Greek word · G156

αἰτία

aitia

cause/charge

Cause, reason, ground; also a legal charge or accusation (as in the "charge" written over Jesus' cross, 27:37); and more broadly a case or situation (as in 19:10, "if such is the case of a man with his wife").

Appears 20 times in 20 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

αἰτία, -ας, ἡ,

[in LXX: Genesis 4:13 (עָוֹן), Proverbs 28:17 (עָשַׁק), and frequently in Wi, II, III Mac ;]

1. cause, reason, occasion, case: Matthew 19:3, Luke 8:47, Acts 10:21 22:24 28:20, 2 Timothy 1:6,12, Titus 1:13, Hebrews 2:11 ; εἰ οὕτως ἐστιν ἡ αἰ. (cf. Lat. si ita res se habet, and see MM. VGT, see word), Matthew 19:10.

2. In forensic sense,

(a) accusation: Acts 25:18,27;

(b) cause for punishment, crime: Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, John 18:38 19:4,6, Acts 13:28 23:28 28:18.

† SYN.: ἔλεγχος, a charge, whether moral or judicial, which has been proven, αἰ. is an accusation simply, false or true. (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 19:3

Range of meaning

Cause, reason, ground; also a legal charge or accusation (as in the "charge" written over Jesus' cross, 27:37); and more broadly a case or situation (as in 19:10, "if such is the case of a man with his wife").

Against the English

"For every cause" (KJV, YLT) is literal. "For any reason" (BSB, WEB) is natural English but can sound casual, like "for whatever reason." The Greek wording echoes how writers of the time described a specific, contested position in Jewish law.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deuteronomy 24:1 lets a man divorce his wife if he finds in her "some indecency" (Hebrew ʿerwat dabar, literally "nakedness of a thing"). In Jesus' time the school of Shammai read this narrowly: only sexual unfaithfulness. The school of Hillel read the "thing" broadly: any matter at all (Mishnah Gittin 9:10, written down around AD 200, gives Hillel's example as "even if she spoiled his dish"). Two first-century Jewish writers describe the broad view in almost the same words as this verse. Josephus says a man may divorce "for whatever causes (aitias), and many such arise among men" (Antiquities 4.253). Philo speaks of a wife parted from her husband "on any pretext whatever" (Special Laws 3.30). Josephus reports that he himself divorced a wife because he was "not pleased with her behaviour" (Life 426).

From the study of John 18:38

Range of meaning

Cause or reason. In legal settings, an accusation or charge, and the grounds or basis for a case against someone. The 'charge' written over the cross in Matt 27:37 and Mark 15:26 is this word. In Acts 25:18, 27 and 28:18 Roman officials look for an αἰτία, a chargeable offence, and find none.

Against the English

KJV and YLT 'fault' sounds to modern ears like a moral flaw or failing. ESV and NASB 'guilt' sits closer to legal language but can still be heard morally. BSB, WEB and NIV 'no basis for a charge' gets the legal sense right.

How it drifted

In 1611 English 'fault' could mean an offence or a punishable misdeed. Today it mostly means a flaw in character, so 'I find no fault in him' now sounds like a statement that Jesus was morally perfect.

Used elsewhere in the period

Papyri and legal texts use αἰτία for charges brought before officials. Josephus uses it for accusations and grounds of complaint. In the New Testament, the same phrase appears in Luke 23:4 (οὐδὲν εὑρίσκω αἴτιον), and Pilate repeats it in John 19:4, 6.

From the study of Matthew 27:37

Range of meaning
  1. Cause or reason ("for what reason?"). 2) In legal settings, the ground of a case: the charge brought, or the crime that justifies a penalty. 3) Sometimes the circumstances of a case (Matt 19:10, "if such is the case of a man with his wife"). BDAG lists "cause, reason" and, in court, "charge, ground for complaint."
Against the English

KJV, WEB and YLT have "accusation." BSB and NIV have "written charge." ESV and NASB have "the charge." "Charge" is closer. Today "accusation" suggests a claim that is still disputed or unproven, but this is the stated cause of a sentence already carried out.

How it drifted

In 1611 "accusation" could mean the formal charge on which someone was indicted or condemned. In everyday modern English it has shifted toward "an allegation someone made," which loses the sense of an official verdict.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament: Pilate's "I find no aitia in him" (John 18:38; 19:4, 6) means "no legal ground for a sentence." Acts 13:28 has "though they found no aitia of death" and Acts 28:18 "no aitia of death in me," both meaning no capital crime. Mark's parallel (15:26) has "the inscription of his aitia." Outside the Bible, Cassius Dio (54.3.7) describes a condemned man led through the forum "with writing making known the cause (aitia) of his death."

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

  1. Matthew 19:3 αἰτίαν;¶ cause?

    Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

    Here: "Cause" or "ground," with a legal edge: the reason a man gives for dismissing his wife. "For every cause" echoes how Jewish writers of the time described the most permissive view of divorce.

  2. Matthew 19:10 αἰτία case

    His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

  3. Matthew 27:37 αἰτίαν accusation

    Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

    Here: The legal reason for the execution, meaning the crime the sentence was officially for. It is not an open allegation still waiting to be proved. It is the stated ground of a verdict already carried out.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 15:26 αἰτίας accusation

    And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 8:47 αἰτίαν cause

    Then the woman, seeing that she could not escape notice, came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched Him and how she had immediately been healed.

John · 3

  1. John 18:38 αἰτίαν. guilt.

    “What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.

    Here: A legal term: a valid charge, or grounds for a case, that would justify punishment. Pilate is saying the claim to kingship that he has just examined gives Rome no case. He is not commenting on Jesus' character in general.

  2. John 19:4 αἰτίαν guilt

    Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

    Here: In a courtroom this is the charge, or the legal grounds for one. Pilate is saying the accusation (that Jesus is a rival "king" and so a threat to Rome) does not hold up. This is a judge's ruling, not a comment on Jesus' moral character.

  3. John 19:6 αἰτίαν. guilt.

    As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

Acts · 8

  1. Acts 10:21 αἰτία cause

    So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”

  2. Acts 13:28 αἰτίαν cause

    And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.

  3. Acts 22:24 αἰτίαν cause

    the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

  4. Acts 23:28 αἰτίαν charge

    and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

  5. Acts 25:18 αἰτίαν charge

    But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

  6. Acts 25:27 αἰτίας charges

    For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”

  7. Acts 28:18 αἰτίαν cause

    They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

  8. Acts 28:20 αἰτίαν cause

    So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

    Here: Here "reason," but it is the same word Paul used one verse earlier for the legal "grounds" for a death sentence that the Romans could not find in him (v. 18). The echo is audible: there was no *charge* worth death, but there is a *reason* he is here.

2 Timothy · 2

  1. 2 Timothy 1:6 αἰτίαν reason

    For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

    Here: Here simply 'reason'. 'For which reason' is a stock phrase also used in 2 Tim 1:12 and Titus 1:13. Because Paul is sure Timothy's faith is real, he can urge him on.

  2. 2 Timothy 1:12 αἰτίαν reason

    For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

    Here: 'Reason'. The word could also mean a legal charge against someone, which fits a prisoner, but here the set phrase simply means 'for this reason'.

Titus · 1

  1. Titus 1:13 αἰτίαν cause

    This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith

    Here: Here simply 'reason'. The whole phrase di' hēn aitian is a stock idiom meaning 'therefore', and it is not the legal 'charge' sense of the word.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 2:11 αἰτίαν reason

    For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

    Here: "Reason, ground." In the fixed phrase δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ("for this reason") it simply means grounds. The shared origin is the ground for what follows.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.