Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

International Standard Version

1 Timothy 1:9

that is, if he understands that the law is not intended for righteousinnocent">[fn] people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people,Galatians 3:19; 5:23;">[xr]

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Falsehood;   False Teachers;   Homicide;   Law;   Perjury;   Sodomy;   Wicked (People);   Scofield Reference Index - Law of Moses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Disobedience;   Godless;   Godlessness;   Law;   Obedience-Disobedience;   Purpose;   Righteous-Wicked;   Righteousness-Unrighteousness;   Ungodly;   The Topic Concordance - Disobedience;   Law;   Lying/lies;   Righteousness;   Sexual Activities;   Sin;   Ungodliness;   Violence;   Whoredom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Call of God, the;   Doctrines of the Gospel, the;   Holiness;   Murder;   Sin;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Law;   Timothy, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Atonement;   Ministry, Gospel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Decalogue;   Lie;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Father;   Timothy, the First Epistle to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Sinner;   1 Timothy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Commandment;   Enoch Book of;   Holiness Purity;   Law;   Paul;   Profane ;   Profaning, Profanity;   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   Ungodliness ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Lawless;   Sin;   41 Common Unclean Defiled Profane;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Father;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crime;   Disobedience;   Lawless;   Manslayer;   Murder;   Pastoral Epistles, the;   Profane;   Sinner;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 24;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We also know that the law is not made for those who do what is right. It is made for those who are against the law and refuse to follow it. The law is for sinners who are against God and all that is pleasing to him. It is for those who have no interest in spiritual things and for those who kill their fathers or mothers or anyone else.
Revised Standard Version
understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
vnderstondinge this how yt the lawe is not geven vnto a righteous man bu vnto the vnrighteous and disobediet to the vngodly and to synners to vnholy and vnclean to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers to manslears
Hebrew Names Version
as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
New American Standard Bible
realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
New Century Version
We also know that the law is not made for good people but for those who are against the law and for those who refuse to follow it. It is for people who are against God and are sinful, who are unholy and ungodly, who kill their fathers and mothers, who murder,
Update Bible Version
as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Webster's Bible Translation
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for man-slayers,
English Standard Version
understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
World English Bible
as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Knowing this, that the law doth not lie against a righteous man; but against the lawless and disobedient, against the ungodly and sinners, the unholy and prophane, against killers of their fathers or their mothers, against murderers,
Weymouth's New Testament
and remembers that a law is not enacted to control a righteous man, but for the lawless and rebellious, the irreligious and sinful, the godless and profane--for those who strike their fathers or their mothers, for murderers,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and witinge this thing, that the lawe is not set to a iust man, but to vniust men and not suget, to wickid men and to synneris, to cursid men and defoulid, to sleeris of fadir, and sleeris of modir, to `men sleeris and lechouris,
English Revised Version
as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Berean Standard Bible
We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
Contemporary English Version
We also understand that it wasn't given to control people who please God, but to control lawbreakers, criminals, godless people, and sinners. It is for wicked and evil people, and for murderers, who would even kill their own parents.
Amplified Bible
understanding the fact that law is not enacted for the righteous person [the one in right standing with God], but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
American Standard Version
as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Bible in Basic English
With the knowledge that the law is made, not for the upright man, but for those who have no respect for law and order, for evil men and sinners, for the unholy and those who have no religion, for those who put their fathers or mothers to death, for takers of life,
Complete Jewish Bible
We are aware that Torah is not for a person who is righteous, but for those who are heedless of Torah and rebellious, ungodly and sinful, wicked and worldly, for people who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
Darby Translation
knowing this, that law has not its application to a righteous person, but to [the] lawless and insubordinate, to [the] impious and sinful, to [the] unholy and profane, to smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers; to murderers,
Etheridge Translation
knowing that against the righteous the law is not set, but against the evil, and rebels, and the wicked, and sinners, and the dishonest, and those who are not pure, and those who strike their fathers, and those who strike their mothers, and murderers,
Murdock Translation
he knowing that the law was not established for the righteous, but for the evil, and the rebellious, and the ungodly, and the sinful, and the perverse and for the impure, and for smiters of their fathers and smiters of their mothers, and for murderers,
King James Version (1611)
Knowing this, that the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawlesse and disobedient, for the vngodly, and for sinners, for vnholy, and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
New Living Translation
For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.
New Life Bible
We must remember the Law is not for the person who is right with God. It is for those who do not obey anybody or anything. It is for the sinners who hate God and speak against Him. It is for those who kill their fathers and mothers and for those who kill other people.
New Revised Standard
This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Knowing this, that the Lawe is not giuen vnto a righteous man, but vnto the lawles and disobedient, to the vngodly, and to sinners, to the vnholy, and to the prophane, to murtherers of fathers and mothers, to manslayers,
George Lamsa Translation
Knowing this, that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the wicked and rebellious, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for the profane and unholy, for those who abuse their fathers and ill-treat their mothers, for murderers,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Knowing this - that, to a righteous man, law, doth not apply, but to the lawless and insubordinate, ungodly and sinful, irreligious and profane, smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers, murderers,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Knowing this: That the law is not made for the just man but for the unjust and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the wicked and defiled, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Knowyng this, that the lawe is not geuen vnto a ryghteous man, but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient, to the vngodly and to sinners, to vnholy and vncleane, to murtherers of fathers & murtherers of mothers, to manslears,
Good News Translation
It must be remembered, of course, that laws are made, not for good people, but for lawbreakers and criminals, for the godless and sinful, for those who are not religious or spiritual, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
Christian Standard Bible®
We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
King James Version
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Lexham English Bible
knowing this, that the law is not given for a righteous person but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and totally worldly, for the one who kills his father and the one who kills his mother, for murderers,
Literal Translation
knowing this, that Law is not laid down for a righteous one, but for lawless and undisciplined ones, for ungodly and sinful ones, for unholy and profane ones, for slayers of fathers and slayers of mothers, for murderers,
Young's Literal Translation
having known this, that for a righteous man law is not set, but for lawless and insubordinate persons, ungodly and sinners, impious and profane, parricides and matricides, men-slayers,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
vnderstodinge this, that the lawe is not geuen vnto the righteous, but to the vnrighteous & dishobedient, to the vngodly & to synners, to the vnholy & vncleane, to murthurers of fathers and murthurers of mothers, to manslayers,
Mace New Testament (1729)
it being plain, that the law was not design'd against the just, but against the lawless and refractory, against irreligion and vice, impiety and prophaneness, parricide and man-slaughter,
New English Translation
realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
New King James Version
knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Simplified Cowboy Version
But it wasn't intended to bash believers with, it was to show how ornery and rebellious cowboys were by nature. No one accidentally follows God. We are all ungodly and full of sin. But these people hold nothing sacred. They'd kill their own moms and dads if it'd save their own hides.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers
Legacy Standard Bible
knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and godless, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

