In the context of the Bible, the term "criminal" refers to individuals who engage in actions that are against the laws of God and society. The Bible addresses criminal behavior in various contexts, emphasizing the importance of justice, repentance, and redemption.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament law, given to the Israelites, contains numerous statutes and commandments that define criminal behavior and prescribe corresponding punishments. The Mosaic Law, as outlined in books such as Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, includes prohibitions against murder, theft, adultery, and false witness, among others. For instance, Exodus 20:13-16 states, "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

The law also prescribes specific penalties for various crimes, emphasizing the principle of justice. For example, Exodus 21:23-25 articulates the principle of lex talionis, or the law of retaliation: "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the focus shifts from the legalistic application of the law to the spiritual and moral implications of sin and crime. Jesus Christ, in His teachings, emphasizes the spirit of the law rather than its letter. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expands on the understanding of criminal behavior by addressing the attitudes and intentions of the heart. For example, in Matthew 5:21-22 , Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment."

The New Testament also highlights the themes of repentance and forgiveness. Criminals and sinners are offered the opportunity for redemption through faith in Jesus Christ. The account of the repentant thief on the cross, as recorded in Luke 23:39-43 , illustrates this point. One of the criminals crucified alongside Jesus acknowledges his wrongdoing and asks Jesus to remember him. Jesus responds, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Justice and Authority

The Bible acknowledges the role of governing authorities in maintaining justice and order. Romans 13:1-4 instructs believers to submit to governing authorities, recognizing them as God's servants for good: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

Moral and Spiritual Implications

The Bible consistently portrays crime as a manifestation of sin, which separates humanity from God. However, it also offers hope for transformation and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. The call to repentance and faith is extended to all, regardless of past transgressions. As 1 John 1:9 assures, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

In summary, the biblical perspective on criminals encompasses both the need for justice and the possibility of redemption, underscoring the transformative power of God's grace.1. (a.) Guilty of crime or sin.

2. (a.) Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness.

3. (a.) Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code.

4. (n.) One who has committed a crime; especially, one who is found guilty by verdict, confession, or proof; a malefactor; a felon.

2557. kakourgos -- a criminal
... a criminal. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: kakourgos Phonetic Spelling:
(kak-oor'-gos) Short Definition: a criminal Definition: (lit: an evil-worker ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2557.htm - 7k

2555. kakopoios -- an evildoer
... evildoer, malefactor. From kakos and poieo; a bad-doer; (specially), a criminal --
evil-doer, malefactor. see GREEK kakos. see GREEK poieo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2555.htm - 7k

4716. stauros -- an upright stake, hence a cross (the Rom. ...
... the cross-beam (Latin, ) placed at the top of the vertical member to form a capital
"T." "This transverse beam was the one carried by the criminal" (Souter). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4716.htm - 8k

5406. phoneus -- a murderer
... From phonos; a murderer (always of criminal (or at least intentional) homicide;
which anthropoktonos does not necessarily imply; while sikarios is a special ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5406.htm - 7k

1345. dikaioma -- an ordinance, a sentence of acquittal or ...
... Definition: a thing pronounced to be just Definition: a thing pronounced (by God)
to be righteous (just, the right); or the restoration of a criminal, a fresh ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1345.htm - 8k

113. athesmos -- lawless
... lawless, wicked. From a (as a negative particle) and a derivative of tithemi (in
the sense of enacting); lawless, ie (by implication) criminal -- wicked. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/113.htm - 7k

2724. kategoria -- an accusation
... accusation. From kategoros; a complaint ("category"), ie Criminal charge -- accusation
(X -ed). see GREEK kategoros. (kategoria) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2724.htm - 6k

4189. poneria -- iniquity
... properly, -ridden evil, derived from 4192 () which refers to " ()" - resulting in
"toil, then drudge, ie '' like our . . criminal" (, 1, 325). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4189.htm - 7k

111. athemitos -- lawless
... Adjective Transliteration: athemitos Phonetic Spelling: (ath-em'-ee-tos) Short
Definition: illegal, unlawful Definition: illegal, unlawful, criminal, lawless. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/111.htm - 7k

2054. vazar -- criminal, guilty
... 2053, 2054. vazar. 2055 . criminal, guilty. Transliteration: vazar Phonetic
Spelling: (vaw-zawr') Short Definition: guilty. Word ...
/hebrew/2054.htm - 5k

7563. rasha -- wicked, criminal
... 7562, 7563. rasha. 7564 . wicked, criminal. Transliteration: rasha Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-shaw') Short Definition: wicked. Word ...
/hebrew/7563.htm - 6k

