ἔννομος
énnomos
G1772 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
possessing or characterized by being within the bounds of law; conforming to or governed by legal or customary requirements; governed by law, legal. The term can describe a person or action as being within the legal framework or structure (either civil or religious law), or as subject to law; in context, particularly in Hellenistic and New Testament usage, it often expresses the quality of adhering to prescribed norms or being regulated by law.
Semantic Range
lawful, within law, governed by law, subject to law, according to custom or established order
Root / Etymology
from the preposition ἐν ('in, within') + νόμος ('law'), literally 'within law' or 'in law'; composed as a compound adjective to describe states or conditions with respect to law.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἔννομος is attested in both classical and Hellenistic Greek, frequently used in legal and philosophical contexts to denote someone or something 'within the law'—that is, not 'outside the law' (ἄνομος). In classical sources, it can refer to that which is lawful, customary, or legally permitted as opposed to what is forbidden. In New Testament usage (e.g., 1 Corinthians 9:21), it describes one who is not independent of law but rather is governed by or adheres to a law—often contrasted with ἄνομος (lawless, outside law). Paul uses the word to clarify his own relationship to divine law as he relates to both Israelite and non-Israelite audiences. Standard English translations render ἔννομος as 'under law' or 'lawful,' but this can obscure the original sense of being incorporated within a legal or normative ordering, rather than simply obeying or not obeying rules. The word should not be conflated directly with terms referring to practitioners of Judaism or specific Torah observance, as it is a broader term for being placed within a system or order of law.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐν and νόμος; (subjectively) legal, or (objectively) subject to:--lawful, under law.
Root Family
ἔννομος (ennomos) — law, custom, statute; within law; governed by law
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1772-02 |
ἔννομος | ennomos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
under law | law-governed one | law-governed one | 1 |
G1772-01 |
ἐννόμῳ | ennomo | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
lawful | within-law (feminine dative singular) | lawful assembly | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1772-01 |
Acts 19:39 | ἐννόμῳ | ennomo | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
lawful | within-law (feminine dative singular) | lawful assembly |
G1772-02 |
1 Corinthians 9:21 | ἔννομος | ennomos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
under law | law-governed one | law-governed one |