δικαιόω
To justify
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What does δικαιόω (dikaióō) mean in the Bible?
δικαιόω (dikaióō) is a Greek word meaning "to justify". δικαιόω, -ῶ (δίκαιος), [in LXX chiefly for צָדַק pi. Justification by grace affirms that believers stand righteous before God not by works but through his merciful declaration. This term runs through the canonical themes of Faith, Justice, Messiah.
Full entry for δικαιόω (G1344) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
To declare or pronounce righteous, not merely to make righteous; forensic acquittal rather than moral transformation.
(δίκαιος), [in LXX chiefly for צָדַק pi., hi., (1) as Eze.16:51, Jer.3:11 (cf. NT usage); (2) as Deu.25:1; Exo.23:7, Isa.50:8 ;]
Why This Word Matters
Justification by grace affirms that believers stand righteous before God not by works but through His merciful declaration. Acts 13:13-41
It defines the legal act of God declaring sinners righteous through faith. Luke 16:14–18
Paul denies that justification comes by works of the law, setting up the doctrine of justification by faith. Luke 18:9–14
Anchors the chain in forensic justification through Christ. James 2:21–24
Affirms that God’s redemptive plan is proven right through Christ’s work. James 2:25–26
Exposes the heart of hypocrisy.
Indicates completed forensic declaration by God.
Highlights the forensic dimension of salvation through faith.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 23×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 9×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 39 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Additional Occurrences
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain