We think of the word “righteousness” as meaning moral correctness, sinless, or guiltless.  Indeed this is the main meaning found in English dictionaries.  This meaning makes perfect sense in such a verse as James 1:20.

Jas 1:20  for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

But this is not so for Romans 3:25 which referring to Jesus Christ states:

Rom 3:25  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

Is Romans 3:25 really saying that God, by sending Jesus Christ to die, demonstrated God’s righteousness (His sinlessness)?  Are we then to infer that God was compelled to sacrifice His Son, for not doing so would be sin?  Such reasoning is preposterous, but it highlights the difficulty in understanding what the “righteousness of God” means.

Righteousness – dikaiosune

The word “righteousness” is translated from the Greek dikaiosune.  In the KJV and NKJV dikaiosune is always translated “righteousness” or “righteousness’”.

According to Thayer’s Greek Definitions, dikaiosune has the following meanings:

1) in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God

1a) the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God

1b) integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting

2) in a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due

Note that definition 1a) is the meaning of justification. 

According to Strong’s, dikaiosune means: equity, justification, righteousness. 

The important point here is that dikaiosune can mean justification. This makes sense as dikaiosune comes from dikaios, which means innocent, holy, just.

To summarise, dikaiosune can mean:

• Righteousness – sinless or guiltless.
• Justification – the process of becoming sinless or guiltless.

The context determines which meaning fits best.

Righteousness of God

We are now in a position to look at some of the passages where the translation “righteousness of God” is puzzling.

Romans 1:16-17

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Rom 1:17  For in it the righteousness [dikaiosune] of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “THE JUST [dikaios] SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

Does the gospel of Christ (which is about salvation) reveal God’s righteousness or God’s justification?  It could be argued the gospel reveals both, but surely the better fit is God’s justification.  Furthermore, Paul’s final thought, “The just shall live by faith”, flows smoothly from the first part of the verse if he meant God’s justification, but not so if he meant God’s righteousness.

Romans 3:20-26

Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified [dikaioo] in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness [dikaiosune] of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22  even the righteousness [dikaiosune] of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Rom 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24  being justified [dikaioo] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Rom 3:25  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness [dikaiosune], because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
Rom 3:26  to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness [dikaiosune], that He might be just [dikaios] and the justifier [dikaioo] of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Greek word translated “justified” in verses 20 and 24 is dikaioo.  Both dikaioo and dikaiosune come from the root word dikaios, meaning innocent, holy, just.

The context is clearly justification.  Verse 20 states that “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified”.  That is, justification does not come by the deeds of the law (by keeping the law).  The following verses go on to explain that justification instead comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  This passage is rather befuddling when dikaiosune is translated righteousness but becomes crystal clear when dikaiosune is instead translated justification.

Romans 5:16-21

This next passage talks about the gift of righteousness.  The gift of righteousness comes from God and so it must be God’s righteousness, though it is not explicitly stated.

Rom 5:16  And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification [dikaioma].
Rom 5:17  For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness [dikaiosune] will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18  Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act [dikaioma] the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification [dikaiosis] of life.
Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous [dikaios].
Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
Rom 5:21  so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness [dikaiosune] to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The context of this passage is clearly justification.  You can also see that the Greek words translated justification, righteousness, and righteous are closely related:

• dikaioma and dikaiosis both come from the root word dikaioo, meaning innocent, just,
• dikaiosune comes from the root word dikaios, meaning innocent, holy, just,
• dikaios comes from the root word dike, meaning justice.

According to the translation of this passage (NKJV) and many other translations, the gift is the “gift of righteousness [dikaiosune]” (verse 17) and grace “reigns through righteousness [dikaiosune]” (verse 21).  But is this the best translation of dikaiosune given that the context is justification?  Not only does the context suggest otherwise, but earlier in the same book Paul wrote:

Rom 3:24  being justified [dikaioo] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:24 states we are “justified freely”, which means that justification is a gift.  Hence the translation in verse 17, “gift of justification” fits better than “gift of righteousness”.

Furthermore, Romans 3:24 states we are “justified by His grace”.  Hence the translation in verse 21, “grace might reign through justification” fits better than “grace might reign through righteousness”.

Romans 10:3-4

Rom 10:3  For they [Israel] being ignorant of God’s [dikaiosune] righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness [dikaiosune], have not submitted to the righteousness [dikaiosune] of God.
Rom 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness [dikaiosune]to everyone who believes.

Was Israel ignorant of God’s righteousness or God’s justification?  Perhaps they were ignorant of God’s righteousness, but they certainly shouldn’t have been.  But they were ignorant of God’s justification as they had no idea it comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  Translating dikaiosune justification in these two verses renders them much more understandable as follows.

