Greek word · G3549

νομοθετέω

nomotheteō

to give laws

To legislate, enact laws. In the passive, of a thing, 'to be enacted'; of persons, 'to be given laws'.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

νομοθετέω, -ῶ

[in LXX for יָרָה hi. ;]

1. intrans., to make laws; pass., to be furnished with laws: Hebrews 7:11.

2. Trans., to ordain by law, enact: pass., Hebrews 8:6.†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: To legislate, enact laws. In the passive, of a thing, 'to be enacted'; of persons, 'to be given laws'.
Against the English: KJV/ESV 'under it the people received the law' makes the priesthood the setting in which the law was given. BSB/NASB 'on this basis' makes it the foundation. NIV reverses the relationship and has the law establish the priesthood, which is true historically but shifts the author's emphasis.
Used elsewhere in the period: Classical Greek for lawgiving (Plato, Aristotle). LXX Ps 24:8, 12; 26:11; 83:7; 118:33, 102, 104 for God 'instructing'. In Hebrews also 8:6, where the new covenant 'has been enacted on better promises' (again ἐπί + a basis).

Range of meaning: To make law, legislate. In the passive, to be legally established or ordained; of persons, to be given law.
Against the English: "Established" (KJV), "founded" (BSB), and "enacted" lose some of the lawmaking color. WEB's "has been given as law" and YLT's "sanctioned" (following the Latin sancitum) keep it.
How it drifted: Translators often smooth the term out, perhaps because "legislated" sounds odd for a covenant of grace. But the legal language is the author's own choice.
Used elsewhere in the period: LXX Exod 24:12 (the law and commandments God wrote "to legislate for them"); Deut 17:10; Ps 24(25):8, 12. In the New Testament only Heb 7:11 and 8:6. In 7:11, "the people received the law (nenomothetētai) on the basis of (epi) it," meaning the Levitical priesthood.

Hebrews · 2

Hebrews 7:11 νενομοθέτηται, has received [the] Law —

Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?

Here: Perfect passive: 'the people has been furnished with law', with the result still standing. The people is the subject; the law was enacted for them, resting on the priesthood.
Hebrews 8:6 νενομοθέτηται. has been enacted.

Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.

Here: Perfect passive: "has been legislated, legally enacted," and stands in force. Lawmaking language is used for the new covenant itself. It echoes 7:11, where the people were "given the law" on the basis of the Levitical priesthood.

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