ἀμάρτ-ῠρος G0267
Without witness, unattested; having no one to testify or bear witness
This adjective means 'without witness' or unattested, lacking testimony or evidence. In Acts 14:17, Paul tells pagans that God 'did not leave himself without witness' through nature's blessings. Classical Greek used it for unwitnessed events and unsupported legal claims. The multilingual glosses (Spanish 'sin-testigo', French 'sans-témoin', German 'ohne-Zeugen') emphasize absence of testimony. Paul's argument asserts general revelation: though pagans lacked special revelation, God's character is witnessed through creation's goodness, making them accountable.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The accusative masculine singular form indicates complete absence of witness or testimony. Classical usage included both unwittessed events (having no observers) and unattested claims (lacking supporting testimony). Paul's logic denies that God left himself unattested even among Gentiles: rain, harvest, and provision constitute divine witness to God's benevolent character. This natural theology grounds accountability while preparing listeners for fuller gospel revelation, establishing that even without Scripture, creation testifies to the Creator. 1×
AR["بِلا-شَهادَةٍ"]·ben["সাক্ষীহীন"]·DE["ἀμάρτυρον"]·EN["without-witness"]·FR["sans-témoin"]·heb["בְּלִי-עֵד"]·HI["बिना-गवाह"]·ID["tanpa-kesaksian"]·IT["senza-testimoni"]·jav["tanpa-seksi"]·KO["증거-없이"]·PT["sem-testemunho"]·RU["без-свидетельства"]·ES["sin-testigo"]·SW["bila-ushahidi"]·TR["tanıksız"]·urd["بے-گواہ"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀμάρτ-ῠρος, ον, without witness, unattested, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀμαρτύρων εὔντωνRefs 3rd c.BC+; unsupported by evidence, δίκηRefs 6th c.AD+ adverb -ρωςRefs 8th c.BC+