noun · masculine
nomos
Strong’sG3551
a law, the Mosaic Law
stem nom-194 times in the New Testamentin 12 of 27 books5 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
A law, and especially the Mosaic Law, the body of law given through Moses. 1234 The word covers law in general — human or divine, including laws laid down by God — a controlling principle or force that drives a person to act, and, by application, Christian teaching itself spoken of as a "law" (such as the law of faith or the law of Christ). 12
By extension, the word can also refer to the books that contain the law: either the five books of Moses specifically, or the Old Testament scriptures as a whole. 12
Underlying these uses, the word originally meant custom or usage — what is habitually practiced — the sense from which "law" developed. 12
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
νόμος, -ου, ὁ
(< νέμω, to deal out, distribute), [in LXX chiefly for תּוֹרָה, also for חֻקָּה, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3551 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidnom'-os
law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle)
Fromfrom a primary νέμω (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals);
King Jameslaw.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(νέμω) that which is in habitual practice, use or possession, not in Refs 8th c.BC+
I usage, custom, [Μοῦσαι] μέλπονται πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνά Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔνθα ν. (i.e. ἐστί) with infinitive, where it is the custom.., Refs 7th c.BC+; ν. πάντων βασιλεύς custom is lord of all, Refs 5th c.BC+: hence, law, ordinance, τόνδε.. ν. διέταξε Κρονίων.. θηρσὶ.. ἐσθέμεν ἀλλήλους Refs 8th c.BC+; ν. κοινός, ={ὀρθὸς λόγος}, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.b in VT, of the law of God, ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ LXX; νόμον ὃν ἐνετείλατο ὑμῖν ΜωϋσῆςLXX; so in NT, ὁ ν. Μωϋσέως NT; ὁ ν. τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς, opposed to ὁ ν. τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου, NT
I.c with Preps., κατὰ νόμον according to custom or law, Refs 8th c.BC+; οἱ κατὰ ν. ὄντες θεοί the established deities, Refs 5th c.BC+; παρὰ νόμον contrary to.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν Ἀδραστείῳ νόμῳ by the law of Adrastus, i.e. at the Nemean games, Refs by custom, conventionally, opposed to φύσει, Refs 5th c.BC+; ν. γλυκύ, ν. πικρόν, Refs 3rd c.AD+; ὅσον νόμου χάριν just for form's sake, Refs 4th c.BC+
I.d statute, ordinance made by authority, [Σόλων] νόμους ἔθηκεν ἄλλους, τοῖς δὲ Δράκοντος θεσμοῖς ἐπαύσαντο χρώμενοι πλὴν τῶν φονικῶν Refs; νόμον τιθέναι, τίθεσθαι, see at {τίθημ; βασιλικὸς ν}. NT+2nd c.AD+: frequently of general laws, opposed to ψηφίσματα (special decrees), Refs 5th c.BC+: generally, law, ἄνευ ὀρέξεως νοῦς ὁ ν. ἐστίν Refs; ἄγραφος ν. Legal cited in Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to γεγραμμένος, Refs 4th c.BC+; ὁ ν. frequently as subject, οἱ ν. διδόασι τιμωρίας Refs 4th c.BC+; μὴ ὁ ν. κρίνει τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσῃ πρῶτο; NT
I.e with genitive of things, οὗτός τοι πεδίων πέλεται ν. Refs 8th c.BC+; ὁ ν. τοῦ κριοῦ, τοῦ ἀνδρός, τῶν ἐρανιστῶν, LXX+NT+3rd c.BC+; ἐς χειρῶν νόμον ἀπικέσθαι to come to blows, into action, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ ἀπόλλυσθαι, περιπεσεῖν, die in action, Refs 2nd c.BC+; τοὺς ἐν χ. ν. τὰς πολιτείας καταλύοντας by 'direct action', Refs 4th c.BC+under martial law, Refs 4th c.BC+
I.2 Νόμος personified, οἱ θεοὶ σθένουσι χὡ κείνων κρατῶν N. Refs 5th c.BC+
II melody, strain, οἶδα δ᾽ ὀρνίχων νόμως πάντων Refs 7th c.BC+
II.2 especially a type of early melody created by Terpander for the lyre as an accompaniment to Epic texts, ν. ὄρθιος Refs 5th c.BC+; also for the flute, ν. αὐλῳδικός Refs 1st c.AD+; without sung text, ν. αὐλητικός Refs 2nd c.AD+; later, composition including both words and melody, e.g. Refs
III ={νοῦμμος} (which see), Refs 5th c.BC+; ν. σηστέρτιοι, = Latin nummi sestertii, Refs 2nd c.BC+
IV Architecture texts, course of masonry, Refs
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | nomos34×νόμος | nomois |
| object accusative | nomon59×νόμον | nomoin2×νόμους |
| direct address vocative | nomor | nomoir |
