# righteous, righteousness #

## Definition: ##

The term "righteousness" refers to God's absolute goodness, justice, faithfulness, and love. Having these qualities makes God “righteous." Because God is righteous, he must condemn sin.

* These terms are also often used to describe a person who obeys God and is morally good. However, because all people have sinned, no one except God is completely righteous.
* Examples of people the Bible who were called "righteous" include Noah, Job, Abraham, Zachariah, and Elisabeth.
* When people trust in Jesus to save them, God cleanses them from their sins and declares them to be righteous because of Jesus' righteousness.

## Translation Suggestions: ##

* When it describes God, the term "righteous" could be translated as "perfectly good and just" or "always acting rightly."
* God's "righteousness" could also be translated as "perfect faithfulness and goodness."
* When it describes people who are obedient to God, the term "righteous" could also be translated as "morally good" or "just" or "living a God-pleasing life."
* The phrase "the righteous" could also be translated as "righteous people" or "God-fearing people."
* Depending on the context, "righteousness" could also be translated with a word or phrase that means  "goodness" or "being perfect before God" or "acting in a right way by obeying God" or "doing perfectly good 
* Sometimes "the righteous" was used figuratively and referred to "people who think they are good" or "people who seem to be righteous."

(See also: [good](../kt/good.md), [holy](../kt/holy.md), [evil](../kt/evil.md), [just](../kt/justice.md), [faithful](../kt/faithful.md))

## Bible References: ##

* [1 John 01:8-10](rc://en/tn/help/1jn/01/08)
* [2 Timothy 03:16-17](rc://en/tn/help/2ti/03/16)
* [Acts 03:13-14](rc://en/tn/help/act/03/13)
* [Ezekiel 33:12-13](rc://en/tn/help/ezk/33/12)
* [Galatians 03:6-9](rc://en/tn/help/gal/03/06)
* [Isaiah 48:1-2](rc://en/tn/help/isa/48/01)
* [Matthew 06:1-2](rc://en/tn/help/mat/06/01)
* [Psalms 037:28-30](rc://en/tn/help/psa/037/028)

## Examples from the Bible stories: ##

* __[03:02](rc://en/tn/help/obs/03/02)__ But Noah found favor with God. He was a __righteous__  man, living among wicked people.
* __[04:08](rc://en/tn/help/obs/04/08)__ God declared that Abram was __righteous__  because he believed in God's promise.
* __[17:02](rc://en/tn/help/obs/17/02)__ David was a humble and __righteous__  man who trusted and obeyed God.
* __[23:01](rc://en/tn/help/obs/23/01)__ Joseph, the man Mary was engaged to, was a __righteous__  man.
* __[50:10](rc://en/tn/help/obs/50/10)__ Then the __righteous__  ones will shine like the sun in the kingdom of God their Father."

## Word Data:##

* Strong's: H3072, H3477, H4334, H4339, H6662, H6663, H6664, H6665, H6666, G1341, G1342, G1343, G1344, G1345, G1346, G2118