Contextual Overview

5 The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.Romans 13:8,10; Galatians 5:14; 2 Timothy 2:22;">[xr] 6 Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to fruitless discussion.1 Timothy 6:4,20;">[xr] 7 They want to be teachers of the law, yet they do not understand either what they are talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.1 Timothy 6:4;">[xr] 8 Of course, we know that the law is good if a person uses it legitimately,Romans 7:12;">[xr] 9 that is, if he understands that the law is not intended for righteousinnocent">[fn] people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people,Galatians 3:19; 5:23;">[xr] 10 for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,slave traders">[fn] for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1;">[xr] 11 that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 2:7; Colossians 1:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Timothy 2:7; 6:15; 2 Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:3;">[xr]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the law: Romans 4:13, Romans 5:20, Romans 6:14, Galatians 3:10-14, Galatians 3:19, Galatians 5:23

the lawless: 2 Thessalonians 2:8,*Gr.

disobedient: Romans 1:30, Titus 1:16, Titus 3:3, Hebrews 11:31, 1 Peter 2:7, 1 Peter 3:20

the ungodly: 1 Peter 4:18

profane: Jeremiah 23:11, Ezekiel 21:25, Hebrews 12:16

murderers: Leviticus 20:9, Deuteronomy 27:16, 2 Samuel 16:11, 2 Samuel 17:1-4, 2 Kings 19:37, 2 Chronicles 32:21, Proverbs 20:20, Proverbs 28:24, Proverbs 30:11, Proverbs 30:17, Matthew 10:21

manslayers: Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13, Exodus 21:14, Numbers 35:30-33, Deuteronomy 21:6-9, Proverbs 28:17, Galatians 5:21, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:15 - General Zechariah 5:3 - sweareth Luke 7:37 - which Romans 3:10 - none Romans 5:6 - ungodly 1 Corinthians 6:9 - unrighteous 1 Corinthians 14:22 - not to Galatians 5:19 - Adultery 1 Timothy 6:9 - which 2 Peter 1:20 - Knowing 2 Peter 2:8 - that

