δίκαιος (dikaios)
dikaios
just
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 76 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word dikaios describes a person or action that aligns with a standard of rightness. In the New Testament, this usually means conforming to God’s will rather than merely following human laws. It appears frequently in Matthew and Romans, where it characterizes those whose thoughts, feelings, and actions reflect divine approval.
Lexicons note that the term carries two related senses. Broadly, it refers to moral uprightness and virtue, as seen when Luke describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as righteous before God (Luke 1:6). In a narrower judicial sense, it means rendering to each their due, such as when Paul calls God a just judge in 2 Timothy 4:8.
This word often stands in contrast to sinners or the unrighteous. For instance, Jesus instructs his followers to love enemies so they may act as children of their Father, who makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good (Matthew 5:45). The term also applies to things, such as God’s law, which is described as holy and righteous in Romans 7:12.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dikaios points to a life that aligns with God’s standard of rightness. It is not merely about following rules, but about reflecting divine approval in our thoughts and actions. This concept invites us to consider how our daily choices mirror the character of God, who desires mercy over mere ritual.
In your own walk, this term offers comfort rather than condemnation. It reminds us that righteousness is found in relationship with Him, not in our own perfection. When we stumble, we can look to Jesus, who alone fully embodies this quality, and trust in His grace to cover our shortcomings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 76 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- righteous29×
- right4×
- of a righteous [man]3×
- just3×
- [the] righteous3×
- the righteous2×
- righteous;2×
- righteous.2×
- righteous,2×
- righteous [one]2×
- righteous [man]2×
- righteous [are]2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δίκαιος15×
- δίκαιον13×
- δίκαιοι8×
- δικαίου6×
- δικαίους5×
- δίκαιός4×
- δικαίων4×
- δίκαιαι3×
- δίκαιον,2×
- δικαίῳ2×
- δικαίαν2×
- δικαία2×
Key Verses
-
Luke 1:6
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
This verse defines the term by showing Zechariah and Elizabeth walking blamelessly in God's commandments, grounding righteousness in faithful obedience.
-
Matthew 5:45
that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
Here the word describes those who receive God's common grace, highlighting His impartial love for both the good and the evil.
-
Matthew 23:28
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Jesus uses this term to warn against external piety that lacks internal integrity, contrasting true righteousness with hypocrisy.
-
Matthew 25:46
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
This occurrence contrasts the eternal destiny of the righteous with that of the wicked, emphasizing the final outcome of a life aligned with God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does dikaios mean in the New Testament?
How is dikaios different from sinners?
Where does this word appear most often?
Every Occurrence (76 verses across 20 books)
Matthew 16 verses
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away…
Matthew 5:45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and…
Matthew 9:13But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but…
Matthew 10:41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in…
Matthew 13:17For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t…
Matthew 13:43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:49So it will be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
Matthew 20:4He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.
Matthew 20:7“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will…
Matthew 23:28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Matthew 23:29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the…
Matthew 23:35that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of…
Matthew 25:37“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a…
Matthew 25:46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 27:19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,…
Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water and washed…