2400. chatta -- sinful, sinners
... offender, sinful, sinner. Intensively from chata'; a criminal, or one accounted
guilty -- offender, sinful, sinner. see HEBREW chata'. 2399, 2400. ...
/hebrew/2400.htm - 6k

The Criminal and his Relation to Society.
... STUDY III THE CRIMINAL AND HIS RELATION TO SOCIETY. THE STORY OF CAIN."Gen.4:1-16.
Parallel Readings. ... Jenks, Prin. of Pol.1-16. August Drahms, The Criminal. ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study iii the criminal and.htm

Governor Pollock and the Condemned Criminal.
... Governor Pollock and the Condemned Criminal. When I was East a few years
ago, Mr. Geo. H. Stewart told me of a scene that occurred ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/governor pollock and the condemned.htm

Geo. H. Stewart visits a Doomed Criminal.
... Geo. H. Stewart Visits a Doomed Criminal. I remember hearing a story of
Mr. George Stewart. One day the Governor of Pennsylvania ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/geo h stewart visits a.htm

Origin of the Devil, in the Criminal Excess of the Sorrow of ...
... Chapter XXII."Origin of the Devil, in the Criminal Excess of the Sorrow of Achamoth
The Devil, Called Also Munditenens, Actually Wiser Than the Demiurge ...
/.../tertullian/against the valentinians/chapter xxii origin of the devil.htm

Of those who Make Accusation against an Elder; and that no ...
... The Sixth Ecumenical Council. Canon VIII. Of those who make accusation
against an elder; and that no criminal is to be? Of those ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon viii of those who.htm

Evil of Two Kinds, Penal and Criminal it is not of the Latter Sort ...
... Chapter XIV."Evil of Two Kinds, Penal and Criminal It is Not of the Latter Sort
that God is the Author, But Only of the Former, Which are Penal, and Included ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xiv evil of two kinds.htm

As to the Forgiveness of Sins, it Ought to be Enough Simple to ...
... innocence? And to come to the witness of Nature"to kill a man is not always
criminal, but to kill of malice, not by law, is criminal. ...
/.../40 as to the forgiveness.htm

Epistle vii. To John, Bishop.
... with ecclesiastical property, had sent a representation to our most pious emperors
against him, with respect to pecuniary matters and also criminal charges. ...
/.../gregory/the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle vii to john bishop.htm

Of the Divers Orders who Serve the Church, that if any one Fall ...
... Of the divers orders who serve the Church, that if any one fall into a criminal
business and refused to be tried by the ecclesiastical court, he ought to be in ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xv of the divers.htm

Sin and the Divine Reaction against It
... relations of God and man are forensic is to say that they are regulated by
statute"that sin is a breach of statute"that the sinner is a criminal"and that ...
/.../denney/the atonement and the modern mind/chapter ii sin and the.htm

Criminal (4 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of
conduct; as, criminal carelessness. ...Criminal (4 Occurrences). ...
/c/criminal.htm - 7k

Witness (295 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary More than one witness was required in criminal
cases (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). They were the first to ...
/w/witness.htm - 44k

Murder (41 Occurrences)
... pieces," "kill," especially with premeditation (Numbers 35:16 and frequently; Job
24:14; Psalm 94:6; Jeremiah 7:9; Ho 6:9); phoneus, "criminal homicide," from ...
/m/murder.htm - 24k

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An evil doer; one who commits a crime; one
subject to public prosecution and punishment; a criminal. ...
/m/malefactor.htm - 49k

Sentence (53 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause;
in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a ...
/s/sentence.htm - 24k

Judge (297 Occurrences)
... 6:12 Micah 3:11; Micah 7:3 Proverbs 6:19; Proverbs 12:17; Proverbs 18:5). Even kings
sometimes pronounced unjust sentences, especially in criminal cases (1 ...
/j/judge.htm - 46k

Plea (35 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) An earnest request or appeal; an answer to a criminal charge; that which
is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an ...
/p/plea.htm - 16k

Criminality (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality or state of being criminal; that which
constitutes a crime; guiltiness; guilt. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/c/criminality.htm - 6k

Talmud
... parts, the names of which indicate their chief contents, namely, Zera`im, Agriculture;
Moe`dh, Feasts; Nashim, Women; Neziqin, Civil and Criminal Law; Qodhashim ...
/t/talmud.htm - 37k

Arrest (22 Occurrences)
... THE JEWISH TRIAL 1. The Jewish Law 2. The Mishna 3. Criminal Trials 4. The Trial
of Jesus 5. The Preliminary Examination 6. The Night Trial 7. False Witnesses 8 ...
/a/arrest.htm - 45k

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