What does κριτής (kritḗs) mean in the Bible?
Kritēs names a judge, one entrusted to decide a case or render a verdict. Jesus warns an accused person to reconcile before reaching the judge.
Greek · G2923
κριτής
A judge (genitive case or specially)
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κριτής G2923
Pronunciation kritḗs
What does κριτής (kritḗs) mean in the Bible?
Kritēs names a judge, one entrusted to decide a case or render a verdict. Jesus warns an accused person to reconcile before reaching the judge.
Reader summary
Full entry for κριτής (G2923) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2923?
The BSB source-word alignment has 19 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include judge (9), judges (3), a judge (2), [the] Judge (1), a judge [of it] (1).
Where does κριτής (kritḗs) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:25. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (6), Acts (4), James (4), Matthew (3).
What This Word Actually Means
Kritēs names a judge, one entrusted to decide a case or render a verdict. Jesus warns an accused person to reconcile before reaching the judge. He turns an opponent's exorcism argument back by saying their own followers will be judges. Peter proclaims that the risen Jesus is appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Paul awaits the crown the righteous Judge will award, and Hebrews speaks of God as Judge of all within the joyful heavenly assembly.
The noun identifies a judicial role, but human and divine judges do not share equal authority or perfect justice. The passages move from prudence before earthly process to the final, righteous judgment exercised by God and His appointed Christ.
How the Bible Uses It
Kritēs identifies one who decides and renders judgment. Earthly litigation urges reconciliation, opponents' own witnesses can expose inconsistency, and the gospel announces Jesus as universal Judge. Paul and Hebrews ground hope and reverence in God's perfectly righteous verdict.
- Matt.5.25
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
Matthew 5:25 urges quick reconciliation with an adversary before the case reaches the judge and officer. The saying presses urgent settlement within Jesus' heart-level teaching on anger, not a complete civil-procedure manual.
- Luke.11.19
And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
Luke 11:19 says that if Jesus casts out demons by Beelzebul, His accusers must explain their own followers' exorcisms; therefore those followers will be their judges. The argument exposes inconsistency.
- Acts.10.42
And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
Acts 10:42 says God appointed Jesus Judge of the living and the dead. Peter includes final judgment within the gospel testimony about the crucified and risen Lord.
- 2Tim.4.8
From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.
Second Timothy 4:8 calls the Lord the righteous Judge who will award the crown of righteousness, not only to Paul but to all who love His appearing. Final judgment is hope for faithful servants.
- Heb.12.23
In joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
Hebrews 12:23 locates believers in the assembly of the firstborn and before God, Judge of all, alongside the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Holy judgment belongs within covenant joy and access.
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 judge 9× Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:14, Luke 12:58, Luke 18:2
judges 3× Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19, Acts 13:20
a judge 2× Acts 18:15, Acts 24:10
[the] Judge 1× Hebrews 12:23
a judge [of it] 1× James 4:11
judge [may hand you over] 1× Matthew 5:25
judges [with] 1× James 2:4
to judge 1× Acts 10:42
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:25 κριτῇ to judge Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Matthew 5:25 κριτὴς to judge [may hand you over] Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 12:27 κριταὶ to judges Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 11:19 κριταὶ to judges Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 12:14 κριτὴν to judge Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Luke 12:58 κριτήν to judge Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Luke 12:58 κριτής to judge Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 18:2 Κριτής to judge Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 18:6 κριτὴς to judge Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Acts 10:42 Κριτὴς to to judge Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:25
Aligned rows 19
Books represented 6
Matthew 3 Luke 6 Acts 4 2 Timothy 1 Hebrews 1 James 4
Source forms
κριτής 4x kritēs Luke 12:58, 2 Timothy 4:8, James 4:11, James 4:12
κριτὴς 4x kritēs Matthew 5:25, Luke 18:6, Acts 18:15, James 5:9
κριταὶ 3x kritai Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19, James 2:4
κριτὴν 2x kritēn Luke 12:14, Acts 24:10
κριτὰς 1x kritas Acts 13:20
κριτῇ 1x kritē Matthew 5:25
Κριτῇ 1x Kritē Hebrews 12:23
κριτήν 1x kritēn Luke 12:58
Parsing patterns
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular 10x Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:58, Luke 18:2, Luke 18:6
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular 3x Luke 12:14, Luke 12:58, Acts 24:10
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural 3x Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19, James 2:4
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular 2x Matthew 5:25, Hebrews 12:23
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 13:20
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not claim divine certainty for a human leader's private judgment or institutional verdict.