Cross-References

2 Peter 3:5
But they deliberately ignore the fact that long ago the heavens existed and the earth was formed by God's word out of water and with water,Genesis 1:6,9; Psalm 24:2; 33:6; 136:6; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 11:3;">[xr]
Revelation 10:6
He swore an oath by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: "There will be no more delay.Nehemiah 9:6; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 4:11; 14:7; 16:17;">[xr]

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,.... No man is naturally righteous since Adam, excepting the man Christ Jesus: some that are righteous in their own opinion, and in the esteem of others, are not truly and really so; none are righteous, or can be justified in the sight of God by the works of the law; those only are righteous men, who are made so through the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: and such a righteous man is here intended, who believes in Christ with the heart unto righteousness, who lays hold on Christ's righteousness, and receives it by faith; in consequence of which he lives soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without sin, since there is no such just man upon earth. Now for such a man the law was not made; which must be understood not of its original constitution and make, for it was certainly made for, and given to Adam, who was a righteous man, and was written upon his heart in a state of innocence; and who had a positive law made also for him, and given to him as a trial of his obedience to this: it was also delivered to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, who were, many of them, at least, righteous men; and besides all this, the law was made for Jesus Christ; he was the end, the mark, and scope at which it aimed, and for whose sake it was given to Israel, that he might be made under it, and fulfil it. Nor does this expression deny all use of the law to a righteous man, which has been pointed out on the preceding verse, but only removes an unlawful use, and a wrong end of the law: it never was made with any such view as to obtain righteousness by it; for, a righteous man, as Adam, in innocence, and all that are justified by Christ's righteousness, need it not for such a purpose, because they are already righteous; and sinners can never attain to righteousness by it, since it cannot give life unto them: it is made therefore not for the former with the view now mentioned, but for the latter, and that both for the restraining of sin, and punishing of sinners. The words δικαιω νομος ου κειται, may be rendered, "the law does not lie upon a righteous man", or against him. It does not lie as a weight or burden on him; its precept does not lie on him, as a task to be performed; nor does its penalty, the curse, lie on him as a punishment to be bore by him: it does not lie upon him, nor against him, as an accusing law, its mouth is stopped by the righteousness of Christ, by which he is denominated a righteous man; nor as a terrifying law, and bringing into bondage by its threats and menaces; nor as a rigorous law, obliging to obedience in a forcible and compulsive way; seeing there is no need of it, the righteous man delights in it, and cheerfully serves it, and the love of Christ constrains him to obey it freely. And much less does it lie on him, or against him as a cursing or condemning law, since Christ has redeemed him from the curse of it.

But for the lawless and disobedient; by the "lawless" are meant, not the Gentiles, which were without the written law, but such who have it, and despise and reject it, and live not according to it, but transgress it: and "the disobedient" design such who are not subject to it: who are sons of Belial, children without the yoke; who cast the law of the Lord behind their backs; who are not, nor can they be subject to it, without the powerful and efficacious grace of God. Now the law lies upon, and against such persons, as an accusing, terrifying, cursing, and condemning law.

For the ungodly, and for sinners; by the "ungodly" are intended, such as are without God in the world, who neither fear God, nor regard man, who neglect and despise the worship of God, and say to him, depart from us, Job 21:14 and by "sinners" are designed notorious ones, who are exceeding great sinners, always sinning, making sin their constant business and employment; on and against these the law lies:

for unholy and profane: such are unholy persons, who are destitute of inward principles of truth and holiness, and who live unholy lives and conversations; and "profane" persons are those who profane the name of the Lord by cursing and swearing, and who profane his day, doctrines, and ordinances, and live dissolute and profane lives, being abandoned to all sin and wickedness; these three couples of wicked men, expressed in general terms, seem to have respect greatly to the moral part of the four precepts of the decalogue, as the following particulars do to the other six:

