Lexical Summary krinó: To judge, to decide, to determine Original Word: κρίνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance decree, determine, judgeProperly, to distinguish, i.e. Decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish -- avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think. HELPS Word-studies 2919 krínō – properly, to separate (distinguish), i.e. judge; come to a choice (decision, judgment) by making a judgment – either positive (a verdict in favor of) or negative (which rejects or condemns). J. Thayer comments that "the proper meaning of 2919 (krínō) is to pick out (choose) by separating" (as also used in Homer, Herodotus, Aeschyl., Xenophon, Plato). 2919 /krínō ("distinguish, judge") typically refers to making a determination of right or wrong (innocence or guilt), especially on an official (legal) standard. We only judge (2919 /krínō) accurately by intelligent comparison and contrast based on God's word, i.e. to approve (prefer) what is correct and reject what is inferior (wrong). [2919 (krínō) is used of "bringing to trial" (the trying of fact) in a court of law. 2919 (krinō) originally meant "separate." So Homer, of Ceres separating the grain from the chaff (Iliad, v, 501). Thence, 'to distinguish, to pick out, to be of opinion, to judge' " (WS, 418).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to judge, decide NASB Translation act as...judge (1), concluded (1), condemn (1), condemning (1), considered (1), decided (8), determine (1), determined (2), go to law (1), goes to law (1), judge (42), judged (25), judges (10), judging (5), judgment (1), pass judgment (1), passes judgment (1), passing judgment (1), pronounced (1), regards (2), stand trial (2), sue (1), trial (3), tried (1), try (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2919: κρίνωκρίνω; future κρίνω; 1 aorist ἔκρινα; perfect κέκρικα; 3 person singular pluperfect, without augment (Winers Grammar, § 12, 9; (Buttmann, 33 (29))), κεκρίκει (Acts 20:16 G L T Tr WH); passive, present κρίνομαι; imperfect ἐκρινομην; perfect κεκριμαι; 1 aorist ἐκριθην (cf. Buttmann, 52 (45)); 1 future κριθήσομαι; the Sept. for שָׁפַט, and also for דּוּן and רִיב; Latincerno, i. e. 1. to separate, put asunder; to pick out, select, choose (Homer, Herodotus, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Xenophon, Plato, others; μετά νεανίσκων ἀρίστων κεκριμένων (chosen, picked), 2 Macc. 13:15; κεκρίμενοι ἄρχοντες, Josephus, Antiquities 11, 3, 10); hence, 2. to approve, esteem: ἡμέραν παῥ ἡμέραν, one day above another, i. e. to prefer (see παρά, III. 2 b.), Romans 14:5 (so τί πρό τίνος, Plato, Phil., p. 57 e.; τόν Ἀπολλῶ πρό Μαρσυου, rep. 3, p. 399{e}.); πᾶσαν ἡμέραν, to esteem every day, i. e. hold it sacred, ibid. 3. to be of opinion, deem, think: ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας, thou hast decided (judged) correctly, Luke 7:43; followed by an infinitive Acts 15:19; followed by a direct question, 1 Corinthians 11:13; τοῦτο, ὅτι etc. to be of opinion etc. 2 Corinthians 5:14; followed by the accusative with an infinitive Acts 16:15; τινα or τί followed by a predicate accusative, κρίνειν τινα ἄξιον τίνος, to judge one (to be) worthy of a thing, Acts 13:46; ἄπιστον κρίνεται, Acts 26:8. 4. to determine, resolve, decree: τί, 1 Corinthians 7:37 (κρῖναι τί καί πρόθεσθαι, Polybius 3, 6, 7; τό κρίθεν, which one has determined on, one's resolve, 5, 52, 6; 9, 13, 7; τοῖς κριθεισι ἐμμένειν δεῖ, Epictetus diss. 2, 15, 7ff); δόγματα, passive (the decrees that had been ordained (cf. A. V.)), Acts 16:4; τοῦτο κρίνατε, followed by an infinitive preceded by the article τό, Romans 14:13; also with ἐμαυτῷ added, for myself i. e. for my own benefit (lest I should prepare grief for myself by being compelled to grieve you), 2 Corinthians 2:1; followed by an infinitive, Acts 20:16; Acts 25:25; 1 Corinthians 2:2 G L T Tr WH ((see below)); 5. to judge; a. to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong; α. in a forensic sense ((differing from