156. aitia

Lexicon

aitia: Cause, reason, accusation, charge

Original Word: αἰτία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: aitia
Pronunciation: ah-ee-TEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-tee'-a)
Definition: Cause, reason, accusation, charge
Meaning: a cause, reason, excuse; a charge, accusation; guilt; circumstances, case.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

accusation, case, cause, crime, fault.

From the same as aiteo; a cause (as if asked for), i.e. (logical) reason (motive, matter), (legal) crime (alleged or proved) -- accusation, case, cause, crime, fault, (wh-)ere(-fore).

see GREEK aiteo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from aiteó
Definition
cause, reason
NASB Translation
charge (1), charge against (2), charges (2), ground (2), guilt (3), reason (9), relationship (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 156: αἰτία

αἰτία, (ας, ἡ;

1. cause, reason: Acts 10:21; Acts 22:24; Acts 28:20; κατά πᾶσαν αἰτίαν for every cause, Matthew 19:3; δἰ ἥν αἰτίαν for which cause, wherefore, Luke 8:47; 2 Timothy 1:6, 12; Titus 1:13; Hebrews 2:11; cf. Grimm on 2 Macc. 4:28.

2. cause for which one is worthy of punishment; crime of which one is accused: Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; John 18:38; John 19:4 (6; Acts 23:28); αἰτία θανάτου (A. V. cause of death) crime deserving the punishment of death, Acts 13:28; Acts 28:18.

3. charge of crime, accusation: Acts 25:18, 27. (All these meanings are in secular writings also; (but Liddell and Scott now make meaning 3 the primary one).) In Matthew 19:10 the words εἰ οὕτως ἐστιν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μετά τήν γυναικός find a simple explanation in a Latinism (causa equivalent tores:si ita res se habet, etc.) if the case of the man with his wife is so.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb αἰτέω (aiteō), meaning "to ask" or "to demand."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for αἰτία, similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words related to cause or accusation, such as:
• H7379 רִיב (rîb): Meaning a dispute or controversy, often used in legal contexts.
• H4941 מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat): Meaning judgment or justice, frequently used in legal and judicial settings.

These Hebrew terms, like αἰτία, are integral to understanding the biblical emphasis on justice, reason, and the proper grounds for legal actions.

Usage: In the New Testament, αἰτία is used to describe both the reason for an action and the formal accusation or charge in a legal context. It appears in contexts where a cause or reason is being explained or where legal charges are being discussed.

Context: • General Overview: The Greek word αἰτία is used in the New Testament to convey the idea of a cause or reason behind an event or action. It is also employed in legal contexts to refer to an accusation or charge against an individual. This dual usage highlights the word's flexibility in describing both abstract reasons and concrete legal matters.

• Biblical Context:
• In the Gospel of John, αἰτία is used in the context of legal proceedings. For example, in John 18:38, Pilate states, "I find no basis for a charge against Him," using αἰτία to refer to the lack of a legal accusation against Jesus.
• In Acts 19:40, the term is used to describe the potential for being charged with rioting: "For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and there is no cause for it."
• The word also appears in Acts 25:18, where it is used to describe the lack of substantial charges against Paul: "When his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected."

• Theological Implications: The use of αἰτία in the New Testament often underscores the importance of justice and truth in legal matters. It reflects the necessity of having a valid reason or cause for accusations, aligning with the broader biblical theme of righteousness and fairness.

Forms and Transliterations

αιτια αιτία αἰτία αιτιαν αιτίαν αίτιαν αἰτίαν αιτιας αιτίας αἰτίας aitia aitía aitian aitían aitias aitías

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 19:3 N-AFS
GRK: κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν
NAS: his wife for any reason at all?
KJV: for every cause?
INT: for every cause

Matthew 19:10 N-NFS
GRK: ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
NAS: to Him, If the relationship of the man
KJV: unto him, If the case of the man be
INT: is the case of the man

Matthew 27:37 N-AFS
GRK: αὐτοῦ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένην
NAS: they put up the charge against Him which read,
KJV: head his accusation written, THIS
INT: of him the accusation of him written

Mark 15:26 N-GFS
GRK: ἐπιγραφὴ τῆς αἰτίας αὐτοῦ ἐπιγεγραμμένη
NAS: The inscription of the charge against Him read,
KJV: of his accusation was
INT: inscription of the accusation against him read

Luke 8:47 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἥψατο αὐτοῦ
NAS: the people the reason why
KJV: for what cause she had touched him,
INT: for what cause she touched him

John 18:38 N-AFS
GRK: ἐν αὐτῷ αἰτίαν
NAS: to them, I find no guilt in Him.
KJV: him no fault [at all].
INT: in him fault

John 19:4 N-AFS
GRK: ὅτι οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν
NAS: that I find no guilt in Him.
KJV: I find no fault in him.
INT: that not any fault I find in

John 19:6 N-AFS
GRK: ἐν αὐτῷ αἰτίαν
NAS: Him, for I find no guilt in Him.
KJV: find no fault in him.
INT: in him a fault

Acts 10:21 N-NFS
GRK: τίς ἡ αἰτία δι' ἣν
NAS: for; what is the reason for which
KJV: what [is] the cause wherefore
INT: what [is] the cause for which

Acts 13:28 N-AFS
GRK: καὶ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου εὑρόντες
NAS: no ground for [putting Him to] death, they asked
KJV: no cause of death
INT: And not cause of death having found

Acts 22:24 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν
NAS: that he might find out the reason why
INT: for what cause thus they cried out

Acts 23:28 N-AFS
GRK: ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν
NAS: to ascertain the charge for which
KJV: have known the cause wherefore
INT: to know the charge on account of which

Acts 25:18 N-AFS
GRK: κατήγοροι οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν ἔφερον ὧν
NAS: up, they [began] bringing charges against
KJV: none accusation of such things as
INT: accusers no charge brought of which

Acts 25:27 N-GFS
GRK: κατ' αὐτοῦ αἰτίας σημᾶναι
NAS: also the charges against
KJV: to signify the crimes [laid] against
INT: against him charges to signify

Acts 28:18 N-AFS
GRK: τὸ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ὑπάρχειν
NAS: there was no ground for putting me to death.
KJV: there was no cause of death in
INT: not one cause of death was there

Acts 28:20 N-AFS
GRK: οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν παρεκάλεσα ὑμᾶς
NAS: For this reason, therefore,
KJV: For this cause therefore have I called
INT: therefore cause I called for you

2 Timothy 1:6 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἀναμιμνήσκω σε
NAS: For this reason I remind
INT: For which cause I remind you

2 Timothy 1:12 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ταῦτα
NAS: For this reason I also suffer
KJV: For the which cause I also
INT: For which cause also these things

Titus 1:13 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἔλεγχε αὐτοὺς
NAS: For this reason reprove
INT: for which cause convict them

Hebrews 2:11 N-AFS
GRK: δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται
NAS: [Father]; for which reason He is not ashamed
KJV: for which cause he is not
INT: for which cause not he is ashamed

Strong's Greek 156
20 Occurrences

αἰτία — 2 Occ.
αἰτίαν — 16 Occ.
αἰτίας — 2 Occ.