- Do not present final judgment as good news without also naming repentance, faith, and Christ's saving work.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim divine certainty for a human leader's private judgment or institutional verdict.
- Do not present final judgment as good news without also naming repentance, faith, and Christ's saving work.
Evidence Summary
Justice
Greek word. One who renders authoritative judgment, ranging from civil magistrate to God's final eschatological judge.
Strong's G2923
Lexical occurrences 19 verses Greek text appearances 17 times 16 shown below Word forms 5 forms 19 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link James 4:11–12 Source Gloss
a judge (genitive case or specially)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 17 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 5:25 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
κριτῇ, krith
a judge
Read verse Matthew 5:25 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτής krithv
a judge
Read verse Matthew 12:27 Noun Nominative Plural Masculine
κριταί. kritai
a judge
Read verse Luke 11:19 Noun Nominative Plural Masculine
κριταὶ kritai
a judge
Read verse Luke 12:58 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
κριτήν, krithn
a judge
Read verse Luke 12:58 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτής krithv
a judge
Read verse Luke 18:2 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
Κριτής krithv
a judge
Read verse Luke 18:6 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτὴς krithv
a judge
Read verse Acts 10:42 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτὴς krithv
a judge
Read verse Acts 13:20 Noun Accusative Plural Masculine
κριτὰς kritav
a judge
Read verse Acts 18:15 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτὴς krithv
a judge
Read verse Acts 24:10 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
κριτὴν krithn
a judge
Read verse 2 Timothy 4:8 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτής· krithv
a judge
Read verse Hebrews 12:23 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
κριτῇ krith
a judge
Read verse James 2:4 Noun Nominative Plural Masculine
κριταὶ kritai
a judge
Read verse James 4:11 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
κριτής. krithv
a judge
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 5 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 5 Aligned forms 19 Case pattern Nominative (13) Number pattern Singular (15)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:25 · Luke 12:58 · Luke 18:2 · Luke 18:6 · Acts 10:42 · Acts 18:15 · 2 Tim 4:8 · Jas 4:11 · Jas 4:12 · Jas 5:9 10×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Matt 12:27 · Luke 11:19 · Jas 2:4 3×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:25 · Heb 12:23 2×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Luke 12:14 · Luke 12:58 · Acts 24:10 3×
Accusative · Plural · Masculine Acts 13:20 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Witnesses
judge
Luke 12:54–59 κριτὴν kritḗs
Judge
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 19 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
κριτής is built from this root:
Canonical Themes
Justice
For the Preacher and Teacher
Kritēs brings every human verdict under a greater courtroom. Jesus teaches people to seek reconciliation before conflict reaches coercive judgment, and He exposes critics whose reasoning would condemn their own allies. Human judges remain necessary but fallible. The apostolic proclamation then names the decisive Judge: the risen Jesus, appointed over living and dead.
Paul can face death without despair because the Lord who examines his service is righteous, and Hebrews can speak of God the Judge within the gathered joy of the new covenant. Christians should therefore neither evade lawful accountability nor imagine that earthly acquittal is ultimate. They pursue peace, tell truth, protect due process, and entrust final vindication to Christ.
His judgment humbles presumption, comforts the wronged, and makes present faithfulness matter.
Anchor passage
Acts.10.42
Doctrinal connections
- Christology: the crucified and risen Jesus is appointed Judge of the living and the dead.
- Final judgment: every person stands within Christ's universal judicial authority.
- Reconciliation: Jesus urges action before anger and dispute mature into formal judgment.
- Moral reasoning: inconsistent standards can make one's own witnesses function as judges.
- Reward: the righteous Judge crowns those who love Christ's appearing.
- New covenant: approach to God includes reverence before the Judge of all and joy in perfected fellowship.
Kritēs is the agent noun related to krinō, "to judge" or "decide." It may designate an earthly magistrate, a person whose testimony exposes a verdict, or God and Christ in final judgment.
From Old to New Testament
Israel's judges are commanded to decide impartially because judgment belongs to God, while prophets condemn bribery and partial courts. New Testament hope rests in the Messiah who judges with perfect righteousness.
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