Quick Definition
truth
Strong's Definition
truth
Derivation: from G227 (ἀληθής);
KJV Usage: true, X truly, truth, verity
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀλήθεια, (ας, ἡ (ἀληθής) (from Homer down), verity, truth.
I. objectively;
1. universally, what is true in any matter under consideration (opposed to what is feigned, fictitious, false): Jas_3:14; ἀλήθειαν λέγειν, έ᾿ρειν, Joh_8:45; Joh_16:7; Rom_9:1; 1Co_12:6; 1Ti_2:7; εἶπεν αὐτῷ πᾶσαν τήν ἀλήθειαν, everything as it really was, Mar_5:33 (so in classics); μαρτυρεῖν τῇ ἀλήθεια to testify according to the true state of the case, Joh_5:33; in a broader sense, λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν, to speak always according to truth, Eph_4:25; (ἀληθείας ῤήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι, as opposed to the vagaries of madness, Act_26:25); ἀλήθεια ἐγένετο, was shown to be true by the event, 2Co_7:14. ἐν ἀλήθεια, in truth, truly, as the case is, according to fact: Mat_22:16; Joh_4:23 f (as accords with the divine nature); 2Co_7:14; Col_1:6; ἐπ' ἀληθείας a. truly, in truth, according to truth: Mar_12:32; Luk_4:25 (Job_9:2 the Sept.; Philo, vit. Moys. i., § 1).
b. of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly: Mar_12:14; Luk_20:21; (); Act_4:27; Act_10:34 (Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 23, 5 [ET] and 47, 3 [ET]); (cf. Winers Grammar, § 51, 2 f.; Buttmann, 336 (289)); κατ' ἀλήθειαν in accordance with fact, i. e. (according to the context) justly, without partiality: Rom_2:2; εἴτε προφάσει, εἴτε ἀλήθεια, Php_1:18; ἐν ἔργῳ καί ἀλήθεια, 1Jn_3:18 (Rec. omits ἐν; so Eph_4:21 WH marginal reading).
2. In reference to religion, the word denotes what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, (`moral and religions truth'); and that a. with the greatest latitude, in the sceptical question τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια, Joh_18:38;
b. the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention: Rom_1:18; also ἡ ἀλήθεια Θεοῦ the truth of which God is the author, Romans 1:25 , cf. 19 (ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ev. Nicod., c. 5, 2; accordingly, it is not, as many interpret the phrase, the true nature of God (yet see Meyer at the passage)); truth, the embodiment of which the Jews sought in the Mosaic law, Rom_2:20.
c. "the truth, as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man," opposed alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and to the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians: ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου the truth which is the gospel or which the gospel presents, Gal_2:5; Gal_2:14 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 34, 3 a.); and absolutely ἡ ἀλήθεια and ἀλήθεια: Joh_1:14; Joh_1:17; Joh_8:32; Joh_8:40; (); ; 1Jn_1:8; 1Jn_2:4; 1Jn_2:21; 2Jn_1:1-3; Gal_3:1 (Rec.); Gal_5:7; 2Co_4:2; 2Co_13:8; Eph_4:24; 2Th_2:10; 2Th_2:12; 1Ti_2:7 (ἐν πίστει καί ἀλήθεια in faith and truth, of which I became a partaker through faith); ; 2Ti_2:18; 2Ti_3:8; 2Ti_4:4; Tit_1:14; 2Pe_1:12; (3Jn_1:8; 3Jn_1:12); ὁ λόγος τῆς ἀληθείας, Col_1:5; Eph_1:13; 2Ti_2:15; λόγος ἀληθείας, 2Co_6:7; Jas_1:18; ὁδός τῆς ἀληθείας, 2Pe_2:2; πίστις ἀληθείας, 2Th_2:13 (Winer's Grammar, 186 (175)); ὑπακοὴ τῆς ἀληθείας, 1Pe_1:22; ἐπίγνωσις τῆς ἀληθείας, Heb_10:26; 1Ti_2:4; 2Ti_2:25; 2Ti_3:7; (Tit_1:1); πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας the Spirit (of God) which is truth (1Jn_5:6) and imbues men with the knowledge of the truth, Joh_14:17; (); ; 1Jn_4:6; ἐγώ εἰμί ἡ ἀλήθεια, I am he in whom the truth is summed up and impersonated, Joh_14:6; ἡ ἀλήθεια σου (Rec.) (i. e. Θεοῦ) the truth which is in thee and proceeds from thee, Joh_17:17; (ἐστιν ἀλήθεια Χριστοῦ ἐν ἐμοί, i. e., controls, actuates, me, 2Co_11:10); εἶναι ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας to be eager to know the truth, Joh_18:37 (see ἐκ, II. 7, and εἰμί, V. 3 d.); to proceed from the truth, 1Jn_2:21; to be prompted and controlled by the truth, 1Jn_3:19; μαρτυρεῖν τῇ ἀληθ., to give testimony in favor of the truth in order to establish its authority among men, Joh_18:37; ἀλήθειαν ποιεῖν to exemplify truth in the life, to express the form of truth in one's habits of thought and modes of living, Joh_3:21; 1Jn_1:6 (Tob_13:6 Tob_4:6; cf. Neh_9:33; ὁδόν ἀληθείας αἰρετίζεσθαι, Psalm 118:30 ()); so also περιπατεῖν ἐν τῇ ἀλήθεια. 2Jn_1:4; 3Jn_1:3 f; ἀπειθεῖν τῇ ἀλήθεια is just the opposite, Rom_2:8; so also πλανηθῆναι ἀπό τῆς ἀληθείας, Jas_5:19.
