νόμος (nomos)
nomos
law
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 157 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word nomos originates from a verb meaning to parcel out or distribute, particularly food or grazing land. This root imagery shapes its core sense: law is not merely a rule imposed from above, but a system of assigned portions and boundaries that governs life. In the New Testament, it appears 157 times, primarily in Paul’s letters and the Gospels, carrying this weight of structured order.
Its meaning shifts depending on context. It frequently refers to the Mosaic Law, as when Jesus speaks of not abolishing even the smallest letter of the law (Matthew 5:18). Yet it also broadens to describe any established custom or principle, such as the "law of faith" in Romans 3:27 or the "law of the Spirit of life" in Romans 8:2. Sometimes it stands metonymically for the written books themselves, including the Pentateuch or the entire Old Testament scriptures.
A notable feature is its personification in passages like Romans 3:19, where law itself speaks to silence the world. This usage highlights its role as an active force or influence impelling action, rather than a static document. Translators often render it simply as "law," but the Greek term encompasses the entire framework of divine instruction and moral expectation that defines the covenant relationship.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nomos carries a sense of structured order, rooted in the idea of parceling out what belongs to each person. In the New Testament, it often refers to the Mosaic Law, yet Jesus clarifies that He came not to abolish this framework but to fulfill its deepest intent (Matthew 5:17). This suggests that divine instruction is not a burden designed to crush us, but a guide intended to shape our lives toward goodness and justice.
When we encounter this term in passages like Matthew 7:12, we see it distilled into a single, actionable principle: treat others as you wish to be treated. The law points us away from rigid rule-keeping and toward the heart of relationships. It reminds us that true obedience flows from love rather than fear, offering a path where moral boundaries protect rather than restrict our joy in God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 157 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- law89×
- [the] Law20×
- [the] law13×
- Law12×
- law,7×
- law;5×
- of law4×
- of [the] Law4×
- a law4×
- the law3×
- law.3×
- of the Law2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νόμου55×
- νόμον49×
- νόμῳ29×
- νόμος27×
- νόμον,7×
- νόμου·6×
- νόμου.3×
- νόμου,3×
- νόμος,3×
- νόμῳ·2×
- νόμους2×
- νόμον·2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 5:17
“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Jesus establishes that His mission is to complete the Law’s purpose rather than discard its authority.
-
Matthew 7:12
Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
The Golden Rule is presented here as the essential summary of all legal and prophetic demands.
-
Luke 24:44
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms concerning me must be fulfilled.”
Jesus identifies Himself as the central figure to whom the entire Law of Moses points forward.
-
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
This verse contrasts the giving of the Law through Moses with the realization of grace and truth in Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does nomos mean in the New Testament?
How is nomos different from charisma?
Did Jesus abolish the law?
Every Occurrence (157 verses across 12 books)
Matthew 8 verses
“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke…
Matthew 7:12Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 11:13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Matthew 12:5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
Matthew 22:36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
Matthew 22:40The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Matthew 23:23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier…