Greek word · G1777

ἔνοχος

enochos

liable for

Literally "held in" (from en + echō). Used in law for someone liable to a penalty, answerable to a court, guilty of an offence, or bound by an obligation. It takes a genitive or dative for the penalty or claim: "liable to death," "liable to judgment."

Appears 10 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 30, 2026

What it means

ἔνοχος, -ον (= ἐνεχόμενος),

(in LXX for רָשַׁע hi., etc. ;]

1. held in, bound by: with genitive (cl. with dative), δουλείας, Hebrews 2:15.

2. In law-phrases

(a) liable to a charge or action (cl. with dative, of crime): with dative, of the tribunal (MM, Exp., xiii), Matthew 5:21-22; before εἰς (Field, Notes, 4 f.), Matthew 5:22

(b) with genitive, of the punishment (Genesis 26:11): θανάτου, Matthew 26:66, Mark 14:64;

(with) with genitive (cl. with dative„ rarely with prep.; MM, Exp., xiii), of the crime (2Ma.13:6): Mark 3:29;

(d) with genitive, of the thing injured, guilty (absol., in Cl.): 1 Corinthians 11:27, James 2:10 (cf. Isaiah 54:17; DB, ii, 268a).†

(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 Hebrews 2:15

Range of meaning: Literally "held in" (from en + echō). Used in law for someone liable to a penalty, answerable to a court, guilty of an offence, or bound by an obligation. It takes a genitive or dative for the penalty or claim: "liable to death," "liable to judgment."
Against the English: "Subject to" (KJV, WEB, ESV, NASB) is correct in older English, but today it often means "prone to now and then" ("subject to change"). BSB and NIV's "held in slavery" keeps the sense of being held better but loses the legal tone.
How it drifted: In English, "subject to" has weakened from "under the authority of" to "susceptible to."
Used elsewhere in the period: LXX Gen 26:11: whoever touches this man "shall be liable to death" (thanatou enochos). Matt 5:21–22 ("liable to judgment"), Matt 26:66 ("he is liable to death"), Mark 3:29, 1 Cor 11:27, Jas 2:10. Common in papyri for liability under contracts and penalties.

From the study of Matthew 5:22

Range of meaning: Literally 'held in', from ἐνέχω, 'to hold fast'. In legal use: liable, answerable to a court, subject to a penalty, guilty of. It takes the dative of the court (here τῇ κρίσει, τῷ συνεδρίῳ), the genitive of the crime or penalty (e.g. ἔνοχος θανάτου, 'liable to death', Matt 26:66), or, unusually, εἰς with a destination, as in the last clause.
Against the English: KJV 'in danger of' sounds to a modern reader like 'at risk of' something that may or may not happen. BSB 'subject to', ESV 'liable to' and NIV 'subject to / answerable to' keep the courtroom sense better.
How it drifted: In 1611, 'in danger of' could still mean 'within the power or jurisdiction of' (older English daunger = power, control). That sense has died out, so today the KJV phrase sounds probabilistic rather than legal.
Used elsewhere in the period: A common legal term in Greek papyri and inscriptions for being liable to a fine, court or penalty. In the LXX, Gen 26:11 (ἔνοχος θανάτου), Exod 22:2, Num 35:27. In the NT, Matt 26:66; Mark 3:29; 1 Cor 11:27; Jas 2:10.

From the study of James 2:10

Range of meaning: From en + echō, literally 'held in'. In legal Greek it means 'bound by, subject to, liable, answerable'. With the genitive it can name the penalty one is liable to ('liable to death'), the crime ('guilty of an eternal sin') or the party or thing wronged ('answerable for the body and blood of the Lord').
Against the English: English 'guilty' is accurate but tends to sound like a feeling or like 'did it'. 'Guilty of all' easily slides into 'did all of it'. The Greek is closer to 'is liable before all of it' or 'stands charged under the whole law'. BSB and NIV make this stronger by adding 'of breaking', which the Greek does not have.
How it drifted: 'Guilty' has moved in modern English toward an inner emotion ('I feel guilty'). In translations it also pushes the reader toward counting acts committed, not toward a legal standing.
Used elsewhere in the period: NT: Matt 5:21–22 ('liable to judgment', 'liable to the fire'); Matt 26:66 and Mark 14:64 ('liable to death'); Mark 3:29 ('guilty of an eternal sin'); 1 Cor 11:27 ('answerable for the body and blood of the Lord'). In the LXX and papyri it is a normal term for legal liability (BDAG).

Where it appears

Matthew · 5

Matthew 5:21 ἔνοχος liable

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

Here: A legal word: held to account, answerable to, under the power of. It does not mean merely 'at risk of'. The murderer *is* answerable to the court.
Matthew 5:22 ἔνοχος ἔνοχος ἔνοχος liable

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Here: A legal word: held subject to a court or a penalty. The angry person is placed in the same legal position as the murderer of v. 21.
Matthew 26:66 ἔνοχος Deserving

What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered.

Here: A legal word meaning 'held liable for' or 'falls under'. With a penalty in the genitive case it means the person is subject to that penalty. It sorts the case into a legal category: this offence carries death.

Mark · 2

Mark 3:29 ἔνοχός guilty

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”

Here: A courtroom word for being held answerable for something. The person stays bound to the offence, which is the reverse of 'release'.
Mark 14:64 ἔνοχον deserving

You have heard the blasphemy. What is your verdict?” And they all condemned Him as deserving of death.

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 11:27 ἔνοχος guilty

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

Here: A legal word: 'held answerable'. The person who eats this way can be called to account for an offence.

Hebrews · 1

Hebrews 2:15 ἔνοχοι subject

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Here: Literally "held in." This was the ordinary legal word for being liable to a penalty or bound by a claim ("liable to death," "liable to judgment"). Here they are bound over to slavery: legally owned, not just prone to it now and then.

James · 1

James 2:10 ἔνοχος. guilty.

Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Here: A courtroom word: 'liable, answerable to, chargeable'. The person is answerable before the whole law and its Giver. It is a verdict of standing, not a claim that every possible sin was committed.

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