II. (subjectively) "truth as a personal excellence; that candor of mind which is free from affectation, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit": Joh_8:44; sincerity of mind and integrity of character, or a mode of life in harmony with divine truth: 1Co_5:8; 1Co_13:6 (opposed to ἀδικία); Eph_4:21 (see I. 1 b. above); ; (); σου ἀλήθεια the truth as it is discerned in thee, thy habit of thinking and acting in congruity with truth, 3Jn_1:3; ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Θεοῦ which belongs to God, i. e., his holiness (but cf. περισσεύω, 1 b. at the end), Rom_3:7; specifically, veracity (of God in keeping his promises), Rom_15:8; ἐν ἀλήθεια sincerely and truthfully, 2Jn_1:1; 3Jn_1:1. The word is not found in Revelation ((nor in 1 Thessalonians, Philemon, Jude)). Cf. Holemann, Bibelstudien (Lpz. 1859) 1te Abth., p. 8ff; (Wendt in Studien und Kritiken, 1883, p. 511ff.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀλήθεια alētheia 109x
truth, Mar_5:33 ; love of truth, sincerity, 1Co_5:8 ; divine truth revealed to man, Joh_1:17 ; practice in accordance with Gospel truth, Joh_3:21 ; 2Jn_1:4 truth.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀλήθεια , -ας , ἡ
( < ἀληθής ),
[in LXX chiefly for H571 (on which, v. Cremer , 627 f .), H530 ;]
truth ( v. DB , iv, 818 f .).
1. Objectively, "the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter" ( Cremer , 86): Rom_9:1 , al. ; of religious truth, Rom_1:2 , al. ; esp . of Christian doctrine, Gal_2:5 , al. ; ἀ . θεοῦ , Rom_15:8 .
2. Subjectively, truthfulness, truth, not merely verbal ( cl .), but sin\-cerity and integrity of character: Joh_8:44 , 3Jn_1:3 .
3. In phrases ( MM , VGT , s.v. ): ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας , Mar_12:14 , al. ; ἀ . λέγειν (εἰπεῖν , λαλεῖν ), Rom_9:1 , 2Co_12:6 , Eph_4:25 , al. ; ἀ . ποιεῖν , Joh_3:21 , 1Jn_1:6 ( cf. DE, iv, 818 b, ff .).
