Lexical Summary diké: Justice, judgment, punishment, vengeance Original Word: δίκη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance penalty, punishmentProbably from deiknuo; right (as self-evident), i.e. Justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution) -- judgment, punish, vengeance. see GREEK deiknuo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 1349 díkē – properly, right, especially a judicial verdict which declares someone approved or disapproved; a judgment (just finding) that regards someone (something) as "guilty" or "innocent." See 1343 (dikaiosynē). [1349 (díkē) is used in classical Greek for a legal decision – a recompense (based on justice). In the LXX, dikē is used nine times to translate rî, the Hebrew term for "law-suit."] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition right (as self-evident), justice (the principle, a decision or its execution) NASB Translation justice (1), penalty (1), punishment (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1349: δίκηδίκη, δίκης, ἡ (allied with δεικηυμι, Curtius, § 14), from Homer down; 1. custom, usage, (cf. Schmidt, chapter 18, 4 cf. 3). 2. right, justice. 3. a suit at law. 4. a judicial hearing, judicial decision, especially a sentence of condemnation; so in Acts 25:15 (L T Tr WH καταδίκην). 5. execution of the sentence, punishment, (Wis. 18:11; 2 Macc. 8:11): δίκην ὑπέχειν, Jude 1:7; δίκην (Sophocles El. 298; Aj. 113; Euripides, Or. 7), to suffer punishment, 2 Thessalonians 1:9. 6. the goddess Justice, avenging justice: Acts 28:4, as in Greek writings often from Hesiod theog. 902 on; (of the avenging justice of God, personified, Wis. 1:8, etc.; cf. Grimm at the passage and commentary on 4 Macc., p. 318, (he cites 4 Macc. 4:13, 21; 8:13, 21; 9:9; 11:3; 12:12; 18:22; Philo adv. Flacc. § 18; Eusebius, h. e. 2, 6, 8)). δίκη carries the idea of justice rendered—both in the positive sense of righteous order and in the negative sense of retributive penalty. In classical Greek it could indicate (1) the principle of right, (2) the legal process, or (3) the sentence handed down. When taken into the Septuagint it frequently translated Hebrew words for “judgment” or “vengeance,” thereby rooting it in the divine character as the One who “does no wrong” and whose “ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Occurrences in the New Testament Record 1. Acts 28:4: The Maltese barbarians witness the snake fasten on Paul’s hand and conclude, “This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped the sea, Justice (δίκη) has not allowed him to live.” Here δίκη is personified, reflecting popular Greco-Roman thought that a goddess ensured moral recompense. Luke allows the term to stand, but the narrative overturns pagan fatalism when Paul suffers no harm, demonstrating the sovereignty of Israel’s God over misguided notions of karmic inevitability. Theological Trajectory 1. Divine Prerogative: Scripture consistently presents judgment as God’s exclusive domain. While human courts may reflect δίκη imperfectly, the ultimate dispensing of penalty belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19). Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Preaching: δίκη provides a sobering counterbalance to cheap grace. Proclamation of the gospel must include both salvation and judgment (Acts 24:25). Related Biblical Themes Righteousness (δικαιοσύνη), Judgment (κρίσις), Vengeance (ἔκδικος), Wrath (ὀργή). Synthesis δίκη in the New Testament shifts the conversation from impersonal fate to personal, covenantal accountability before the living God. Each occurrence underscores that divine justice is inevitable, proportionate, and ultimately administered in and through Jesus Christ, inviting sober reflection and steadfast hope. Englishman's Concordance Acts 28:4 N-NFSGRK: θαλάσσης ἡ δίκη ζῇν οὐκ NAS: from the sea, justice has not allowed KJV: the sea, yet vengeance suffereth INT: sea Justice to live not 2 Thessalonians 1:9 N-AFS Jude 1:7 N-AFS |
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