| of, belonging to genitive | nomou67×νόμου | nomoiu |
| to, for dative | nomo32×νόμῳ | nomoi |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
nomo is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
194 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
nomos“law”subjectnominative singular34×, 24 shown
Matthew 7:12… poiavōr autoi; houtos gar atō tos nomos kai tois profētois.… this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 11:13pantois gar tois profētois kai tos nomos heōs Iōannou profēteuala;For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
Matthew 22:40… houtai tai duo entolai holos tos nomos kremannuotō kai tois profētois.All the Law and the Prophets hang on these …
Luke 16:16Tos nomos kai tois profētois mechris Iōannou; apo …The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until …
John 1:17hoti tos nomos dia Mōusou dōita, tas charitas kai …For the law was given through Moses; grace and …
John 7:23… en sabbate hina mē luiteia tos nomos Mōusou, mi cholavō hoti holon anthrōpon …… on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken …
John 7:51Mē tos nomos nu krinatō ton anthrōpon ean mē …“Does our law convict a man without first hearing …
Romans 2:14… houtois nomon mē echarōntois heautoi alō nomos;… law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to …
Romans 3:19Oidanē de hoti hoseim tos nomos legatō toi en to nomo lalatō, …Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who …
Romans 4:15tos gar nomos organ katergazotō, hou de ouk atō …because the law brings wrath. And where there is …
Romans 4:15… organ katergazotō, hou de ouk atō nomos, oude parabasias.… wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
Romans 5:20nomos de pareiserchata hina pleonazateia tem paraptōmem; …The law came in so that the trespass …
Romans 7:1… gnōskarōntoi gar nomon lalamō, hoti tos nomos kurieuatō tou anthrōpou epi hoson chronon …… who know the law), that the law has authority over a man only …
Romans 7:7Tinem oun legani? tos nomos hamartas? mē genetoia; alla tan hamartan …… then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would …
Romans 7:7… epithumian ouk oidamelē ei mē tos nomos legate; Ouk epithumasi;… been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
Romans 7:12hōste tos men nomos hagios, kai tas entolas hagias kai …So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is …
Romans 7:14Oidanē gar hoti tos nomos pneumatikos atō; mis de sarkinos amō, …We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual …
Romans 8:2tos gar nomos teu pneumeu tau zōau en Christo …For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set …
1 Corinthians 9:8… anthrōpon houteim lalamō ē kai tos nomos houteim ouk legatō?… from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
1 Corinthians 14:34… lalarō; alla hupotassolōr, kathōs kai tos nomos legatō.… must be in submission, as the law says.
1 Corinthians 15:56… tas de dunamias tau hamartau tos nomos;… the power of sin is the law.
Galatians 3:12tos de nomos ouk atō ek pistiau, alla; Tos …The law, however, is not based on faith …
Galatians 3:17… meta tetrakosioi kai triakonta eteim genarēntos nomos ouk akuratō, eis tem katargara tan …What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not …
Galatians 3:19Tinem oun tos nomos? taiu parabasiaiu charin prostithita, achris hou …Why then was the law given? It was added because of …
nomon“law”objectaccusative singular59×, 25 shown
Matthew 5:17Mē nomizaveia hoti erchama kataluara ton nomon ē toin profētoin; ouk erchama kataluara …… I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not …
Luke 2:22… hēmerais tou katharismou autoiu kata ton nomon Mōusou, anagala auton eis Hierosolumeim parastēara …… time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents …
Luke 2:39… hōs telala panteim teim kata ton nomon kuriou, epistrefala eis tan Galilaian eis …… had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to …
John 7:19Ouk Mōusos dōatē vi ton nomon? kai oudenos ek vu poiatō ton …Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps …
John 7:19“law”… kai oudenos ek vu poiatō ton nomon. tinem min zētavō apoktenara?… the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”
John 7:49… ochlos houtos tos mē gnōskarōntos ton nomon eparatois alō.… crowd that does not know the law— they are under a curse.”
John 18:31… Labavar auton vis, kai kata ton nomon vu krinavar auton. legala auto tois …… and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not …
John 19:7apokrinila auto tois Ioudaiois; Nis nomon echanō, kai kata ton nomon ofeilatō …“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to …
John 19:7… Nis nomon echanō, kai kata ton nomon ofeilatō apothnēskara, hoti huion theou heauton …… the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared …
Acts 7:53hotinois labava ton nomon eis diatagain angeloiu, kai ouk fulassava.you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not …
Acts 15:5… peritemarō autoin parangelarō tē tērarō ton nomon Mōusou.… circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
Acts 18:13legarōntois hoti Para ton nomon anapeithatō houtos toin anthrōpoin seborō ton …… God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.
Acts 21:24… alla stoichasō kai autos fulassarōntos ton nomon.… also live in obedience to the law.
Acts 22:12… de tinos andros eulabos kata ton nomon marturorōntos hupo pantoiu toiu katoikarōntoiu Ioudaioiu,… Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all …
Acts 23:3… sis kathosō krinarōntos min kata ton nomon, kai paranomarōntos keleuasō min tuptorō?… to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law …
Acts 24:14… theo, pisteuarōntos pantei tei kata ton nomon kai tei en toi profētoi graforēntei,… that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,
Acts 25:8… Paulou apologorōntou hoti Oute eis ton nomon toiu Ioudaioiu oute eis tem hierem …… have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the …
Romans 2:14hotan gar ethneim teim mē nomon echarōnteim fusia teim tou nomou poialeiō, …… Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law …
Romans 2:14… fusia teim tou nomou poialeiō, houtois nomon mē echarōntois heautoi alō nomos;… the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do …
Romans 2:25Peritomas men gar ōfelatō ean nomon prassaseiō; ean de parabatos nomou aseiō, …… has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law …
Romans 2:27… krinati tas ek fusiau akrobustias ton nomon telarōntas sin ton dia grammeu kai …… is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though …
Romans 3:31nomon oun katarganō dia tau pistiau? mē …Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead …
Romans 3:31… dia tau pistiau? mē genetoia, alla nomon stēanō.… Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
Romans 6:14… ouk kurieuati, ouk gar avō hupo nomon alla hupo charitan.… master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15… oun? hamartaneia hoti ouk anō hupo nomon alla hupo charitan? mē genetoia;… sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not!
nomou“law”of, belonging togenitive singular67×, 25 shown
Matthew 5:18… keraias ouk mē parerchateia apo tou nomou, heōs an panteim geneteia.… a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Matthew 23:23… kuminem, kai afiēkava teim baruotereim tou nomou, tan krisian kai tem elesem kai …… disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should …
Luke 2:27… poiara autoin kata tem ethizorēntem tou nomou peri autou… Him what was customary under the Law,
Luke 16:17… kai tan gēan parerchara ē tou nomou henan keraian piptara.… pen to drop out of the Law.
John 12:34… tos ochlos; Nis akouana ek tou nomou hoti tos christos menatō eis ton …… replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever …
Acts 6:13… tou topou tou hagiou kai tou nomou,… this holy place and against the law.
Acts 13:15meta de tan anagnōsian tou nomou kai toiu profētoiu apostelala tois archisunagōgois …After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders …
Acts 18:15… atō peri logou kai onomeiu kai nomou tou kata vin, horevi autois; kritos …… words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to …
Acts 21:20… toiu pisteuarēntoiu, kai pantois zēlōtois tou nomou huparchalō;… of them are zealous for the law.
Acts 21:28… tos kata tou laou kai tou nomou kai tou topou houtou pantoin pantachē …… against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he …
Acts 22:3… Gamaliēl, paideuorēntos kata akribeian tou patrōou nomou, zēlōtos huparcharōntos tou theou kathōs pantois …… Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just …
Acts 23:29hon heuriskama enkalorōnton peri zētēmeiu tou nomou autoiu, mēdenem de axiem thanatou ē …… accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy …
Acts 28:23… peri tou Iēsu apo tē tou nomou Mōusou kai toiu profētoiu apo prōi …… persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
Romans 2:12… kai hosois en nomo hamartala, dia nomou krinili;… law will be judged by the law.
Romans 2:13ouk gar tois akroatois nomou dikaiois para to theo, alla tois …… is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but …
Romans 2:13… para to theo, alla tois poiētois nomou dikaiili.… it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 2:14… mē nomon echarōnteim fusia teim tou nomou poialeiō, houtois nomon mē echarōntois heautoi …… though they do not have the law.
Romans 2:15hotinois endeikolō tem ergem tou nomou graptem en tai kardiai autoiu, summarturarōntau …… show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their …
Romans 2:18… dokimazasō teim diaferarōnteim katēchorōntos ek tou nomou,… because you are instructed by the law;
Romans 2:23… nomo kauchosō, dia tau parabasiau tou nomou ton theon atimazasō?… you dishonor God by breaking the law?
Romans 2:25… ean nomon prassaseiō; ean de parabatos nomou aseiō, tas peritomas su akrobustias genatē.… law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Romans 2:26… oun tas akrobustias teim dikaiōmeim tou nomou fulassateiō, ouk tas akrobustias autou eis …… circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded …
Romans 2:27“law”… ton dia grammeu kai peritomau parabaton nomou.… condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a …
Romans 3:20dioti ek ergeiu nomou ouk dikaiiti pantas sarkas enōpion autou, …… His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness …
Romans 3:20… pantas sarkas enōpion autou, dia gar nomou epignōsias hamartau.… works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
nomo“law”to, fordative singular32×, 24 shown
Matthew 12:5ē ouk anagnōskava en to nomo hoti tei sabbatei tois hierevois en …Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests …
Matthew 22:36Didaskalor, poias entolas megas en to nomo?… commandment is the greatest in the Law?”
Luke 2:23kathōs grafotē en nomo kuriou hoti Pantem arsenem dianoigarōntem mētran …(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male …
Luke 2:24… thusian kata tem legorēntem en to nomo kuriou, zeugem trugōnaiu ē duo nossoin …… offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of …
Luke 10:26… de legata pros auton; En to nomo tinem grafotē? pōs anagnōskasō?“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read …
Luke 24:44… plērira panteim teim graforēnteim en to nomo Mōusou kai profētoi kai psalmoi peri …… is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the …
John 1:45… auto; Hon grafata Mōusos en to nomo kai tois profētois heuriskanē, Iēsun huion …… One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold — Jesus …
John 8:5en de to nomo Mōusos ni enteleta tain toioutain lithobolorō …In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such …
John 8:17kai en to nomo de to humetero grafotē hoti duo …Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony …
John 10:34… Iēsus; Ouk atō graforēntem en to nomo vu hoti Mis legama; Theois avō?… Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
John 15:25… plēriteia tos logos tos en to nomo autoiu graforēntos hoti Misala min dōreōs.… fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
Acts 13:38“law”… apo panteiu heiu ouk duniva en nomo Mōusou dikaiiraTherefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Romans 2:12… anomōs kai apoleli; kai hosois en nomo hamartala, dia nomou krinili;… and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
Romans 2:17… de sis Ioudaios eponomazosō kai epanapauosō nomo kai kauchosō en theo… Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
Romans 2:20… gnōsiau kai tau alētheiau en to nomo… infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth —
Romans 2:23hos en nomo kauchosō, dia tau parabasiau tou nomou …You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking …
Romans 3:19… tos nomos legatō toi en to nomo lalatō, hina pantem stomem frassiteia kai …… to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be …
Romans 7:2… hupandras gunaikas to zōarōnto andro dotē nomo; ean de apothnēskateia tos andros, katargotē …… a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as …
Romans 7:4… adelfoir mu, kai vis thanativa to nomo dia teu sōmeu tou Christou, eis …… brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that …
Romans 7:16… ouk thelamō houtem poiamō, sumfēamō to nomo hoti kalos.… to do, I admit that the law is good.
Romans 7:22sunēdomō gar to nomo tou theou kata ton esō anthrōpon,… inner being I delight in God’s law.
Romans 7:23… en tei melei mu antistrateuorōnton to nomo tou nouou mu kai aichmalōtizarōnton min …… and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:23… mu kai aichmalōtizarōnton min en to nomo tau hamartau to arōnto en tei …… in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me …
Romans 7:25… autos mis to men nouo douleuamō nomo theou, ta de sarka nomo hamartau.… with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh …
nomoin“laws”objectaccusative plural2×
Hebrews 8:10… tain hēmerain ekeinain, legatō kurios, dōarōntos nomoin mu eis tan dianoian autoiu, kai …… the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them …
Hebrews 10:16… tain hēmerain ekeinain, legatō kurios, dōarōntos nomoin mu epi kardiain autoiu, kai epi …… the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them …