-john Just díkaios
righteous, aligned with justice
Luke 1:5–25 δίκαιοι díkaios
Righteous, just
Luke 23:44–49 δίκαιος díkaios
Righteous, just
Luke 5:27–32 δικαίους díkaios
Righteous
Showing 7 selected witnesses from 79 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
δίκαιος is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Identifies Jesus as the holy and vindicated Messiah. 1 John 2:1-2
Jesus is identified as the ultimate innocent sufferer and Messiah. Acts 22:6-16
Indicates that forgiveness does not compromise divine justice but is consistent with God’s righteous character. Acts 7:35-53
Christ’s advocacy is effective because He is perfectly righteous. His standing before the Father is grounded in His sinless obedience.
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
δίκαιος is a necessary companion to δικαιοσύνη because Scripture does not speak only about an abstract quality called righteousness. It also speaks about righteous persons, the righteous Judge, the Righteous One, upright leaders, and a life that practices righteousness. The word humbles every claim of natural innocence, because Romans says there is no one righteous.
It also honors real transformed character, because Titus requires uprightness in overseers and John says the one who practices righteousness is righteous as Christ is righteous. Teachers should not use this word to create self-righteous confidence. They should use it to point first to Christ, then to the kind of upright life His grace forms in His people.
Anchor passage
Titus.1.8
Doctrinal connections
- G1343 Dikaiosyne: The adjective names the person or quality corresponding to righteousness, but context decides whether the focus is verdict, character, or conduct.
- G1344 Dikaioo: The righteous person and the act of justifying are related, but they should not be merged without attention to grammar and context.
- G2424 Iesous: Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One, so Christian uprightness is patterned after Him, not self-defined.
- G266 Hamartia: Romans 3:10 places human unrighteousness in the wider doctrine of sin, guarding against moral pride.
- G1985 Episkopos: Titus 1:8 requires an overseer to be upright, joining doctrine, character, and public church care.
- G40 Hagios: Titus places uprightness beside holiness, showing that righteous leadership is not merely administrative competence.
δίκαιος is the adjective related to δικαιοσύνη. It can mean righteous, just, upright, or in accord with what is right. The subject matters: God, Christ, a judge, a leader, or a believer are not described in identical ways.
From Old to New Testament
The Old Testament calls God's people to walk as the righteous while also grounding righteousness in the Lord's own justice and covenant faithfulness. The New Testament exposes universal unrighteousness, reveals Christ as the Righteous One, and calls His people to upright life by grace.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain