ἀκατάκριτος
akatákritos
G178 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Not subject to judicial decision or condemnation; not legally judged or sentenced. The primary meaning is to be in a state in which no official verdict or formal condemnation has been rendered. Contextually, it often refers to a person who has not yet undergone legal examination or verdict, especially in a Roman judicial context.
Semantic Range
not condemned, not judged guilty, not subject to a verdict, not yet tried in court, without sentence, lacking official condemnation
Root / Etymology
From the alpha privative (ἀ-) meaning 'not', and the adjective κριτός ('judged'), itself from κρίνω ('to judge', 'to decide'), with the prefix κατα- ('down, against') in κατακρίνω ('to condemn', 'to judge guilty'). ἀκατάκριτος thus literally means 'not condemned' or 'not judged (guilty)'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἀκατάκριτος is very rare in classical Greek and is primarily found in Hellenistic and Roman-era legal and administrative contexts. In the Septuagint, the word is not attested, while in the New Testament it appears in legal or forensic scenes (e.g., Acts 16:37, 22:25, 23:29, and 25:25), typically describing someone not yet formally condemned by a court or official proceeding. In such passages, it emphasizes that the individual has not received a formal guilty verdict, especially by Roman authorities. English translations often use 'uncondemned' or 'without trial,' but these terms may not fully express the nuance: the word points to the absence of a formal legal process culminating in condemnation, more than mere innocence. The emphasis is on the procedural aspect—no legitimate condemnation has yet occurred, regardless of guilt or innocence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of κατακρίνω; without (legal) trial:--uncondemned.
Root Family
ἀκατάκριτος (akatákritos) — to judge, to condemn; not condemned, not judged guilty
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G178-02 |
ἀκατακρίτους | akatakritous | ADJ.A ACC M PL |
uncondemned | uncondemned ones | 1 | |
G178-01 |
ἀκατάκριτον | akatakriton | ADJ.A ACC M SG |
uncondemned | not condemned | uncondemned | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G178-02 |
Acts 16:37 | ἀκατακρίτους | akatakritous | ADJ.A ACC M PL |
uncondemned | uncondemned ones | |
G178-01 |
Acts 22:25 | ἀκατάκριτον | akatakriton | ADJ.A ACC M SG |
uncondemned | not condemned | uncondemned |