To justify
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δικαιόω is the verb for justifying, declaring righteous, showing to be righteous, or vindicating, with context determining the emphasis. In the Pastoral Epistles, it appears in two theologically important places.
Reader summary
Full entry for δικαιόω (G1344) · Open the biblical lexicon
δικαιόω is the verb for justifying, declaring righteous, showing to be righteous, or vindicating, with context determining the emphasis. In the Pastoral Epistles, it appears in two theologically important places.
The BSB source-word alignment has 39 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include is justified (4), justified (3), is vindicated (2), justifies (2), to justify (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 11:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Romans (15), Galatians (8), Luke (5), James (3).
This entry includes 8 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
δικαιόω is the verb for justifying, declaring righteous, showing to be righteous, or vindicating, with context determining the emphasis. In the Pastoral Epistles, it appears in two theologically important places. First Timothy 3:16 says Christ was vindicated by the Spirit in the mystery of godliness. Titus 3:7 says believers have been justified by His grace so that they become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Those uses keep the word from becoming a flat formula. In Christ's case, the verb speaks of vindication in the Spirit after His appearing in the flesh. In salvation, it speaks of God's gracious act toward believers. Romans and Galatians clarify that justification is by grace and through faith, not by works of the law. James reminds teachers to respect context when the verb describes faith being shown by deeds.
δικαιόω names the act of justifying, declaring righteous, showing righteous, or vindicating. The Pastorals use it for Christ's vindication by the Spirit and for believers justified by grace as heirs of eternal life.
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
Christ was vindicated by the Spirit in the mystery of godliness. Here the verb concerns Christ being shown righteous or vindicated, not a sinner being forgiven.
So that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
Believers are justified by His grace and become heirs with the hope of eternal life. This is the decisive Pastoral salvation anchor for the verb.
And are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Justification is free, by God's grace, through redemption in Christ Jesus. The verb is grounded in divine action and Christ's redeeming work.
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Paul states that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law. This protects the doctrine from works-based confidence.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Having been justified through faith, believers have peace with God through Christ. Justification opens reconciled peace.
Know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Galatians repeats the denial of justification by works of the law and centers faith in Christ. The repetition makes the boundary explicit.
As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
James uses the verb in an argument about living faith shown by deeds. This passage must be read in context and not used to cancel Paul's argument about the ground of justification.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. To declare or pronounce righteous, not merely to make righteous; forensic acquittal rather than moral transformation.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 40 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
Read verseI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify
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.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
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)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 8 selected witnesses from 39 lexical occurrence verses.
δικαιόω is built from this root:
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.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
δικαιόω is one of the places where lexical care protects the gospel. Titus 3:7 says believers are justified by grace and become heirs with the hope of eternal life. Romans says they are justified freely by grace and by faith apart from works of the law. That is not a minor nuance. It guards the church from making obedience the ground of acceptance with God. At the same time, 1 Timothy 3:16 uses the verb for Christ being vindicated by the Spirit, and James uses it in a discussion of faith shown by deeds.
The teacher's task is to let each passage speak. The verb is coherent, but context controls whether the focus is declaration, vindication, or demonstration.
Titus.3.7
δικαιόω is a verb from the δίκαιος family. Depending on context, it can mean declare righteous, justify, show to be righteous, or vindicate. The subject, object, and argument of the passage control the emphasis.
The Old Testament legal and covenant background includes the danger of justifying the wicked and the hope that God will act righteously. The New Testament reveals how God justifies sinners without compromising righteousness: through Christ's redemption, by grace, through faith, with a life that bears visible fruit.
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