ἐκδῐκ-έω G1556
avenge, exact vengeance; vindicate, grant justice
Senses
1. avenge, exact vengeance — To execute retributive justice or take vengeance on behalf of someone, emphasizing punitive action against wrongdoers. Found in 2 Cor 10:6 (readiness to avenge/punish all disobedience), Rev 6:10 (martyrs crying 'how long until you avenge our blood'), Rev 19:2 (God avenged the blood of his servants), and Rom 12:19 (do not avenge yourselves). Translations consistently use vengeance/punishment vocabulary: Arb nu'aqiba/tantaqim/intaqama (punish/avenge), Heb leha'anish/tinqom/naqam (punish/avenge), Kor boksuhagi/bosughashipsyeotda (revenge/avenge), Spa castigar/vengas/vengo (punish/avenge), Fra venger (avenge), Hin dand-dena/badla-lena (punish/take revenge). 4×
AR["انْتَقَمَ","تَنتَقِمُ","مُنْتَقِمِينَ","نُعاقِبَ"]·ben["প্রতিশোধ-নাও","প্রতিশোধ-নিও,","প্রতিশোধ-নিয়েছেন","শাস্তি-দিতে"]·DE["raechen"]·EN["avenging","he-avenged","to-avenge","you-avenge"]·FR["venger"]·heb["לְהַעֲנִישׁ","נָקַם","נוֹקְמִים","תִנְקֹם"]·HI["दण्ड-देने","बदला-लिया","बदला-लेता-है","बदला-लेते-हुए"]·ID["Dia-membalaskan","Engkau-membalaskan","membalas","menghukum"]·IT["ekdikeis","exedikēsen","vendicare"]·jav["Panjenengan-males","Panjenenganipun-malesaken","males,","ngukum"]·KO["보복하셨다","복수하기를","복수하십니까","복수하지"]·PT["vingando,","vingar","vingas","vingou"]·RU["мстишь","мщающие","наказать","отомстил"]·ES["castigar","vengando","vengas","vengó"]·SW["amelipiza","jilipize-kisasi,","kulipiza","kulipiza-kisasi"]·TR["cezalandırmaya","intikam-alan","yargılıyorsun","öç-aldı"]·urd["بدلہ-لیا","بدلہ-لیتا-ہے","بدلہ-لیں","بدلہ-نہ-لیتے-ہوئے"]
2. vindicate, grant justice — To secure justice for someone who has been wronged, to vindicate the oppressed rather than punish the oppressor. Found in Luke 18:3,5 in the parable of the persistent widow who cries 'vindicate me against my adversary' and the judge who resolves to grant her justice. The translation signatures distinctively shift from punitive to judicial/vindicatory: Arb ansif (do justice), Heb aseh-li-mishpat (render me judgment), Kor shinwonhae-jusoseo (vindicate for me), Spa hazme-justicia/le-hare-justicia (do me justice), Hin nyay-kar (do justice). This sense focuses on restoring the rights of the wronged party rather than punishing the offender, a genuine semantic distinction confirmed by divergent cross-linguistic glosses. 2×
AR["أَنصِفْ","سَأُنصِفُ"]·ben["বিচার-কর","বিচার-করব"]·DE["ἐκδικήσω","Ἐκδίκησόν"]·EN["I-will-vindicate","Vindicate"]·FR["venger"]·heb["אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָהּ-מִשְׁפָּט","עֲשֵׂה-לִי-מִשְׁפָּט"]·HI["न्याय-कर","न्याय-करूँगा"]·ID["Berikanlah-keadilan-kepadaku","aku-akan-memberi-keadilan"]·IT["ekdikeso","ekdikeson"]·jav["Paring-kaadilan","kula-badhe-paring-kaadilan"]·KO["신원해-주겠다","신원해-주소서"]·RU["Защити","защищу"]·ES["Hazme-justicia","le-haré-justicia"]·SW["Nitetee","nitamtetea"]·TR["Hakkımı-ara","hakkını-arayalım"]·urd["انصاف-کر","انصاف-کروں-گا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐκδῐκ-έω, avenge, punish, φόνον NT+5th c.BC+; exact vengeance for, τὰ αἵματα τῶν δούλων LXX+2nd c.BC+ __2 decide a case, δίκην, ἀγῶνα, Refs 1st c.AD+ __II avenge or vindicate a person, by taking up his cause, NT+1st c.AD+; ἐ. τινὰ ἀπό τινος avenge one on another, NT+5th c.BC+:—passive, LXX __II.2 act as ἔκδικος Refs 1st c.BC+ __III claim, Refs 5th c.AD+ __IV ἐ. τισί make retribution for them, Refs 5th c.BC+