The Greek words for “condemn” and “condemnation” in NKJV

The words “condemn” and “condemnation” in NKJV is translated from the following Greek words:

·         The root word is “krino”, literally meaning to distinguish or to decide, and by implication to condemn or to punish. Strong’s note codifies “Krino” G2919. The same code G2919 includes variations of “krino” in form, too, for example, “Krinetai”, which means “is being judged”, and “Kekritai”, which means “has been judged”. The basic meaning, however, does not change.

·         “Katakrino”, which is a verb and is translated “to condemn”. It is codified G2632. This word is a combination of two root words, G2596 “kata” and G2919 “krino”. The same code G2632 includes a variation “Katekrinen” as well. “Kata” is a primary particle or a prefix, meaning “about, according as (to), concerning, etc.” It is codified G2596.

·         “Krima”, which is a noun and is translated “judgement” or “condemnation”. It is codified G2917, meaning “a decision”. Strong’s notes say that this word is from the root word G2919, or “krino”.

·         “Katakrima”, which is a noun and is translated “condemnation”. It is codified G2631. Strong’s notes say that the word is from the root word G2632, or “katakrino”.

We understand from the above-noted that the Greek words translated into “condemn” or “condemnation” in NKJV do not of themselves include the meaning of “eternal death” or “hell”. The definition in Strong’s notes of the root word “krino”, which is as follows, seems to support our understanding:

Properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially);

by implication, to try, condemn, punish.

NKJV: avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.

From the NKJV Bible itself we believe that we have found further support for our above-noted understanding. It appears to us that:

1.       Viewed from their contexts, the words “condemn” and “condemnation” in the NKJV should be interpreted as “decide” or “judge” and “decision” or “judgement”.

2.       Furthermore, the same words are not used exclusively to refer to God’s decision or judgment, but also that of men.

3.       Finally, the words “condemn” and “condemnation” do not of themselves mean God sending men to hell, but simply means “to judge” or “to decide”, and what the judgment or decision is has to be determined by the specific context in each case.

Let us refer to several sample verses in the NKJV Bible:

John 3:18-21       “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned (krinetai) already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

The word “krinetai”, which means “is being judged”, does not refer to “eternal death” or “hell” of itself. Rather, verse 19 defines what the condemnation is: the fact that the unbelievers should reject the light of God is of its own right condemnation to those unbelievers! So by their own refusal to accept the Holy One they “condemn” or “judge” themselves and show their deeds to be evil.

(Another important issue dealt with in these verses is the ground of condemnation. John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn (“krine” G2919) the world, but the world through him might be saved.” Read together with verse 3:18, it means that condemnation comes only after the unbelievers reject Jesus, in other words, there is no condemnation before man’s own decision. Accordingly to verses 19-20, it is their evil deeds that evidence the “unbelief” of the unfaithful. It is not because they are descendants of Adam that they are condemned. Verse 21 says that people who are also the descendants of Adam yet choose to be faithful are never condemned.)

John 8:3-10         Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned (katekrinen) you?”

When Jesus asks the woman “has no one condemned you”, He does not mean “has not anybody sent you to hell”. He means “has no one determined that you are to be stoned to death according to the Mosaic law?” Here, the condemnation is the physical punishment of stoning to death.

Hebrews 11:7 and 2 Peter 2:4-7 show that “condemnation” can be a punishment by a disaster: flood for the evil in Noah’s days and the fire from the Heaven for Sodom and Gomorrah.

In some cases, the words “condemn” and “condemnation” does not mean “punishment”, but simply means “judgement” or “decision”.

Acts 26:8              Why should it be thought (“krinetai”, G2919) a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

Here, the Greek word translated into “be thought” is translated into “condemn”(also “krinetai”) in John 3:18, which means “is being judged.”

1 Corinthians 6:2               Do you not know that the saints will judge (“krinetai”) the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1 Corinthians 10:29          Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged (“krinetai”) by another man’s conscience?

Here the same “Krinetai” is translated as “judge”.

1 Corinthians 6:6               But brother goes to law against (“krinetai") brother, and that before unbelievers!

In both verses above, the word “krinetai” is translated as “goes to law against”.

Romans 5:16-18                And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment (“krima”) which came from one offense resulted in condemnation (“katakrima”), but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 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 will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense [judgment came] upon men to condemnation(“katakrima”), even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

What condemnation means in Romans 5:16-18 is explained in Romans 5:12-14:

Romans 5:12-14                Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death (“thanatos”) through sin(s), and thus death(“thanatos”) spread to all men, because all sinned—For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death (“thanatos”) reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.)

These verses say that “thanatos” is the condemnation that all have to bear. “Thanatos” here means “the power and miseries of death” (Note: please refer to our previous bible study journal “Two different words for death in Greek”), which is the consequence of Adam’s sin to the mankind. “The power and miseries of death” brings men into the danger of eternal death, because men may be tempted by their inherited sinful nature to sin. For all mankind, the power and miseries of death is a judgement, punishment as well as disaster that even innocent babies have to more or less suffer.

Particularly noteworthy is that the word “condemnation” here cannot be interpreted as “eternal death”, because such interpretation is against the Gospel of John verses 3:16-21. It is only those who refuse to believe in God until physical death is condemned to hell. We all know that many true believers had rejected Jesus before they finally repented. So an unbeliever has chance to repent and thereby escape the eternal death as long as he lives.