# G1342 - dikaios **Strong's:** [G1342](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1342/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** dik'-ah-yos **Part of speech:** adjective **NT occurrences:** 79 ## Semantic range 1. **Righteous, just, upright**, conformed to a moral / legal standard 2. **In right standing with God**, soteriological sense 3. **Innocent / blameless** in legal contexts 4. **Right, fitting, proper** in ethical contexts The adjective is part of the *dikai-* word family, alongside [G1343 - dikaiosyne](/codex/g1343-dikaiosyne/) (righteousness, noun) and [G1344 - dikaioo](/codex/g1344-dikaioo/) (justify, verb). Together they form the central Pauline-soteriological vocabulary cluster. ## Theological force ### *Dikaios* of God God is supremely *dikaios*, His character, judgments, and ways are perfectly righteous: - **[Romans 3:26](/codex/romans-3-26/)**, God is *dikaion kai dikaiounta*, "just and the justifier" of those who have faith in Jesus - **[Revelation 16:5](/codex/revelation-16-5/), [7](/codex/revelation-16-7/); 19:2**, God's judgments are *dikaiai* ### *Dikaios* of Christ Christ is *the Righteous One*: - **[Acts 3:14](/codex/acts-3-14/)**, "the *dikaion* and Holy One" (Peter's sermon) - **[Acts 7:52](/codex/acts-7-52/)**, "they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the *dikaiou*" (Stephen) - **[Acts 22:14](/codex/acts-22-14/)**, "to see the *dikaion*" (Ananias to Paul) - **[1 John 2:1](/codex/1-john-2-1/)**, "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the *dikaion*" - **[1 Peter 3:18](/codex/1-peter-3-18/)**, "Christ also died for sins once for all, the *dikaios* for the unrighteous" Christ as the *Dikaios* fulfills the OT-Servant-Messiah pattern ([Isaiah 53:11](/codex/isaiah-53-11/), *tzaddiq avdi*) and grounds substitutionary atonement: the *dikaios* dies for the *adikoi*. ### *Dikaios* of believers Believers are *dikaioi* in two senses: **(1) Imputed righteousness**, the Reformation core: - [Romans 1:17](/codex/romans-1-17/) (citing [Habakkuk 2:4](/codex/habakkuk-2-4/)), "the *dikaios* by faith shall live" - [Romans 4:3](/codex/romans-4-3/) (citing [Genesis 15:6](/codex/genesis-15-6/)), "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as *dikaiosynēn*" - [2 Corinthians 5:21](/codex/2-corinthians-5-21/), "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the *dikaiosynē theou* in Him" **(2) Practical / experiential righteousness**, sanctification: - [1 John 3:7](/codex/1-john-3-7/), "the one who practices *dikaiosynēn* is *dikaios*" - [1 John 2:29](/codex/1-john-2-29/), "everyone who practices *dikaiosynēn* has been born of Him" - [Matthew 5:6](/codex/matthew-5-6/), "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for *dikaiosynēn*" - [Matthew 5:20](/codex/matthew-5-20/), disciples' *dikaiosynē* must surpass that of scribes and Pharisees The Reformation: *imputed* righteousness is the legal-forensic foundation; *experiential* righteousness is the resulting fruit. The believer is *declared dikaios* (justification) and *progressively becomes dikaios* in lived holiness (sanctification). ### [Habakkuk 2:4](/codex/habakkuk-2-4/), *the dikaios shall live by faith* The most-cited OT quote in the NT ([Romans 1:17](/codex/romans-1-17/); [Galatians 3:11](/codex/galatians-3-11/); [Hebrews 10:38](/codex/hebrews-10-38/)). The Reformation rallying cry, *sola fide*, is anchored here. The *dikaios* lives by *pistis*, not by works, ritual, or self-justification. ## Notable verses ### God / Christ as dikaios - **[John 17:25](/codex/john-17-25/)**, "*dikaie pater*" - **[Romans 3:26](/codex/romans-3-26/)**, God is *dikaios* and the justifier - **[Acts 3:14](/codex/acts-3-14/); 7:52; 22:14**, Christ as *the Dikaios* - **[1 John 2:1](/codex/1-john-2-1/)**, Christ the *Dikaios* as Advocate - **[1 Peter 3:18](/codex/1-peter-3-18/)**, *dikaios hyper adikōn*, substitutionary ### The believer as dikaios - **[Romans 1:17](/codex/romans-1-17/) / [Galatians 3:11](/codex/galatians-3-11/) / [Hebrews 10:38](/codex/hebrews-10-38/)**, [Habakkuk 2:4](/codex/habakkuk-2-4/) citation - **[Romans 5:7](/codex/romans-5-7/)**, "for a *dikaiou* man someone might dare to die" - **[Romans 5:19](/codex/romans-5-19/)**, "by the obedience of the One the many will be made *dikaioi*" - **[2 Timothy 4:8](/codex/2-timothy-4-8/)**, "the crown of *dikaiosynēs*… the *dikaios* judge will award" - **[James 5:16](/codex/james-5-16/)**, "the effective prayer of a *dikaiou* man can accomplish much" - **[1 Peter 3:12](/codex/1-peter-3-12/)**, "the eyes of the Lord are toward the *dikaious*" - **[Revelation 22:11](/codex/revelation-22-11/)**, "let the one who is *dikaios* still practice *dikaiosynēn*" ## Patristic / scholarly note The *dikai-* word family is central to the Reformation vs Roman Catholic dispute over justification (see [G1344 - dikaioo](/codex/g1344-dikaioo/) for fuller treatment). Conservative Protestant: imputed-forensic; Roman Catholic: infused-grace. Modern: New Perspective on Paul (Wright, Sanders, Dunn) reframes the dispute around covenantal-faithfulness. ## See also - [G1343 - dikaiosyne](/codex/g1343-dikaiosyne/), righteousness (noun) - [G1344 - dikaioo](/codex/g1344-dikaioo/), to justify (verb) - [H6664 - tzedeq](/codex/h6664-tzedeq/), Hebrew righteousness - [Romans 5.8](/codex/romans-5-8/), *dikaios* dying for unrighteous ## Notes _Lexical workspace for dikaios._