δῐκαι-όω G1344
To declare or be declared righteous; to justify, vindicate, or show to be right before God or others.
A courtroom word at heart, dikaioō carries the weight of a divine verdict: to pronounce righteous, to acquit. In Paul's letters it becomes the central term for God's act of justifying sinners through faith — not making them morally perfect, but declaring them right before the bar of heaven. Yet the word also appears where wisdom is 'vindicated' by her deeds (Matt 11:19) and where a Pharisee seeks to 'justify himself' (Luke 10:29). The German rechtfertigen and Spanish justificar both preserve the forensic flavor, while the French justifier leans toward the declarative sense. Across every language the legal metaphor holds: a judge speaks, and the accused goes free.
Senses
1. be declared righteous — The soteriological passive that dominates Paul's usage: to be pronounced or reckoned righteous before God through faith rather than works of law. This forensic declaration — not an infusion of moral quality — is reflected in every major language: German rechtfertigen, Spanish ser justificado, French être justifié. Romans 2:13 and Galatians 2:16 bracket the full scope, from the theoretical ('doers of the law will be justified') to the experiential ('justified by faith in Christ'). 27×
AR["أن-نَتَبَرَّرَ", "أَن-تَتَبَرَّروا", "تَبَرَّرَ", "تَبَرَّرْتُمْ", "تُبَرَّر", "لا-يَتَبَرَّرُ", "مُتَبَرِّرينَ", "نَتَبَرَّرَ", "يَتَبَرَّرُ", "يُبَرَّر", "يُبَرَّرُ"]·ben["তোমরা-ধার্মিক-গণিত-হয়েছ,", "ধার্মিক-গণিত-হয়", "ধার্মিক-গণিত-হয়ে", "ধার্মিক-গণিত-হয়েছিলেন", "ধার্মিক-গণিত-হয়েছে", "ধার্মিক-গণ্য-হওয়া", "ধার্মিক-গণ্য-হবে", "ধার্মিক-গণ্য-হয়েছিলেন,", "ধার্মিক-প্রমাণিত-হয়েছিলেন", "ধার্মিক-হই", "ধার্মিক-হই।", "ধার্মিক-হতে", "ধার্মিক-হবে", "ধার্মিক-হয়"]·DE["rechtfertigen", "rechtfertigt"]·EN["Having-been-justified", "being-justified", "has-been-justified", "having-been-justified", "is-justified", "to-be-justified", "was-justified", "we-might-be-justified", "will-be-justified", "you-were-justified"]·FR["justifier"]·heb["הֻצְדַּק", "הֻצְדַּקְתֶּם", "יִצְדַּק", "יִצְטַדֵּק", "לְהִצְטַדֵּק", "לְהִצָּדֵק", "מִצְטַדֵּק", "מֻצְדָּק", "מֻצְדָּקִים", "נִצְדְּקָה", "נִצְדַּק", "נִצְדָּק", "נִצְטַדֵּק"]·HI["धरमिक-थह्रअय-गय", "धरमिक-थह्रअय-जअत", "धरमिक-थह्रअय-जअन", "धरमिक-थह्रअय-जअयेग", "धरमिक-थह्रअये-जअयेइन", "धरमिक-थह्रअये-जअयेइन.", "धर्मी-ठहराई-गई", "धर्मी-ठहराए-गए", "धर्मी-ठहराए-जाने", "धर्मी-ठहराया-गया", "धर्मी-ठहराया-गया-है", "धर्मी-ठहराया-जाएगा", "धर्मी-ठहराया-जाता-है", "धर्मी-ठहराये-जाकर", "धर्मी-ठहराये-जाते-हैं"]·ID["Setelah-dibenarkan", "akan-dibenarkan", "dibebaskan", "dibenarkan", "dibenarkan,", "kamu-sudah-dibenarkan,", "kita-dibenarkan", "setelah-dibenarkan"]·IT["giustificare"]·jav["Dipunbenaraken", "badhé-dipun-lebetaken-leres", "dipun-beneraken", "dipun-lebetaken-leres", "dipunbebasaken", "dipunbenaraken", "dipunbenaraken,", "kabeneraken", "kabeneraken,", "kabeneraken.", "kita-dipun-lebetaken-leres", "kita-dipun-lebetaken-leres.", "panjenengan-kabeneraken,", "supados-dipun-lebetaken-leres"]·KO["의롭게-되기를", "의롭게-되기에", "의롭게-되노라", "의롭게-되도록", "의롭게-되도록.", "의롭게-되었다면", "의롭게-되었으니", "의롭게-되지", "의롭게-되지-않노라", "의롭게-된-자들", "의롭게-된다", "의롭게-됨-을", "의롭게-여김-받는-자들", "의롭게-여김-받으리라", "의롭다-여겨졌다", "의롭다-함-을-받는다", "의롭다-함을-받았느냐,", "의롭다-함을-받았다"]·PT["Tendo-sido-justificados", "foi-justificada", "foi-justificado", "fostes-justificados", "fôssemos-justificados", "sendo-justificados", "ser-justificado", "ser-justificados", "ser-justificados,", "será-justificada", "tendo-sido-justificados", "é-justificado", "é-justificado."]