Greek word · G6048
καταδίκη
katadikē
judgment
A judgment against someone: condemnation, a guilty sentence, sometimes the fine or penalty itself. It is formed from kata ('against') and dikē ('justice, judgment, penalty').
Appears once in 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
A judgment against someone: condemnation, a guilty sentence, sometimes the fine or penalty itself. It is formed from kata ('against') and dikē ('justice, judgment, penalty').
- Against the English
BSB 'a judgment' and KJV 'judgment' are neutral, as if any decision would do. NIV's 'that he be condemned' and ESV's 'a sentence of condemnation' bring out the hostile direction. WEB 'a sentence' falls in between.
- How it drifted
KJV 'judgment' follows the later reading dikē. A modern reader hears 'judgment' as 'a decision' or even 'an opinion', which loses the point that a guilty verdict was demanded.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In Greek legal papyri it is common for a sentence or fine imposed on someone. Wisdom 12:27 uses it of the condemnation that came on the Egyptians. In the New Testament it appears only here (the cognate verb katadikazō occurs at Matthew 12:7, 37; Luke 6:37; James 5:6).
Similar words
Where it appears
Acts · 1
-
Acts 25:15 καταδίκην· penalty;
While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.
Here: A verdict of guilt with its penalty. They asked for a guilty verdict outright, not for a hearing or an investigation. That request is exactly what v.16 says Roman practice refuses.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.