In ignorance of God’s justification, Israel sought justification their own way (through keeping the law), rather than through faith in Jesus Christ.  Christ has put an end to the idea of using the law for justification to everyone who believes in Him.  More tersely, Christ is the end of using the law for justification to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:3-4 can be translated more clearly as:

Rom 10:3  For they [Israel] being ignorant of God’s justification, and seeking to establish their own justification, have not submitted to the justification of God.
Rom 10:4  For Christ is the end of [using] the law for justification to everyone who believes.

Righteousness in General

We will now look at some other passages where the translation “righteousness” is puzzling.

Romans 9:30-32

Rom 9:30  What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [dikaiosune], have attained to righteousness [dikaiosune], even the righteousness [dikaiosune] of faith;
Rom 9:31  but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness [dikaiosune], has not attained to the law of righteousness [dikaiosune].
Rom 9:32  Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Verse 32 states that Israel did not seek dikaiosune by faith but by works of the law (ergon nomos).  But earlier in the book of Romans, Paul clearly stated we are justified by faith and not from the deeds of the law (ergon nomos).

Rom 3:28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified [dikaioo] by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

With this in mind, this passage makes more sense if it is talking about justification rather than righteousness.

Romans 10:5-11

The passage is a continuation of the previous two verses which talks about dikaiosune, which we established earlier is better understood to mean justification.

Rom 10:5  For Moses writes about the righteousness [dikaiosune] which is of the law, “THE MAN WHO DOES THOSE THINGS SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”
Rom 10:6  But the righteousness [dikaiosune] of faith speaks in this way, “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
Rom 10:7  or, ” ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
Rom 10:8  But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
Rom 10:9  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness [dikaiosune], and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11  For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”

As mentioned in the previous section, Paul clearly stated we are justified by faith and not from the deeds of the law (ergon nomos).

Rom 3:28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified [dikaioo] by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

So again, with this in mind, this passage makes more sense if it is talking about justification rather than righteousness.

1 Corinthians 1:30

1Co 1:30  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness [dikaiosune] and sanctification and redemption—

Justification is a better translation here as well.  In the process of salvation (eternal life), we are justified, sanctified, and redeemed.  Righteousness (being without sin) is attained when we are resurrected as spirit beings, not at the start of the process of salvation.

Galatians 2:21

Gal 2:21  I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness [dikaiosune] comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

A few verses early Paul stated that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Gal 2:16  knowing that a man is not justified [dikaioo] by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified [dikaioo] by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified [dikaioo].

In other words justification does not come through the law.  With this is mind, justification is a better translation of dikaiosune rather than righteousness here in verse 21.

Galatians 3:6

Gal 3:6  just as Abraham “BELIEVED [pisteuo] GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS [dikaiosune].”

The Greek word translated “believed” is pisteuo which means to believe, have faith in.  It comes from the Greek pistis meaning faith.  In Galatians 2:16, Paul explained that justification comes by faith (pistis) in Jesus Christ not through the law.

Gal 2:16  knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith [pistis] in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith [pistis] in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Paul explained his reasoning for being justified by faith by using Abraham as an example.  Paul’s argument relies on Abraham’s faith leading to his justification and not righteousness.  Hence the better translation of dikaiosune here is justification rather that righteousness.

Galatians 3: 21

Gal 3:21  Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness [dikaiosune] would have been by the law.

Again, as we saw in Galatians 2, Paul explained that justification does not come through the law.  This verse is more readily understood if dikaiosune here is translated justification rather that righteousness, to align with what Paul explained earlier.

Galatians 5:5

Gal 5:4  You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5  For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness [dikaiosune] by faith.

The context here is justification as seen by verse 4 and so a more appropriate translation of dikaiosune in verse 5 is justification rather that righteousness.

Philippians 3:9

Php 3:9  and be found in Him [Christ Jesus], not having my own righteousness [dikaiosune], which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness [dikaiosune] which is from God by faith;

Paul explained in Galatians, as discussed above, that we are not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse 9 is a restatement of this and so a more appropriate translation of dikaiosune here is justification rather that righteousness.

Hebrews 11:7

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness [dikaiosune] which is according to faith.

Again, we know that we are justified by faith and so a more appropriate translation of dikaiosune here is justification rather that righteousness.

James 2:23

Jas 2:23  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED [pisteuo] GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS [dikaiosune].” And he was called the friend of God.

This verse is similar to Galatians 3:6 which we have already covered above.  The Greek word translated “believed” is pisteuo which means to believe, have faith in.  It comes from the Greek pistis meaning faith.  As we saw in Galatians 2, Paul explained that justification does not come through the law but by faith (pistis) in Jesus Christ.  Since we are justified by faith and Abraham had faith, the better translation of dikaiosune here is justification rather that righteousness.

Conclusion

The word “righteousness” in the KJV, NKJV, and many other versions is translated from the Greek dikaiosune, which can mean:

• Righteousness – sinless or guiltless.
• Justification – the process of becoming sinless or guiltless.

The context determines which meaning fits best.  Remembering that it can mean justification greatly clarifies various puzzling passages.