Greek word · G3723
ὀρθῶς
orthōs
correctly
An adverb from ὀρθός, "straight, upright." It means "correctly, rightly, properly": done in the right way or hitting the mark. It is used of speaking, judging or acting accurately. It is not a moral word for "righteously." It means "accurately".
Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
An adverb from ὀρθός, "straight, upright." It means "correctly, rightly, properly": done in the right way or hitting the mark. It is used of speaking, judging or acting accurately. It is not a moral word for "righteously." It means "accurately".
- Against the English
"Correctly" (BSB, WEB, NASB, NIV) and "right/rightly" (KJV, YLT) are both accurate. KJV's "answered right" can sound to some modern ears like moral approval ("you did right"), but the Greek is about accuracy.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Luke uses it three times. In 7:43 Jesus tells Simon the Pharisee "You have judged rightly" and then turns that correct judgement back on Simon. Here it is the same pattern: an accurate answer that now has to be lived out. In 20:21 Jesus' opponents flatter him: "you speak and teach rightly." In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) and in ordinary Greek it describes correct speech or procedure.
- Range of meaning
'Straight, upright,' and from that 'correctly, rightly.' It is used of judging, answering or speaking accurately, without distortion.
- Against the English
'Rightly' (KJV, YLT) and 'correctly' (BSB) are both accurate. WEB's 'what is right' leans toward moral rightness, while the Greek stresses accuracy, though the two overlap.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Luke uses it of Jesus approving correct answers: Luke 7:43 ('you have judged rightly') and 10:28 ('you have answered rightly'). In the Septuagint, Gen 4:7 (Greek) and Deut 5:28 (the people 'spoke rightly'). Classical Greek uses it of accurate speech and correct reasoning.
- Range of meaning
'Straight, upright', and so 'correctly, rightly, properly'. It can describe right speech (Mark 7:35, 'he spoke plainly'), right teaching (Luke 20:21), or a right answer (Luke 10:28).
- Against the English
'Correctly' and 'rightly' are both accurate. There is no real drift.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Luke 10:28: 'You have answered rightly (ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης); do this and you will live.' It has the same pattern: Jesus approves an answer and then presses its consequence. The Greek Old Testament of Genesis 4:7 uses it of offering 'rightly'.
Similar words
Where it appears
Mark · 1
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Mark 7:35 ὀρθῶς. plainly.
Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.
Luke · 3
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Luke 7:43 ὀρθῶς Rightly
“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Here: Literally 'straight', and so 'correctly'. Luke uses it again when Jesus says to the lawyer, 'You have answered rightly' (10:28). Jesus endorses the answer, and the endorsement sets up what comes next.
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Luke 10:28 ὀρθῶς Correctly
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”
Here: "Straight," "on target." Jesus says plainly that the lawyer's summary of the Law is accurate. The word comes first in its clause for emphasis: correct is exactly what the answer was.
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Luke 20:21 ὀρθῶς rightly
“Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Here: Literally 'straight,' meaning accurately and without bending. It comes first in its clause for emphasis: your speech runs straight.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.