Vocab Insight: Dikaiosune / Righteousness

Script

Dikaiosune.

“How good is life for those who hunger and thirst for dikaiosune, because they will be satisfied.”¹

Dikaiosune, or righteousness, means living in right relationship with God, other people, and all creation.

We act with righteousness when we live justly, honestly, and faithfully according to God’s instruction.

In Jesus’ teachings, righteousness describes not only fasting and prayer² but also giving generously to the poor,³ forgiving others,⁴ and loving our enemies.⁵ To live this way is to do right by God.

God also does righteousness towards us, that is, he does right by his covenant promises to people to send Israel’s promised Messiah to renew the world.

“In accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth where dikaiosune is at home.”⁶