δικάζειν, the official term, in giving prominence to the intellectual process, the sifting and weighing of evidence)), of a human judge: τινα, to give a decision respecting one, John 7:51; κατά τόν νόμον, John 18:31; Acts 23:3; Acts 24:6 Rec.; the substance of the decision is added in an infinitive, Acts 3:13; passive to be judged, i. e. summoned to trial that one's case may be examined and judgment passed upon it, Acts 25:10; Acts 26:6; Romans 3:4 (from Psalm 50:6 b. to pronounce judgment; to subject to censure; of those who act the part of judges or arbiters in the matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds and words of others: universally, and without case, John 8:16, 26; κατά τί, John 8:15; κατ' ὄψιν, John 7:24; ἐν κρίματι τίνι κρίνειν, Matthew 7:2; τινα, passive (with the nominative of person), Romans 3:7; ἐκ τοῦ στόματος σου κρίνω σε, out of thine own mouth (i. e. from what thou hast just said) will I take the judgment that must be passed on thee, Luke 19:22; τί, 1 Corinthians 10:15; passive, 1 Corinthians 10:29; τό δίκαιον, Luke 12:57; followed by εἰ, whether, Acts 4:19; with the accusative of the substance of the judgment: τί i. e. κρίσιν τινα, 1 Corinthians 4:5; κρίσιν κρίνειν (Plato, rep. 2, p. 360 d.) δικαίαν (cf. Buttmann, § 131, 5), John 7:24 (ἀληθινήν καί δικαίαν, Tobit 3:2; κρίσεις ἀδίκους, Susanna 53); of the disciplinary judgment to which Christians subject the conduct of their fellows, passing censure upon them as the facts require, 1 Corinthians 5:12; of those who judge severely (unfairly), finding fault with this or that in others, Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; Romans 2:1; τινα, Romans 2:1, 3; Romans 14:3f, 10, 13; followed by ἐν with the dative of the thing, Colossians 2:16; Romans 14:22; hence equivalent to to condemn: Romans 2:27; James 4:11f. 6. Hebraistically equivalent to to rule, govern; to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions, because it was the prerogative of kings and rulers to pass judgment: Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30 (τόν λαόν, 2 Kings 15:5; 1 Macc. 9:73; Josephus, Antiquities 5, 3, 3; οἱ κρίνοντες τήν γῆν, Psalm 2:10; Sap. i. 1; cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, iii., p. 1463f). 7. Passive and middle to contend together, of warriors and combatants (Homer, Diodorus, others); to dispute (Herodotus 3, 120; Aristophanes nub. 66); in a forensic sense, to go to law, have a suit at law: with the dative of the person with whom (Winer's Grammar, § 31, 1 g.), Matthew 5:40 (Job 9:3; Job 13:19; Euripides, Med. 609); followed by μετά with the genitive of the person with whom one goes to law, and ἐπί; with the genitive of the judge, 1 Corinthians 6: (1), 6. (Compare: ἀνακρίνω, ἀποκρίνω, ἀνταποκρίνω (ἀνταποκρίνομαι), διακρίνω, ἐνκρίνω, ἐπικρίνω, κατακρίνω, συνκρίνω, ὑποκρίνω (ὑποκρίνομαι), συνυποκρίνω (συνυποκρίνομαι).) With one hundred fifteen occurrences, κρίνω threads through every stratum of New Testament thought—from the Synoptic Gospels to Revelation. It appears in narrative (Luke 7:43), didactic (Romans 2:1), pastoral (Titus 3:12), and apocalyptic settings (Revelation 20:12-13). Context determines whether the idea is (1) rendering a legal verdict, (2) making a moral evaluation, (3) exercising spiritual discernment, or (4) referring to God’s ultimate assize. Divine Judgment The New Testament consistently presents God as the perfectly righteous Judge. “On the day when God judges the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:16) expresses both certainty and universality. Revelation repeatedly places κρίνω on God’s lips or in heavenly doxologies: “You are just, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have judged these things” (Revelation 16:5). Such uses reinforce divine holiness and vindication of His people (Revelation 6:10; 19:2). Messianic Authority to Judge All ultimate adjudication has been entrusted to the Son (John 5:22). This stewardship is climactically announced in Acts 17:31: “He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed.” The Gospels anticipate this authority (John 5:30; 12:48), and Revelation depicts its execution (19:11). Eschatological Judgment and the Final Assize κρίνω dominates the last pages of Scripture. At the great white throne “the dead were judged according to their deeds” (Revelation 20:12-13). The same verb describes the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18:8, 20) and the rewarding of God’s servants (11:18). These passages ground Christian eschatology in a future, public, irreversible judgment that vindicates righteousness and punishes evil. Human Courts and Civil Proceedings The narrative sections of Acts illustrate κρίνω in Roman and Jewish legal contexts (Acts 25:10, 25; 26:8; 27:1). Paul navigates these courts without denying their legitimacy, yet he appeals ultimately to God’s bar of justice (Acts 24:21). The verb thus frames a theology of civil authority that is provisional and accountable to God. Judgment Within the Church Paul employs κρίνω for ecclesial discipline and arbitration. Believers are expected to settle disputes internally (1 Corinthians 6:1-6) and even “judge angels” (6:3). Church courts must guard purity (5:3, 12-13) while avoiding censoriousness (Romans 14:3, 13). Titus 3:12 shows κρίνω guiding strategic ministry decisions: “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to winter there.” Personal Discernment and Self-Examination Self-judgment is commended as preventive discipline: “If we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment” (1 Corinthians 11:31). This discerning self-scrutiny contrasts with the worldly mind that is “condemned by what it approves” (Romans 14:22). Prohibition of Hypocritical Judgment Jesus’ injunction “Do not judge, or you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37) forbids self-righteous condemnation, not moral discernment. The same discourse commands, “First remove the plank from your own eye” (Matthew 7:5), highlighting motive and consistency rather than suspending ethical evaluation. John 7:24 balances the command: “Stop judging by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment.” Ethical and Pastoral Implications 1. Humility: Romans 2:1 indicts those who judge others while practicing the same sins. Historical Background κρίνω draws imagery from both Jewish and Greco-Roman jurisprudence. In the Sanhedrin, verdicts were rendered by elders; in Roman fora, procurators like Festus “decided” cases (Acts 25:20). The New Testament appropriates this legal vocabulary to describe cosmic realities, thereby translating everyday courtroom experience into theological expectancy. Related Concepts and Vocabulary • διάκρισις (discernment) and ἀνακρίνω (examine) develop the evaluative nuance. Summary κρίνω integrates the entire biblical drama: creation’s moral order, the cross as the turning point of judgment (John 12:31), the Spirit-empowered discernment of believers, and the climactic throne where every knee will bow. Used of God, Christ, civil authorities, church leaders, and individual believers, the verb summons the reader to sober self-examination, active discernment, and steadfast hope in God’s final, righteous verdict. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 5:40 V-ANPGRK: θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι καὶ τὸν NAS: If anyone wants to sue you and take KJV: sue thee at the law, and take away INT: would from you sue you and the Matthew 7:1 V-PMA-2P Matthew 7:1 V-ASP-2P Matthew 7:2 V-PIA-2P Matthew 7:2 V-FIP-2P Matthew 19:28 V-PPA-NMP Luke 6:37 V-PMA-2P Luke 6:37 V-ASP-2P Luke 7:43 V-AIA-2S Luke 12:57 V-PIA-2P Luke 19:22 V-FIA-1S Luke 22:30 V-PPA-NMP John 3:17 V-PSA-3S John 3:18 V-PIM/P-3S John 3:18 V-RIM/P-3S John 5:22 V-PIA-3S John 5:30 V-PIA-1S John 7:24 V-PMA-2P John 7:24 V-PMA-2P John 7:51 V-PIA-3S John 8:15 V-PIA-2P John 8:15 V-PIA-1S John 8:16 V-PSA-1S John 8:26 V-PNA John 8:50 V-PPA-NMS Strong's Greek 2919 |
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