ἄμεμπτος (amemptos)
amemptos
blameless
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective amemptos describes a person who is blameless, free from any chargeable fault or defect. It is formed from a negative prefix and a root related to censure or reproach, so it literally means "not open to accusation." In the New Testament, this word appears in only five verses, carrying a weight of moral integrity that suggests a life consistent with God’s standards.
Its usage highlights a specific kind of uprightness. Luke 1:6 applies it to Zechariah and Elizabeth, noting they were blameless in keeping God’s commandments. Paul uses it similarly in Philippians 2:15 to describe believers shining like stars in a crooked generation, and in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 for hearts established without fault before God. The term implies that no valid objection can be raised against their conduct.
While near-synonyms exist, amemptos focuses on the absence of grounds for criticism rather than ritual purity. Translators typically render it as "blameless" or "above reproach," capturing the sense of a life that stands uncondemned before God. This lexical precision underscores the Christian hope of being presented holy and without stain.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word amemptos describes a life that stands without valid accusation before God. It does not mean sinless perfection, but rather a consistency of character where no legitimate charge can be brought against your conduct. When Luke writes that Zechariah and Elizabeth were blameless in keeping God’s commandments, he highlights a life aligned with divine will, marked by integrity rather than mere outward appearance.
Paul extends this hope to believers in Philippians 2:15, urging us to shine as lights in a crooked generation. This calling is not about earning status, but about reflecting God’s holiness through steady faithfulness. The promise in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 assures us that God Himself establishes our hearts blameless in holiness at the coming of Christ. We do not achieve this standard by our own strength; it is a gift of grace that shapes our daily walk.
Living with this kind of integrity brings peace, knowing that our lives are hidden in Christ. It invites us to pursue honesty and love, trusting that God sees the heart. May you find comfort in the assurance that your standing before Him rests on His faithfulness, not your flawless performance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- blameless2×
- faultless.1×
- faultless,1×
- blameless.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄμεμπτος.1×
- ἄμεμπτος,1×
- ἄμεμπτοι.1×
- ἄμεμπτοι1×
- ἀμέμπτους1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 1:6
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
This verse grounds the term in covenantal faithfulness, showing that blamelessness involves walking consistently in God's commandments.
-
Philippians 2:15
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
Here Paul connects being blameless with shining as lights, linking moral integrity to visible witness in a distorted world.
-
I Thessalonians 3:13
to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
This occurrence emphasizes divine agency, stating that God establishes our hearts blameless, highlighting His work in sanctification.