νόμος G3551
Law, ordinance; especially the Mosaic Torah, but also law as a principle or system.
Nomos is one of the New Testament's most theologically charged words. Rooted in the verb nemo ('to distribute, manage'), it originally meant 'custom' or 'convention' in classical Greek but in the Septuagint and New Testament refers overwhelmingly to the Torah -- the Law of Moses. Paul's letters explore its function, limitations, and relationship to grace with extraordinary depth (Rom 3:21; 7:7-12; Gal 3:24). With and without the article, nomos can mean the Pentateuch specifically, the entire Old Testament, or law as an abstract principle. Spanish 'ley,' French 'loi,' and German 'Gesetz' all render it uniformly.
Senses
1. law (esp. the Mosaic Law) — Law in general and specifically the Torah or Mosaic Law, encompassing the Pentateuch, the broader Old Testament canon, and the principle of divine ordinance. Appears with the article (ho nomos) for the specific Mosaic code and without it for law as a governing principle (Rom 7:21-23). Central to Pauline theology where it functions as pedagogue (Gal 3:24), revealer of sin (Rom 7:7), and that which Christ fulfills (Matt 5:17). Spanish 'ley,' French 'loi,' and German 'Gesetz' confirm a unified semantic field across inflectional variation. 196×
AR["النَّاموسِ", "النَّامُوسَ", "النَّامُوسُ", "النَّامُوسِ", "النّاموسِ", "شَريعَةِ", "ناموسُ", "نَامُوسَ", "نَامُوسِ", "نَّامُوسَ", "نَّامُوسِ"]·ben["বিধান", "বিধানকে", "বিধানে", "বিধানের,", "বিধি", "বিধিতে", "বিধির", "ব্যবস্থা", "ব্যবস্থায়", "ব্যবস্থার"]·DE["Gesetz"]·EN["law"]·FR["loi"]·heb["הַתּוֹרָה", "תּוֹרַת", "תּוֹרָה"]·HI["व्यवस्थ-ने", "व्यवस्था", "व्यवस्था,", "व्यवस्था-की", "व्यवस्था-को", "व्यवस्था-से", "व्यवस्था?"]·ID["Hukum", "Hukum-Taurat", "Taurat", "hukum", "hukum-Taurat", "itu"]·IT["legge"]·jav["Angger-angger", "Toretipun", "Torèt", "angger-angger", "angger-angger,", "angger-angger?", "hukum"]·KO["율법", "율법-에", "율법-을", "율법-의", "율법과", "율법에", "율법에서", "율법을", "율법의", "율법이"]·PT["Lei", "lei", "lei?"]·RU["Закон", "Закона", "закон", "закона", "законе", "законе?", "закону"]·ES["Ley", "ley"]·SW["-", "Sheria", "inategemea", "sheria"]·TR["Yasa", "Yasasında", "yasa", "yasada", "yasadan", "yasanın", "yasasına", "yasasında", "yasayı"]·urd["شریعت", "شریعت-نے", "شریعت-کا"]
Matt 5:17, Matt 5:18, Matt 7:12, Matt 11:13, Matt 22:36, Matt 22:40, Matt 23:23, Luke 2:22, Luke 2:23, Luke 2:24, Luke 2:27, Luke 2:39 (+38 more)
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
νόμος, ὁ, (νέμω) that which is in habitual practice, use or possession, not in Refs 8th c.BC+ __I usage, custom, [Μοῦσαι] μέλπονται πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνά Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔνθα ν. (i.e. ἐστί) with infinitive, where it is the custom.., Refs 7th c.BC+; ν. πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, Refs 5th c.BC+: hence, law, ordinance, τόνδε.. ν. διέταξε Κρονίων.. θηρσὶ.. ἐσθέμεν ἀλλήλους Refs…