ἀνομία

lawlessness, iniquity

Definition

ἀνομία fundamentally means 'lawlessness' or 'iniquity,' describing a state of being without law or in violation of divine law. It signifies active rebellion against God's will, not merely ignorance or accidental transgression. In Matthew 7:23, Jesus condemns those who practice lawlessness, while in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, it is personified as a hidden power of rebellion. The word can also denote the collective manifestation of sin and wickedness in the world, as seen in Matthew 24:12 where love grows cold because lawlessness increases.

Biblical Usage

ἀνομία is used throughout the New Testament, primarily in the Gospels and Pauline epistles, to describe deliberate sin and opposition to God's order. In Matthew's Gospel, it is a key term for the hypocrisy of the religious leaders (Matthew 23:28) and the evil that will be removed at the final judgment (Matthew 13:41). Paul uses it to describe the universal human condition apart from Christ (Romans 6:19) and to contrast righteousness with wickedness (2 Corinthians 6:14). It consistently carries a weighty, active sense of rebellion.

Etymology

Derived from the alpha-privative ἀν- (meaning 'not' or 'without') and νόμος (nomos, G3551, meaning 'law'). Literally, it means 'without law' or 'lawlessness.' The root concept is the absence or violation of an established standard, which in the biblical context is almost always God's law. Its meaning developed from a general sense of illegality to the specific theological concept of sin as active opposition to God's will.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically crucial as it defines sin not just as individual acts but as a foundational principle of rebellion against God's authority. It highlights that sin is, at its core, a rejection of God's law and rightful rule. Understanding ἀνομία enriches reading by clarifying that salvation in Christ is deliverance from this power of lawlessness (Romans 6:14, 19) into a life under grace. It is central to the biblical theme of the conflict between God's kingdom and the power of evil.

In the Greco-Roman world, 'law' (nomos) was a central concept for social order and cosmic harmony. To be 'without law' (anomos) could imply being uncivilized, chaotic, or immoral. For Jewish readers influenced by the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), ἀνομία carried the strong prophetic connotation of covenant-breaking and idolatry, a direct violation of Torah. This dual background—Greek and Jewish—intensifies its meaning as a fundamental rejection of divine order.

ἁμαρτία (hamartia, G266) — a broader term for 'sin' as missing the mark or falling short. ἀνομία is a specific subset, sin as willful law-breaking. παράβασις (parabasis, G3847) — 'transgression,' a crossing over a known boundary. ἀνομία emphasizes the state of being lawless. ἀδικία (adikia, G93) — 'unrighteousness' or 'injustice'; focuses on unfairness, while ἀνομία focuses on violation of law.

Word Details

Scripture References