αἰτί-α G0156
Cause, reason, or basis; in legal contexts, a formal charge, accusation, or ground of fault.
In general usage, aitia denotes a cause or reason behind something, as when the disciples muse that if the 'cause' for divorce is so strict, it is better not to marry (Matt 19:10), or when Jesus asks the hemorrhaging woman to declare the 'reason' she touched him (Luke 8:47). In the trial narratives, however, the word takes on sharp juridical force: Pilate repeatedly declares he finds no aitia, no criminal fault, in Jesus (John 18:38; 19:4, 6). The inscription on the cross stating Jesus' aitia (Matt 27:37; Mark 15:26) is literally the written charge. Spanish captures the split well, using 'razon/causa' for the neutral sense but 'acusacion/cargos' for the legal one.
Senses
1. cause, reason, ground — The cause, reason, or ground for something, used in neutral or explanatory contexts without implying legal guilt. Jesus asks for what aitia a man may divorce his wife (Matt 19:3); the woman declares before everyone the aitia for which she touched Jesus (Luke 8:47). Paul's accusers in Acts can find no aitia of death in him (Acts 13:28). Spanish 'razon' and 'causa,' French 'cause,' and German 'Ursache' all confirm the broad, non-juridical sense. 14×
AR["السَّبَبَ", "السَّبَبِ", "تُهْمَةٍ", "حَالُ", "سَبَبٍ", "سَبَبَ", "سَبَبُ", "سَبَبِ", "عِلَّةَ"]·ben["অবস্থা", "কারণ", "কারণে", "কারণের-জন্য"]·DE["Ursache"]·EN["cause", "charge", "reason"]·FR["cause"]·heb["סִבָּה", "עִלָּה"]·HI["कअरन", "कारण", "कारण-से", "कारणको"]·ID["alasan", "sebab", "tuduhan"]·IT["aitian", "causa"]·jav["alesan", "jalaran", "kahanan", "sabab", "sebab"]·KO["경우가", "이유", "이유-가", "이유가", "이유로", "이유를"]·PT["causa", "causa?", "razão", "situação"]·RU["вины", "причина", "причине", "причине?", "причину", "причины"]·ES["causa", "razón"]·SW["-", "sababu", "ya-"]·TR["durum", "nedenle", "sebebi", "sebebin", "sebep", "sebepten", "çağırdım", "ölüm"]·urd["حالت", "سبب", "وجہ", "وجہ-سے"]
Matt 19:3, Matt 19:10, Luke 8:47, Acts 10:21, Acts 13:28, Acts 22:24, Acts 23:28, Acts 25:18, Acts 28:18, Acts 28:20, 2 Tim 1:6, 2 Tim 1:12 (+2 more)
2. charge, accusation, fault — A formal charge, accusation, or criminal fault in legal proceedings. Concentrated in the Passion narratives, where Pilate finds no aitia in Jesus (John 18:38; 19:4, 6) and the titulus on the cross states his aitia (Matt 27:37; Mark 15:26). Spanish shifts to 'acusacion' and 'cargos,' revealing the distinctly courtroom register. The word here functions as a technical legal term for the grounds on which a defendant is tried. 6×
AR["التُّهَمَ", "تُهْمَةً", "تُهْمَةِ", "تُهْمَتَهُ"]·ben["অভিযোগ", "কারণ", "কারণ।", "কারণগুলি", "কারণের"]·DE["Ursache"]·EN["charge", "charges", "fault"]·FR["cause"]·heb["אַשְׁמוֹת", "הָ-אַשְׁמָה", "עִלָּה"]·HI["दोष", "दोषोंको"]·ID["kesalahan", "tuduhan"]·IT["causa"]·jav["alesan", "kalepatan", "lepat.", "tuduhanipun"]·KO["이유들을", "죄-를", "죄목-을", "죄목의"]·PT["acusação", "acusações", "culpa"]·RU["вину", "вины", "вины.", "обвинения"]·ES["acusación", "cargos", "causa"]·SW["kosa", "mashtaka"]·TR["suç", "suçlamaları", "suçunu", "suçunun"]·urd["الزام", "الزامات", "اِلزام", "قصور"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
αἰτί-α, ἡ, responsibility, mostly in bad sense, guilt, blame, or the imputation thereof, i.e. accusation, first in Refs 8th c.BC+ —Phrases: αἰτίαν ἔχειν bear responsibility for, τινόςRefs 5th c.BC+; but usually to be accused, τινός of a crime, φόνουRefs 5th c.BC+: with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; followed by ὡς.., Refs 5th c.BC+; by ὡς with participle, Refs; ὑπό τινος by some one, Refs 5th c.BC+;…