for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers; though there is no law that expressly mentions this, yet is beyond all doubt a breach both of the fifth and sixth commands; and if cursing parents, and disobedience to them, were punishable by the law with death, then much more the murder of them; see Leviticus 20:9 though the words will bear to be rendered, "for strikers of fathers, and strikers of mothers"; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions render them, and against this there was an express law, Exodus 21:15. According to the Pompeian law, one guilty of parricide was to be sewed up in a sack with a dog, a cock, a viper, and an ape, and cast into the sea, or into a river h:

for manslayers, guilty of the murder of any man, which was always punishable with death, and was a breach of the sixth command; see Genesis 9:6.

h Pompon. Laetus de Leg. Rom. p. 156.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Knowing this - That is, “If anyone knows, or admits this, he has the prover view of the design of the law.” The apostle does not refer particularly to himself as knowing or conceding this, for then he would have uses the plural form of the participle (see the Greek), but he means that anyone who had just views of the law would see that that which he proceeds to specify was its real purpose.

The law is not made for a righteous man - There has been great variety in the interpretation of this passage. Some suppose that the law here refers to the ceremonial laws of Moses (Clarke, Rosenmuller, Abbot); others to the denunciatory part of the law (Doddridge and Bloomfield); and others that it means that the chief purpose of the law was to restrain the wicked. It seems clear, however, that the apostle does not refer merely to the ceremonial law, for he specifies that which condemns the unholy and profane; the murderers of fathers and mothers; liars and perjured persons. It was not the ceremonial law which condemned these things, but the moral law. It cannot be supposed, moreover, that the apostle meant to say that the law was not binding on a righteous man, or that he was under no obligation to obey it - for he everywhere teaches that the moral law is obligatory on all mankind.

To suppose also that a righteous man is released from the obligation to obey the law, that is, to do right, is an absurdity. Nor does he seem to mean, as Macknight supposes, that the law was not given for the purpose of justifying a righteous man - for this was originally one of its designs. Had man always obeyed it, he would have been justified by it. The meaning seems to be, that the purpose of the law was not to fetter and perplex those who were righteous, and who aimed to do their duty and to please God. It was not intended to produce a spirit of servitude and bondage. As the Jews interpreted it, it did this, and this interpretation appears to have been adopted by the teachers at Ephesus, to whom Paul refers. The whole tendency of their teaching was to bring the soul into a state of bondage, and to make religion a condition, of servitude. Paul teaches, on the other hand, that religion was a condition of freedom, and that the main purpose of the law was not to fetter the minds of the righteous by numberless observances and minute regulations, but that it was to restrain the wicked from sin. This is the case with all law. No good man feels himself lettered and manacled by wholesome laws, nor does he feel that the purpose of law is to reduce him to a state of servitude. It is only the wicked who have this feeling - and in this sense the law is made for a man who intends to do wrong.

For the lawless - To bind and restrain them. The word here used means, properly, those who have no law, and then those who are transgressors - the wicked. It is rendered transgressors in Matthew 15:28; Luke 22:37, and wicked, Act 2:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

And disobedient - Those who are insubordinate, lawless, refractory. The word properly means those who are under no subjection or authority. It occurs in the New Testament only here, and Titus 1:6, Titus 1:10, where it is rendered unruly, and Hebrews 2:8, where it is translated not put under; that is, under Christ.

For the ungodly - Those who have no religion; who do not worship or honor God. The Greek word occurs in the following places, in all of which it is rendered ungodly; Romans 4:5; Romans 5:6; 1Ti 1:9; 1 Peter 4:18; 2Pe 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 1:15. The meaning is, that the law is against all who do not worship or honor God.

And for sinners - The word used here is the common word to denote sinners. It is general, and includes sins of all kinds.

For unholy - “Those who are regardless of duty to God or man,” Robinson, Lexicon. The word occurs in the New Testament only here, and in 2 Timothy 3:2. It has particular reference to those who fail of their duty toward God, and means those who have no piety; who are irreligious.

And profane - This does not necessarily mean that they were profane in the sense that blasphemed the name of God, or were profane swearers - though the word would include that - but it means properly those who are impious, or who are scoffers; notes, Hebrews 12:16. The word occurs only in the following places, in all of which it is rendered profane: 1Ti 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1Ti 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16; Hebrews 12:16. A man who treats religion with contempt. mockery, or scorn, would correspond with the meaning of the word.