·RU["Оправданные", "будет-оправдана", "был-оправдан", "был-оправдан,", "была-оправдана,", "вы-оправдались,", "ныне", "оправдается", "оправдались", "оправдан-был", "оправдаться", "оправдываемые", "оправдывается", "оправдываться", "от-"]·ES["Habiendo-sido-justificados", "es-justificado", "fue-justificada", "fue-justificado", "fuisteis-justificados", "ha-sido-justificado", "habiendo-sido-justificados", "seamos-justificados", "ser-justificado", "ser-justificados", "será-justificada", "siendo-justificados"]·SW["Tukihesabiwa-haki", "alihesabiwa-haki", "amewekwa-huru", "anahesabiwa-haki", "anahesabiwa-haki.", "atahesabiwa-haki", "atakayehesabiwa-haki", "huhesabiwa-haki", "kuhesabiwa-haki", "kuhesabiwa-haki,", "mlihesabiwa-haki,", "mtu", "tuhesabiwe-haki", "tukihesabiwa-haki", "wakihesabiwa-haki"]·TR["Aklanmış-olarak", "aklanacak", "aklanacaktır", "aklanalım", "aklananlar", "aklandı", "aklandıysa", "aklanmak", "aklanmaz", "aklanmış-olarak", "aklanmıştır", "aklanır", "ama-"]·urd["آزاد-ہوا", "راست-باز-ٹھہرائی-گئی٬", "راست-باز-ٹھہرایا-جاتا-ہے", "راست-باز-ٹھہرایا-گیا٬", "راستباز-ٹھہر-کر", "راستباز-ٹھہرا", "راستباز-ٹھہرائے-گئے", "راستباز-ٹھہرایا-گیا", "راستباز-ٹھہرتا", "راستباز-ٹھہرتا-ہے", "راستباز-ٹھہرتے-ہوئے", "راستباز-ٹھہرنا", "راستباز-ٹھہریں", "راستباز-ٹھہرے-گا", "راستباز-ٹھہرے-گی"]
Matt 12:37, Luke 18:14, Acts 13:39, Acts 13:39, Rom 2:13, Rom 3:4, Rom 3:20, Rom 3:24, Rom 3:28, Rom 4:2, Rom 5:1, Rom 5:9 (+15 more)
2. declare righteous — God as active subject, pronouncing the ungodly righteous. Where sense 1 views the verdict from the defendant's side, this sense foregrounds the Judge: 'It is God who justifies' (Rom 8:33). The transitive force is clear across languages — Spanish el que justifica, German der rechtfertigt — underscoring that this is divine prerogative, not human achievement. Romans 3:26 and 4:5 are the key passages. 7×
AR["المُبَرِّرِ", "الْمُبَرِّرُ", "بَرَّرَ-هُمْ", "سَيُبَرِّرُ", "مُبَرِّراً", "يُبَرِّرُ"]·ben["তিনি-ধার্মিক-গণিত-করলেন", "ধার্মিক-করে", "ধার্মিক-গণনাকারী", "ধার্মিক-গণনাকারীকে", "ধার্মিক-গণিতকারী", "ধার্মিক-গণ্য-করবেন"]·DE["rechtfertigen"]·EN["he-justified", "justifies", "justifying", "will-justify"]·FR["justifier"]·heb["הִצְדִּיק", "יַצְדִּיק", "מַצְדִּיק"]·HI["धरमिक-थह्रअत-है", "धर्मी-ठहराएगा", "धर्मी-ठहराता-है", "धर्मी-ठहराने-वाला", "धर्मी-ठहरानेवाला", "धर्मी-ठहराया"]·ID["Ia-membenarkan,", "Ia-membenarkan;", "akan-membenarkan", "membenarkan", "membenarkan."]·IT["giustificare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-ndamel-bener", "badhé-mbenaraken", "ingkang-mbenaraken", "mbenaraken", "ndadosaken-leres", "ndamel-bener"]·KO["의롭게-여기는-자", "의롭게-하셨고", "의롭게-하셨으니", "의롭게-하시노라", "의롭게-하시는-이시니", "의롭게-하시는-자", "의롭게-하시리라"]·PT["justifica", "justificador", "justificará", "justificou,", "justificou;", "que-justifica", "que-justifica."]