Topic
Lawful
11 passages cited, from 1 classic reference work.
These works date from 1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Psalms 145:17ISBE
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
- Isaiah 49:24ISBE
¶ Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
- Ezekiel 18:5ISBE
¶ But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
- Ezekiel 18:19ISBE
¶ Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
- Ezekiel 18:21ISBE
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
- Ezekiel 18:27ISBE
Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
- Ezekiel 33:19ISBE
But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
- Matthew 12:10ISBE
¶ And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
- Mark 3:4ISBE
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
- Acts 16:21ISBE
And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
- Acts 19:39ISBE
But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
In the reference works
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 12 references
lo'-fool (usually mishpaT, "relating to judgment," or "a pronounced judgment" tsaddiq, "relating to that which is righteous" or "just"; exesti, eunomos, "that which is authorized according to law," or "a privilege according to legitimate custom" (compare Eze 18:5,19, 21,27; Isa 49:24; Mt 12:10; Ac 16:21; 19:39)): Used of persons: of God, as being righteous both in the punishment of the wicked and the rewarding of the righteous (Ps 145:17 Hebrew); of man, as being just and equitable in all his dealings with his fellow-man (Eze 33:19). It is used of things when the same are in accord with a pronounced judgment or a declared will of God, and thus pleasing in His sight (Mr 3:4). When the course of individual conduct is according to God's law of righteousness, it is declared to be "lawful" (Eze 33:19). The word is used in a forensic sense as declaring the legal status of a person conforming to law. The idea of straighthess, rigid adherence to God's law, whether religious, civil or ceremonial, cannot be excluded from the definition of the word "lawful."
Neither the King James Version nor the American Standard Revised Version is consistent in its translation of the Hebrew and Greek words translated "lawful." Ofttimes the words "just" and "righteous" are used. To arrive at the full and proper meaning of "lawful," therefore, it is necessary that we study the passages containing these synonymous terms. The written Law of God is the recognized standard by which things, actions and persons are to be judged as being lawful or unlawful.
William Evans
Texts: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.