For murderers of fathers - The Greek properly means a “smiter of a father” (Robinson), though here it undoubtedly means a parricide. This was expressly forbidden by the law of Moses, and was a crime punishable by death; Exodus 21:15. It is said to have been a crime which the Roman law did not contemplate as possible, and hence that there was no enactment against it. It is, indeed, a crime of the highest order; but facts have shown that if the Romans supposed it would never be committed, they did not judge aright of human nature. There is no sin which man will not commit if unrestrained, and there is in fact no conceivable form of crime of which he has not been guilty.

Murderers of mothers - A still more atrocious and monstrous crime, if possible, than the former. We can conceive nothing superior to this in atrocity, and yet it has been committed. Nero caused his mother to be murdered, and the annals of crime disclose the names of not a few who have imbrued their own hands in the blood of those who bare them. This was also expressly forbidden by the law of Moses; Exodus 21:15.

For manslayers - This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means a homicide - a murderer. The crime is expressly forbidden by the law; Exodus 20:13; Genesis 9:6.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. The law is not made for a righteous man — There is a moral law as well as a ceremonial law: as the object of the latter is to lead us to Christ; the object of the former is to restrain crimes, and inflict punishment on those that commit them. It was, therefore, not made for the righteous as a restrainer of crimes, and an inflicter of punishments; for the righteous avoid sin, and by living to the glory of God expose not themselves to its censures. This seems to be the mind of the apostle; he does not say that the law was not MADE for a righteous man, but ουκειται, it does not LIE against a righteous man; because he does not transgress it: but it lies against the wicked; for such as the apostle mentions have broken it, and grievously too, and are condemned by it. The word κειται, lies, refers to the custom of writing laws on boards, and hanging them up in public places within reach of every man, that they might be read by all; thus all would see against whom the law lay.

The lawless — ανομοις. Those who will not be bound by a law, and acknowledge none, therefore have no rule of moral conduct.

Disobedient — ανυποτακτοις. Those who acknowledge no authority; from α, negative, and οποτασσω, to subject; they neither acknowledge law, nor executive authority, and consequently endeavour to live as they list; and from such dispositions all the crimes in the following catalogue may naturally spring.

For the ungodly — ασεβεσι. The irreligious-those who do not worship God, or have no true worship; from α, negative, and σεβω, to worship. For sinners, αμαπτωλοις those who transgress the laws; from α, negative, and μαρπτω, to hit the mark. This has been elsewhere explained.

For unholy — ανοσιοις. Persons totally polluted-unclean within, and unclean without; from α, negative, and οσιος holy.

And profane — βεβηλοις. Such who are so unholy and abominable as not to be fit to attend any public worship; from βε, denoting privation or separation, and βηλος, a threshold or pavement, particularly of a temple. Our word profane comes from procul a fano, "far from the temple." When the ancients, even heathens, were about to perform some very sacred rites, they were accustomed to command the irreligious to keep at a distance; hence that saying in a fragment of Orpheus:-

Φθεγξομαι οἱς θεμις εστι· θυρας δ' επιθεσθε βεβηλοις Πασιν ὁμως.

"I will speak to whom it is lawful; but these doors, O, shut against the profane."

And that of Virgil, AEn. vi. ver. 258.

Procul! O procul! este profani.

Far! ye profane! get hence.


Murderers of fathers — πατραλωαις. The murderer of a father or a mother, notwithstanding the deep fall of man, and the general profligacy of the world, has been so rare, and is a crime so totally opposite to nature, that few civilized nations have found it necessary to make laws against it. Yet, such monsters, like the most awful and infrequent portents, have sometimes terrified the world with their appearance. But I think the original does not necessarily imply the murder of a father or of a mother; πατραλωας comes from πατερα, a father, and αλοιαω, to strike, and may mean simply beating or striking a father or mother: this is horrible enough; but to murder a parent out-herods Herod.

Manslayers — ανδροφονοις. Murderers simply; all who take away the life of a human being contrary to law. For no crime, unless it be murder, should any man lose his life. If the law did not speak differently, I should not scruple to say that he whose life is taken away, except for murder, is murdered.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile