ἀναμάρτητος
anamártētos
G361 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Without sin, free from wrongdoing or fault. The term denotes the state of not having committed sin or error, either generally (as a moral, ritual, or legal reality) or in a particular circumstance. While its core meaning is the absence of sin, context can indicate an idealized or emphatic claim of blamelessness.
Semantic Range
without sin, free from wrongdoing, free from fault or blame, not having committed error, sinless, blameless (in moral, ritual, or legal context)
Root / Etymology
From the negative prefix ἀ- (an-, expressing negation) and the adjective ἁμαρτητός, which itself is derived from ἁμαρτάνω ('to sin,' 'to miss the mark'). The construction ἀναμάρτητος thus means 'not having sinned' or 'without sin.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἀναμάρτητος is attested in Koine Greek, including the New Testament (e.g., John 8:7), and occurs rarely in other Greek literature. It is primarily used to make a categorical statement about absence of sin or fault, often in legal or rhetorical settings to assert innocence or blamelessness. In the context of John 8:7, it expresses the condition of being free from sin as a prerequisite for judgment. Classical Greek more frequently used ἀναμάρτητος in legal or philosophical contexts for errorlessness or blamelessness, though the term is comparatively rare before the Hellenistic period. Septuagint usage is limited, with terms like ἄμωμος or ἄμεμπτος more commonly denoting blamelessness or innocence in biblical Greek. English translations typically render ἀναμάρτητος as 'without sin' or 'sinless,' but these may flatten the nuance around absence of blame or accusation—critical in both legal and ethical settings in Greek usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of ἁμαρτάνω; sinless:--that is without sin.
Root Family
ἀναμάρτητος (anamartētos) — without sin, not having sinned, free from wrongdoing, free from fault
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G361-01 |
ἀναμάρτητος | anamartetos | ADJ.A NOM M SG |
without sin | sinless (masculine singular) | sinless one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G361-01 |
John 8:7 | ἀναμάρτητος | anamartetos | ADJ.A NOM M SG |
without sin | sinless (masculine singular) | sinless one |