ἐπικατάρατος

accursed

Definition

The adjective ἐπικατάρατος describes someone or something that is under a divine curse, specifically one that has been invoked or pronounced upon them. It conveys a state of being accursed, doomed to destruction, and cut off from God's favor. In Galatians 3:10, it refers to the condition of everyone who fails to keep the entire Mosaic Law, being under the curse the Law pronounces. In Galatians 3:13, the term is applied to Christ Himself, who 'became a curse for us' by being hanged on a tree, thereby redeeming believers from that curse. In John 7:49, the Pharisees use it to describe the 'accursed' crowd who do not know the Law.

Biblical Usage

This word is used three times in the New Testament, exclusively in contexts discussing the Law's curse and redemption from it. It appears in the Gospel of John (John 7:49) where the religious leaders contemptuously label the common people as 'accursed' for their ignorance. Its primary theological usage is in Paul's letter to the Galatians (Galatians 3:10, 3:13), where he argues that Christ bore the Law's curse to secure blessing for those who have faith.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἐπί (epi, meaning 'upon' or 'over') combined with κατάρατος (kataratos, meaning 'accursed' or 'cursed'). Κατάρατος itself comes from κατά (kata, 'down') and ἀρά (ara, 'prayer' or 'curse'). Thus, ἐπικατάρατος intensifies the idea, indicating a curse that rests or is laid upon someone.

Semantic Range

This word is central to understanding the biblical concepts of law, curse, and redemption. It highlights the serious consequence of failing to meet God's perfect standard (Galatians 3:10) and the glorious truth of substitutionary atonement, where Christ voluntarily became 'accursed' in the place of sinners (Galatians 3:13). Grasping this term enriches the reading of passages about salvation by clarifying that Christ's work involved bearing the full judicial curse of the broken Law to secure justification by faith.

In a first-century Jewish context, being 'accursed' (especially as used in John 7:49) meant being socially and religiously ostracized, considered outside God's covenant people and under divine condemnation. The concept of a curse was tied directly to the covenant stipulations of the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 27-28). Paul's argument in Galatians leverages this understanding, showing that Christ's crucifixion (being 'hanged on a tree') was understood as a sign of being under God's curse (Deuteronomy 21:23).

κατάρα (katara, G2671) — the noun 'curse' itself, the imprecation or malediction, whereas ἐπικατάρατος is the adjective describing the state of being under that curse. ἀνάθεμα (anathema, G331) — another word for 'accursed' or 'devoted to destruction,' often used in contexts of being set apart for divine judgment (e.g., 1 Corinthians 16:22).

Word Details

Scripture References