Greek word · G2923

κριτής

kritēs

judge

krinō covers a wide range: to separate or distinguish, to evaluate or decide, to hold an opinion, to bring to trial, to pass judgment, to condemn. kritēs is the judge, the one who sits on the bench and gives verdicts. Context decides how strong the word is (BDAG s.v. κρίνω).

Appears 19 times in 17 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κριτής, -οῦ, ὁ

(κρίνω), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁפַט ;]

a judge: Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:14, 58 18:2; τ. ἀδικίας, Luke 18:6; with gem of thing(s) (obj.), Acts 18:15, James 4:11; (qual.), διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν, James 2:4; of a Roman procurator, Acts 24:10; of God, Hebrews 12:23, James 4:12; Christ, Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:8, James 5:9; of those whose conduct is made a standard for judging, Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19; in the OT sense (Judges 2:16, Ruth 1:1, al), of a ruler in Israel, Acts 13:20.†

SYN.: δικάστης, q.v (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 James 4:12

Range of meaning

krinō covers a wide range: to separate or distinguish, to evaluate or decide, to hold an opinion, to bring to trial, to pass judgment, to condemn. kritēs is the judge, the one who sits on the bench and gives verdicts. Context decides how strong the word is (BDAG s.v. κρίνω).

Against the English

English "judge" now often just means "disapprove of" or "have a negative opinion." Here krinō is set right beside kritēs (the Judge) and katalaleō (to speak against, slander, v. 11). It means acting as the court over a fellow believer: issuing a verdict on his standing, usually through talk behind his back.

How it drifted

In popular use the verb has been flattened. "Who are you to judge?" has become a slogan against any moral assessment at all. In James's sentence the picture is courtroom-shaped: a human being taking the bench that belongs to God.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 19:15 LXX commands, "in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor (krineis ton plēsion sou)", and the next verse forbids going about as a slanderer among your people. James draws on this chapter throughout (L. T. Johnson). Rom 14:4 has nearly the same question: "Who are you, the one judging (su tis ei ho krinōn) another's servant?" Matt 7:1 has "Do not judge." James 5:9 uses the noun again: "the Judge is standing at the doors."

From the study of James 5:9

Range of meaning

A judge: one who hears a case and gives the verdict. In Jewish usage it refers above all to God as judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25 LXX, ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν), and in early Christian usage also to the risen Jesus as appointed judge (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:8).

Against the English

The English versions agree on 'judge'. Some capitalise it ('Judge') to signal a divine title, which fits the article and 4:12.

Used elsewhere in the period

Jas 4:12, 'There is one lawgiver and judge'; Jas 2:4, believers who show favouritism become 'judges with evil thoughts'; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:8 ('the Lord, the righteous judge').

From the study of Acts 10:42

Range of meaning

A judge: one who decides a case and gives the verdict. In the LXX it also translates Hebrew shophet, the leaders in the book of Judges, who ruled and rescued as well as settled disputes. Above all, God himself is 'judge' (Psalm 7:11; Genesis 18:25, 'the Judge of all the earth').

Against the English

BSB turns the noun into a verb, 'to judge'. That is accurate in substance, but it loses the sense of a title or office that 'the Judge' (KJV, WEB) keeps.

Used elsewhere in the period

Jewish texts usually kept final judgment for God alone. Some writings, however, picture a God-given figure sharing it: the 'one like a son of man' who receives dominion in Daniel 7:13–14, and the Elect One / Son of Man in 1 Enoch's Similitudes, seated on the throne of glory to judge (1 Enoch 45:3; 61:8; 69:27). Jesus uses this language of himself in Luke 22:69 and Matthew 25:31–32. Compare John 5:22, 27 ('he has given him authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man').

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

  1. Matthew 5:25 κριτῇ, κριτὴς judge,, judge

    Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

    Here: The magistrate who hears the case and gives the ruling.

  2. Matthew 12:27 κριταὶ judges

    And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

Luke · 6

  1. Luke 11:19 κριταὶ judges

    And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

  2. Luke 12:14 κριτὴν a judge

    But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”

    Here: Someone who decides a case. Here that means a civil property dispute, not a criminal trial.

  3. Luke 12:58 κριτήν, κριτής judge,, judge

    Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.

    Here: The one who gives the verdict. It echoes verse 57, 'why don't you judge (krinete) for yourselves': judge the matter yourself now, or a judge will do it for you.

  4. Luke 18:2 κριτής A judge

    “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.

  5. Luke 18:6 κριτὴς judge

    And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge.

Acts · 4

  1. Acts 10:42 κριτὴς [as] judge

    And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.

    Here: The one who hears the case and gives the verdict. Placed without an article, it names the role he has been appointed to: 'as judge'.

  2. Acts 13:20 κριτὰς judges

    All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.

  3. Acts 18:15 κριτὴς a judge

    But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”

    Here: Placed first for emphasis: 'a judge, I will not be'. Gallio is refusing to act as the judicial authority in this case at all.

  4. Acts 24:10 κριτὴν judge

    When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 4:8 κριτής· judge;

    From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.

    Here: Both a courtroom judge and a referee who awards prizes at the games. Paul is in the hands of a Roman court, but the verdict that counts is this judge's.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 12:23 κριτῇ to [the] judge

    in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

    Here: The one who rules and passes verdicts. The word comes first in the Greek, so it is stressed: 'to a Judge, the God of all'. Hebrews means this seriously (10:30–31; 12:25–29).

James · 4

  1. James 2:4 κριταὶ judges

    have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

    Here: A person who hands down a verdict. Without meaning to, the ushers in 2:3 have held a little court and passed sentence on two people based on their clothes.

  2. James 4:11 κριτής. a judge.

    Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.

    Here: The punchline. The two Greek words ring alike (poiētēs / kritēs): you have stopped being a doer and made yourself a judge, the role 4:12 reserves for God alone.

  3. James 4:12 κριτὴς Judge

    There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

    Here: The one who gives the verdict and passes sentence. This picks up the end of v. 11 ("you are not a doer of the law but a judge"): the role the slanderer has taken for himself belongs to God alone.

  4. James 5:9 κριτὴς Judge

    Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

    Here: The Judge with authority to give the verdict. This plays on 'be judged' just before: you set yourselves up as judges of each other, but the real Judge is already here.

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