ἀκατάγνωστος
akatágnōstos
G176 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Not subject to condemnation or censure; not open to just criticism or blame in a moral or legal sense. The core meaning is 'not liable to be condemned by others,' and extends to 'irreproachable,' 'above reproach,' or 'unblamable'—indicating a state or character that does not warrant condemnation by established standards.
Semantic Range
not subject to condemnation, unblamable, irreproachable, not liable to legal or moral censure, above reproach, not open to justified criticism
Root / Etymology
From the negative prefix ἀ- (a-, 'not') and καταγινώσκω (kataginōskō, 'to condemn, to find fault with, to judge against'). The word literally means 'not condemnable' or 'not subject to judgment against.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἀκατάγνωστος is rare, appearing very selectively in Koine literature, such as Acts 23:29 and 25:25, where it characterizes an individual as not found guilty of any charge deserving death or imprisonment. In these legal and forensic contexts, it emphasizes the absence of legitimate grounds for condemnation under law or convention. The standard English renderings like 'unblamable,' 'guiltless,' or 'innocent' capture only part of the sense; in Koine usage, the focus is less on absolute moral status and more on whether an accusation or condemnation stands under established legal or social criteria. The word is closely related to judicial processes (καταγινώσκω being a judicial term for declaring someone guilty). Unlike ἀναίτιος ('without fault or cause'), which emphasizes absence of cause or guilt, ἀκατάγνωστος stresses the aspect of being outside the scope of warranted condemnation. The term is exceedingly rare in earlier Greek, and does not appear (as a simplex or compound) in classical or Septuagintal usage. Its significance in the New Testament reflects the importance of legal acquittal or absence of valid charges in adjudicating status within the community. The English term 'unblamable' does not fully capture the judicial reference to the process of condemnation embodied in the Greek word.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of καταγινώσκω; unblamable:--that cannot be condemned.
Root Family
ἀκατάγνωστος (akatagnōstos) — not condemnable, irreproachable, not subject to censure, unblamable
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G176-01 |
ἀκατάγνωστον | akatagnoston | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
beyond reproach | irreproachable one | irreproachable | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G176-01 |
Titus 2:8 | ἀκατάγνωστον | akatagnoston | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
beyond reproach | irreproachable one | irreproachable |