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Word Studies

nomos (G3551) -- "law"

Original: nomos (Greek) Transliteration: nomos Part of Speech: masculine noun Definition: From a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals). A law or rule, especially of the Mosaic code.

Translations in KJV (169 occurrences)

  • "law" -- 95x (56.2%)
  • "the law" -- 49x (29.0%)
  • "of the law" -- 14x (8.3%)
  • Various other forms -- 11x

Usage in Galatians (~32 occurrences)

  • Gal 2:16 -- "works of the law" (x3) -- context: justification
  • Gal 2:19 -- "through the law am dead to the law" (x2)
  • Gal 2:21 -- "if righteousness by the law"
  • Gal 3:2 -- "works of the law"
  • Gal 3:5 -- "works of the law"
  • Gal 3:10 -- "works of the law...book of the law" (x2)
  • Gal 3:11 -- "by the law"
  • Gal 3:12 -- "the law is not of faith"
  • Gal 3:13 -- "curse of the law"
  • Gal 3:17 -- "the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after"
  • Gal 3:18 -- "if the inheritance be of the law"
  • Gal 3:19 -- "Wherefore then serveth the law?" -- "It was added"
  • Gal 3:21 -- "Is the law then against the promises?" -- "if there had been a law given"
  • Gal 3:23 -- "kept under the law"
  • Gal 3:24 -- "the law was our schoolmaster"
  • Gal 4:4 -- "made under the law"
  • Gal 4:5 -- "under the law"
  • Gal 4:21 -- "under the law...hear the law"
  • Gal 5:3 -- "debtor to do the whole law"
  • Gal 5:4 -- "justified by the law"
  • Gal 5:14 -- "all the law is fulfilled"
  • Gal 5:18 -- "not under the law"
  • Gal 5:23 -- "against such there is no law"
  • Gal 6:2 -- "law of Christ"
  • Gal 6:13 -- "keep the law"

Semantic Range in Paul (from law-16 companion study)

Paul uses nomos in at least four distinct senses: 1. Torah/code -- The whole Mosaic legislation as a system 2. Decalogue specifically -- When he quotes specific content (Rom 7:7 = "Thou shalt not covet"; Rom 13:9 = 6th-10th commands) 3. Operating principle -- "law of faith" (Rom 3:27), "law of sin" (Rom 7:23), "law of the Spirit" (Rom 8:2) 4. Pentateuch as Scripture-witness -- Referencing the books of Moses as authoritative text (Rom 3:21)

paidagogos (G3807) -- "schoolmaster"

Original: paidagogos (Greek) Transliteration: paidagogos Part of Speech: masculine noun Definition: From pais (child) and ago (to lead). A boy-leader, a servant who escorted children to school and supervised their conduct. NOT a teacher. BLB Count: 3

Translations in KJV (3 occurrences)

  • "instructors" -- 1x (1 Cor 4:15)
  • "schoolmaster" -- 1x (Gal 3:24)
  • "a schoolmaster" -- 1x (Gal 3:25)

Key Verses

  • 1 Corinthians 4:15 -- "For though ye have ten thousand instructors [paidagogos] in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
  • Galatians 3:24 -- "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [paidagogos] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
  • Galatians 3:25 -- "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [paidagogos]."

Notes

  • The paidagogos was a trusted slave in Greco-Roman households who supervised a child until the child came of age. The role was custodial and disciplinary, not primarily educational.
  • The KJV translation "schoolmaster" is somewhat misleading. The paidagogos did not teach; he conducted the child to the teacher and supervised behavior.
  • The word appears only 3 times in the entire NT -- all in Paul.
  • The role was temporary -- it ended when the child matured ("the time appointed of the father," Gal 4:2).

dikaioo (G1344) -- "justify"

Original: dikaioo (Greek) Transliteration: dikaioo Part of Speech: verb Definition: From dikaios (righteous). To render (show or regard as) just or innocent; to declare righteous; to free. BLB Count: 40

Translations in KJV (43 occurrences)

  • "justified" -- 7x (16.3%)
  • "is justified" -- 4x (9.3%)
  • "be justified" -- 3x (7.0%)
  • "are justified" -- 2x (4.7%)
  • Various other forms -- 27x

Key Galatians Occurrences

  • Gal 2:16 (x3) -- "a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified"
  • Gal 2:17 -- "while we seek to be justified by Christ"
  • Gal 3:8 -- "God would justify the heathen through faith"
  • Gal 3:11 -- "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God"
  • Gal 3:24 -- "that we might be justified by faith"
  • Gal 5:4 -- "whosoever of you are justified by the law"

Key Romans Parallels

  • Rom 3:20 -- "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified"
  • Rom 3:24 -- "Being justified freely by his grace"
  • Rom 3:28 -- "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law"
  • Rom 5:1 -- "being justified by faith, we have peace with God"

eleutheria (G1657) -- "liberty"

Original: eleutheria (Greek) Transliteration: eleutheria Part of Speech: feminine noun Definition: From eleutheros (free). Freedom, liberty -- legitimate or licentious, chiefly moral. BLB Count: 11

Translations in KJV (9 occurrences)

  • "liberty" -- 9x (100%)

