BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Dikaiosyne — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
δικαιοσύνη (G1343) names the quality of equity in character or act, and in Christian theology carries the specific sense of justification — the right standing that God grants.
Meaning of the word
The noun δικαιοσύνη is built on the adjective δίκαιος (just, righteous). At its root it denotes equity — the character or act that measures up to a standard. The supplied lexicon entry captures both senses: the general 'equity (of character or act)' and the distinctive Christian sense 'justification'.
In the Gospels the word often describes a life-orientation that aligns with God's will: hungering for righteousness, being persecuted for its sake, and seeking it as a priority (Matthew 5:6, 5:10, 5:20; 6:33). The contrast with the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20) and the warning against performing righteousness for display (Matthew 6:1) frame it as moral integrity before God, not mere rule-keeping.
In Paul, especially in Romans, δικαιοσύνη shifts to a forensic and redemptive sense: God's own righteousness is revealed (Romans 1:17; 3:21–25), demonstrated in the propitiation provided through Christ's blood (Romans 3:25), and is the standing that commends and vindicates before Him. John 16:8–10 places righteousness alongside sin and judgment as one of the three matters on which the Spirit convicts the world.
Usage in Scripture
Across its 24 distinct occurrences, δικαιοσύνη clusters in Matthew 5–6 (Beatitudes and contrasting teaching) and in Romans 1–3 (Paul's exposition of how God makes sinners right). The two clusters highlight complementary sides: lived righteousness before the world, and imputed righteousness from God.
In Matthew the term functions as a way of life to be pursued and demonstrated. In Romans it becomes a divine gift revealed apart from the law, grounded in Christ's atoning death. Readers should note the same Greek word spans both 'the righteousness God requires' and 'the righteousness God provides' — a tension the New Testament resolves in Christ.
The word in detail
- G1343 δικαιοσύνη (G1343) covers two related senses the entry compresses into one line: (1) equity of character or act — moral uprightness that meets a standard; (2) the Christian sense of justification — the right standing God grants through Christ. The same word therefore names both the righteousness God demands and the righteousness He supplies, with Paul emphasizing the latter (Romans 3:21–25).
Example verses
- Matthew 5:6 Hungering and thirsting for righteousness presents it as a pursued good, not an achieved status — a longing only God can satisfy.
- Matthew 6:33 Seeking God's kingdom and 'his righteousness' first pairs righteousness with the kingdom itself — a divine gift and priority, not human merit.
- Romans 1:17 A 'righteousness of God from faith to faith' — the genitive points to a righteousness that belongs to God and is revealed by Him, received through faith.
- Romans 3:25 God set forth Christ as a propitiation 'to show his righteousness' — divine righteousness demonstrated and vindicated through the cross.
Common questions
Does δικαιοσύνη mean 'justice' or 'righteousness'?
Both, depending on context. As equity of character or act it can render as 'justice' or 'uprightness'; in Paul's argument it specifically denotes 'justification' — the righteous status God grants through Christ.
Is δικαιοσύνη something believers earn or something God gives?
The New Testament presents it as something God provides through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21–25; Matthew 6:33), while also calling believers to pursue and practice righteousness in daily life (Matthew 5:6, 5:10, 6:1).