ὑπόδικος
hypódikos
G5267 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Subject (to justice), liable to judgment or punishment; used of one who is answerable to a court or authority for wrongdoing, implying legal responsibility or culpability, and thus facing potential judgment or penalty. In broader contexts, may refer to being subject to charges or accusations rather than already convicted, though often with a strong sense of guilt or condemnation.
Semantic Range
subject to justice, liable to judgment, answerable under the law, exposed to prosecution, guilty (in the sense of being under condemnation or judicial threat)
Root / Etymology
From ὑπό (under) and δίκη (justice, penalty, legal right), meaning 'under justice' or 'subject to judgment'. Formation is transparent and reflects a legal status in judicial proceedings. Not derived from non-Greek sources.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ὑπόδικος occurs sparingly in extant Greek literature and appears primarily in legal contexts. In classical and Hellenistic usage, it denotes someone who is 'subject to judicial process,' 'liable to indictment,' or 'accountable to justice.' In the New Testament (e.g., Romans 3:19), it carries the sense of 'accountable' or 'answerable' before a legal (divine or human) tribunal, emphasizing liability or exposure to prosecution rather than final judgment. English translations often render the term as 'guilty,' but the nuance is being under judicial threat or pending liability, not necessarily proven guilt or actual condemnation. The focus is on the status of being answerable or liable to penalty. No significant semantic shift between classical and Koine usage is attested, though the word remains relatively rare in Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ὑπό and δίκη; under sentence, i.e. (by implication) condemned:--guilty.
Root Family
ὑπόδικος (hypodikos) — under judgment, liable, answerable
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5267-01 |
ὑπόδικος | upodikos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
guilty | answerable under judgment | answerable under judgment | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5267-01 |
Romans 3:19 | ὑπόδικος | upodikos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
guilty | answerable under judgment | answerable under judgment |