Lexical Summary amómétos: Blameless, faultless Original Word: ἀμώμητος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance blameless. From a (as a negative particle) and a derivative of momaomai; unblamable -- blameless. see GREEK a see GREEK momaomai HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 298 amṓmētos (an adjective, derived from 1 /A "not" and 3649 /ololýzō, "blame") – without blame – literally, without mōmos ("blemish"), used only in 2 Pet 3:14. See 299 (amōmos). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and mómaomai Definition blameless NASB Translation blameless (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 298: ἀμώμητοςἀμώμητος, (μωμάομαι), that cannot be censured, blameless: Philippians 2:15 R G (cf. τέκνα μωμητά, Deuteronomy 32:5); 2 Peter 3:14. (Homer, Iliad 12, 109; (Hesiod, Pindar, others;) Plutarch, frat. amor. 18; often in Anthol.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Linguistic Background ἀμώμητος (amōmētos) conveys the idea of being above reproach—free from fault, defect, or censure. In its lone New Testament appearance it is paired with ἄσπιλος (aspilos, “spotless”), forming a double call to moral and spiritual purity. While ἀμώμητος is rare in the Greek Scriptures, the cognate ἄμωμος (amōmos) is more common and helps illuminate the shared root metaphor drawn from the blemish-free sacrificial animals of the Old Testament. Biblical Usage 2 Peter 3:14 is the single New Testament occurrence: “Therefore, beloved, as you look forward to these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him, without spot or blemish”. Peter writes immediately after describing the promised new heavens and new earth (2 Peter 3:13). The anticipated cosmic renewal sets the ethical agenda: believers are to live in such a way that, when Christ comes, He will find them ἀμώμητοι—unassailable in character. Historical and Cultural Background 1. Old Testament Sacrificial Context: Animals presented to the LORD had to be “without blemish” (Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 22:19-25). The Septuagint regularly uses ἄμωμος for this standard, and the rarer ἀμώμητος appears in several descriptions of Job’s integrity (Job 1:1; Job 2:3). In both cultic and ethical spheres, the absence of flaw symbolized wholehearted devotion to God. Theological Significance 1. Eschatological Motivation: Peter’s argument moves from eschatology to ethics. The certainty of judgment and restoration calls for lives that anticipate the verdict. “Blameless” is not merely aspirational; it is the Spirit-wrought conformity to Christ (Philippians 2:15; Ephesians 1:4). Relationship to Cognate Terms • ἄμωμος (amōmos, “blameless”): Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22. Together they portray a holiness that is both internal (moral purity) and external (visible integrity). Implications for Christian Sanctification 1. Active Diligence: “Make every effort” (2 Peter 3:14) echoes Peter’s earlier call to “make every effort to add to your faith” (2 Peter 1:5). Blamelessness is pursued through disciplined growth, not passive waiting. Old Testament Echoes and Typology • Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) → Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7). Pastoral Application • Self-Examination: Regular assessment (2 Corinthians 13:5) ensures lives that can withstand the searching gaze of Christ. Summary ἀμώμητος encapsulates the believer’s calling to a flawless integrity patterned after, and empowered by, the Lamb without blemish. Rooted in the sacrificial demands of the Torah, fulfilled in Christ’s atonement, and applied by the Spirit, it summons every generation of Christians to live lives that will stand blameless in the day of His coming. Forms and Transliterations αμώμητα αμωμητοι αμώμητοι ἀμώμητοι amometoi amōmētoi amṓmetoi amṓmētoiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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