παρανομέω

I act contrary to law

Definition

The verb παρανομέω means to act contrary to law, to transgress or violate established law. It carries the sense of willfully stepping outside or alongside (παρά) the boundaries of what is lawful. In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 23:3, it describes Paul's accusation against the high priest Ananias for violating the Mosaic Law by ordering him to be struck contrary to the legal procedure. The word implies a deliberate, knowing act of lawbreaking, not mere ignorance or accident.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 23:3. In this context, the Apostle Paul, while on trial before the Sanhedrin, rebukes the high priest Ananias, saying, 'God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law (παρανομῶν) you order me to be struck?' The usage highlights a specific, hypocritical violation of the Jewish law (the Torah) by the very authority figure sworn to uphold it, in a judicial setting.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition παρά (para), meaning 'beside, alongside, against,' combined with the verbal root related to νόμος (nomos), meaning 'law.' Thus, it literally means 'to act beside/against the law.' It is a compound verb emphasizing deviation from a known legal standard. Cognates include the noun παράνομος (paranomos, 'lawless one') and the adjective παράνομος (paranomos, 'lawless').

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it highlights the concept of conscious, authoritative transgression of God's revealed law. In Acts 23:3, it underscores the hypocrisy and corruption of religious leadership that claims to represent God's justice while actively subverting it. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of this passage by sharpening the accusation from a general misdeed to a specific, willful violation of divine statute, contrasting human injustice with God's ultimate judgment.

In the 1st-century Jewish context of Acts, 'law' (νόμος) primarily referred to the Torah—the Mosaic Law given by God. For Paul, a Pharisee trained in the law, to publicly accuse the high priest of 'acting contrary to the law' was a severe charge of religious and civil misconduct. It challenged the high priest's legitimacy and exposed a breach in the very system designed to uphold holiness and justice before God.

ἀνομέω (anomeō, G459) — emphasizes lawlessness as a principle or state of being, often with a moral/spiritual focus. παραβαίνω (parabainō, G3845) — means to transgress or overstep, a more general term for crossing a boundary or command. ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō, G264) — means to miss the mark or sin, a broader term for moral failure not exclusively tied to codified law.

Word Details

Scripture References