All Occurrences

  • Rom 8:21 -- "the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God"
  • 1 Cor 10:29 -- "why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?"
  • 2 Cor 3:17 -- "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"
  • Gal 2:4 -- "spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage"
  • Gal 5:1 -- "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free"
  • Gal 5:13 -- "ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh"
  • Jas 1:25 -- "the perfect law of liberty"
  • Jas 2:12 -- "judged by the law of liberty"
  • 1 Pet 2:16 -- "not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness"
  • 2 Pet 2:19 -- "they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption"

Notes

  • In Galatians, eleutheria appears 3 times (2:4; 5:1; 5:13), all in the context of freedom from the bondage that the Judaizers were attempting to impose.
  • James uses eleutheria combined with nomos: "the perfect law of liberty" (Jas 1:25) and "the law of liberty" (Jas 2:12) -- suggesting that liberty and law are not opposed.

stoicheion (G4747) -- "elements/rudiments"

Original: stoicheion (Greek) Transliteration: stoicheion Part of Speech: neuter noun Definition: From the base of stoichos (orderly arrangement). Something orderly in arrangement -- an element, fundamental component, or rudiment. BLB Count: 7

Translations in KJV (7 occurrences)

  • "elements" -- 2x (28.6%)
  • "rudiments" -- 2x (28.6%)
  • "the elements" -- 2x (28.6%)
  • "principles" -- 1x (14.3%)

All Occurrences

  • Gal 4:3 -- "when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [stoicheion] of the world"
  • Gal 4:9 -- "how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements [stoicheion], whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"
  • Col 2:8 -- "after the tradition of men, after the rudiments [stoicheion] of the world, and not after Christ"
  • Col 2:20 -- "if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments [stoicheion] of the world"
  • Heb 5:12 -- "ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles [stoicheion] of the oracles of God"
  • 2 Pet 3:10 -- "the elements [stoicheion] shall melt with fervent heat"
  • 2 Pet 3:12 -- "the elements [stoicheion] shall melt with fervent heat"

Notes

  • In Galatians 4:3 and 4:9, the "elements of the world" are described as "weak and beggarly" and associated with "bondage."
  • Gal 4:10 immediately follows with "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years" -- connecting stoicheion with calendrical observances.
  • Col 2:8,20 uses the same phrase "rudiments of the world" in a context discussing "handwriting of ordinances" (Col 2:14), meat/drink, holydays, new moons, sabbath days (Col 2:16).
  • The term has a broad semantic range: physical elements (2 Pet 3), basic principles (Heb 5), or religious rudiments/regulations (Gal 4, Col 2).

exagorazo (G1805) -- "redeem"

Original: exagorazo (Greek) Transliteration: exagorazo Part of Speech: verb Definition: From ek (out of) and agorazo (to buy in the marketplace). To buy up, ransom; figuratively, to rescue from loss. BLB Count: 4

Translations in KJV (4 occurrences)

  • "hath redeemed" -- 1x
  • "redeem" -- 1x
  • "Redeeming" -- 1x
  • "redeeming" -- 1x

All Occurrences

  • Gal 3:13 -- "Christ hath redeemed [exagorazo] us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us"
  • Gal 4:5 -- "To redeem [exagorazo] them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons"
  • Eph 5:16 -- "Redeeming [exagorazo] the time, because the days are evil"
  • Col 4:5 -- "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming [exagorazo] the time"

Notes

  • In Galatians, exagorazo is used twice, both in the context of the law:
  • Gal 3:13: Redeemed from "the CURSE of the law" (not from the law itself)
  • Gal 4:5: Redeemed from being "under the law" (the legal system as a means of justification)
  • The marketplace metaphor (ek + agorazo = "to buy out of") implies a purchase price was paid to free someone from a condition.
  • Distinct from lutroo (G3084, "to ransom") and apolutrosis (G629, "redemption").

peritome (G4061) -- "circumcision"

Original: peritome (Greek) Transliteration: peritome Part of Speech: feminine noun Definition: From peritemno (to cut around). Circumcision -- the rite, the condition, or the people. BLB Count: 36

Translations in KJV (32 occurrences)

  • "circumcision" -- 17x (53.1%)
  • "the circumcision" -- 7x (21.9%)
  • "of circumcision" -- 4x (12.5%)
  • Various other forms -- 4x

Galatians Occurrences

  • Gal 2:7 -- "the gospel of the uncircumcision...the circumcision"
  • Gal 2:8 -- "apostleship of the circumcision"
  • Gal 2:9 -- "we unto the heathen, they unto the circumcision"
  • Gal 2:12 -- "fearing them which were of the circumcision"
  • Gal 5:6 -- "in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision"
  • Gal 5:11 -- "if I yet preach circumcision"
  • Gal 6:15 -- "neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision"

Key Parallel

  • 1 Cor 7:19 -- "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."

Notes

  • In Galatians, peritome is THE specific ceremonial practice at issue. The Judaizers were requiring circumcision for salvation (Acts 15:1).
  • Paul uses peritome both for the rite itself and for the party/people ("them of the circumcision").
  • The parallel in 1 Cor 7:19 explicitly distinguishes circumcision from "the commandments of God" -- circumcision is "nothing" while commandment-keeping is affirmed.
  • Gal 5:6 and 6:15 both declare circumcision/uncircumcision to be irrelevant, replacing it with "faith which worketh by love" (5:6) and "a new creature" (6:15).