·RU["-оправдал", "Оправдывающего", "оправдает", "оправдал", "оправдывает", "оправдывающим"]·ES["el-que-justifica", "justifica", "justificará", "justificó", "que-justifica"]·SW["aliwahesabia-haki", "amhesabuye-haki", "anayehesabia-haki", "anayemhesabia-haki", "atawahesabia-haki", "huwahesabia-haki"]·TR["akladı", "aklar", "aklayacak", "aklayan"]·urd["راستباز-ٹھہرائے-گا", "راستباز-ٹھہراتا-ہے", "راستباز-ٹھہراتا-ہے۔", "راستباز-ٹھہرانے-والا", "راستباز-ٹھہرانے-والے", "راستباز-ٹھہرایا", "راستباز-ٹھہرایا؛"]
3. vindicate or acknowledge as right — To vindicate or acknowledge as right — a broader sense applied to persons and even personified Wisdom. In Luke 7:29 the people 'justified God' (acknowledged him as righteous) by accepting John's baptism, while in Matt 11:19 and Luke 7:35 Wisdom is 'vindicated by her deeds/children.' Spanish justificaron and German rechtfertigt preserve the active-declarative force without the soteriological freight. 3×
AR["بَرَّروا", "تَبَرَّرَتِ"]·ben["ন্যায়সঙ্গত-প্রমাণিত-হল", "সঠিক-প্রমাণিত-হয়েছে", "সঠিক-বলল"]·DE["rechtfertigt"]·EN["justified", "was-justified", "was-vindicated"]·FR["justifier"]·heb["הִצְדִּיקוּ", "הֻצְדְּקָה", "נִצְדְּקָה"]·HI["न्यायी-ठहराया", "सहि-थह्रअयेए-गयेए", "सही-ठहरी-गई"]·ID["dibenarkan", "membenarkan"]·IT["giustificare"]·jav["dipun-beneraken", "kabeneraken", "mbeneraken"]·KO["의롭다-함을-받았으니", "정당하게-여겨졌다", "정당히-여겼다"]·PT["foi-justificada", "justificaram"]·RU["оправдалась", "признали-правду"]·ES["fue-justificada", "justificaron"]·SW["ilihesabiwa-haki", "imehesabiwa-haki", "walimhesabia-haki"]·TR["doğruladılar", "doğrulandı"]·urd["ثابت-ہوئی", "خُدا", "سچی-ٹھہری"]
4. justify oneself — To justify oneself, to claim one's own righteousness — always with a note of pretension in Luke's usage. The lawyer in Luke 10:29 'wanting to justify himself' asks 'Who is my neighbor?' and the Pharisees in Luke 16:15 'justify themselves before men.' Spanish justificarse and the reflexive construction across languages highlight the self-directed, often self-deceiving quality of this usage. 2×
AR["أَنْ-يُبَرِّرَ", "يُبَرِّرُونَ"]·ben["ধার্মিক-করা", "নির্দোষ-প্রমাণ-করতে"]·DE["rechtfertigt"]·EN["justifying", "to-justify"]·FR["justifier"]·heb["לְהַצְדִּיק", "מַצְדִּיקִים"]·HI["धर्मी-ठहराना", "धर्मी-ठहराने-वाले"]·ID["membenarkan", "yang-membenarkan"]·IT["giustificare"]·jav["mbeneraken"]·KO["의롭게-하는-자들이다", "의롭다-하려고"]·PT["que-se-justificam"]·RU["оправдать", "оправдывающие"]·ES["justificarse", "que-os-justificáis"]·SW["kujihesabia-haki", "wanaojihesabia-haki"]·TR["aklamak", "haklı-çıkaran"]·urd["حق-بجانب-ٹھہرانا", "راستباز-ٹھہرانے-والے"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δῐκαι-όω, Ionic dialect imperfect ἐδικαίευν Refs 5th c.BC+future -ώσω Oracle texts cited in [same work]Refs 5th c.BC+; -ώσομαι Refs:aorist ἐδικαίωσα Refs:—passive, future -ωθήσομαιLXX: aorist ἐδικαιώθην Refs 4th c.BC+: perfect δεδικαίωμαι LXX __I set right, νόμος.. δικαιῶν τὸ βιαιότατον Refs 5th c.BC+proved, tested, Refs 4th c.BC+ __II hold or deem right, claim or demand as a right, with…