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀλήθεια [page 21]
The noun occurs requently in prepositional phrases, μετὰ πάσης ἀληθείας , etc. Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας is found in P Amh II. 68 33 (late i/A.D.) ὀμνύομεν . . . εἶ μὴν ἐξ ὑγειοῦς καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας ἐπιδεδωκ [έ ]ναι : so P Oxy III. 480 .9 (A.D. 132), and Syll 226 174 (iii/B.C.) οὐ γεγενημένου τούτου ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας , etc. This NT phrase is thoroughly idiomatic, we see, and not translation Greek in Mark. Other combinations are ἐξ ἀ ., P Oxy VII. 1032 33 (A.D. 162) ἐ [κ ] τῆς ἀ ., P Flor I. 32 14 (A.D. 298) ἐξόμνυμι . . . ἐξ ἀ . καὶ πίστεως . (For this collocation of nouns, cf. P Oxy I. 70 5 (iii/A.D.) πίστιν καὶ ἀλήθ [ειαν ἔ ]χει , is credited and accepted, of a contract (Edd.).) With 2Jn_1:1 , 3Jn_1:1 ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ , cf. the Gemellus letters, P Fay 118 .26 (A.D. 110) ἀσπάζου τοὺς φιλοῦντές σε πάντες πρὸς ἀλήθιαν , and ib. 119 .26 ( c. A.D. 100) τοὺς φιλοῦντες ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἀλήθιαν . In much the same sense we find ταῖς ἀληθ (είαις ), P Ryl II. 105 .26 (A.D. 136). For the noun without prepositions we may quote P Oxy II. 283 .13f. (A.D. 45) ἐξ οὗ δεήσει γνωσθῆναι πᾶσαν τὴν περὶ τῶν προγεγραμμένων ἀλήθειαν , P Giss I. 84 .14 (ii/A.D.) φι ]λοῦσ̣ι νῦν οὗτοι τὴν ἀλήθ [ε ]ιαν εἰπε̣ι̣̑ν̣, P Lond 412 .5 (A.D. 351) = (II. p. 280) εἰ μὴ ὑπῆρχεν ἡμεῖν ἡ τῶν νόμων ἀλήθει [α ], ib. 897 3 (A.D. 84) ( = III. p. 206) νυνεὶ δὲ ὑμεῖς τὴν ἀλήθειαν γράψαται , etc. From v/vi A.D. comes an interesting Christian prayer in P Oxy VI. 925 5 φανέρωσόν μοι τὴν παρὰ σοὶ ἀλήθιαν εἰ βούλῃ με ἀπελθεῖν εἰς Χιούτ . The form of the petition closely follows those of paganism.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
ἀλήθεια [Etym: ἀληθής] "truth" "truth", as opp. to a lie, παιδὸς πᾶσαν ἀλ. μυθεῖσθαι to tell the whole "truth" about the lad, Od. ; so, χρᾶσθαι τῇ ἀλ. Hdt. ; ἡ ἀλ. περί τινος Thuc. "truth, reality", opp. to appearance, τῶν ἔργων ἡ ἀλ. Thuc. adverb. usages, τῇ ἀληθείᾳ "in very truth", Thuc. ; rarely ἀληθείᾳ Plat. ; ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας "in truth and reality", Dem. ; μετ᾽ ἀληθείας Xen. ; κατ᾽ ἀλήθειαν Arist. "the character of the" ἀληθής, "truthfulness, sincerity, frankness, candour", Hdt. , etc.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἀλήθεια, -ας, ἡ
(ἀληθής), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמֶת (on which, see Cremer, 627f.), אֱמוּנָה ;]
truth (see DB, iv, 818f.).
__1. Objectively, "the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter" (Cremer, 86): Rom.9:1, al.; of religious truth, Rom.1:25, al.; esp. of Christian doctrine, Gal.2:5, al.; ἀ. θεοῦ, Rom.15:8.
__2. Subjectively, truthfulness, truth, not merely verbal (cl.), but sincerity and integrity of character: Jhn.8:44, 3Jo.3.
__3. In phrases (MM, VGT, see word): ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας, Mrk.12:14, al.; ἀ. λέγειν (εἰπεῖν, λαλεῖν), Rom.9:1, 2Co.12:6, Eph.4:25, al.; ἀ. ποιεῖν, Jhn.3:21, 1Jn.1:6 (cf. DB, iv, 818b, ff.).
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Truth (225) aletheia
Truth (225) (aletheia from a = indicates following word has the opposite meaning ~ without + lanthano = to be hidden or concealed, to escape notice, cp our English "latent" from Latin = to lie hidden) has the literal sense of that which contains nothing hidden. Aletheia is that which is not concealed. Aletheia is that which that is seen or expressed as it really is (this idea is discussed more below).
The basic understanding of aletheia is that it is the manifestation of a hidden reality (eg, click discussion of Jesus as "the Truth"). For example, when you are a witness in a trial, the court attendant says "Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" And you say, "I do" and you sit down. The question the court attendant is asking is "Are you willing to come into this courtroom and manifest something that is hidden to us that only you know so that you will bear evidence to that?" Therefore when you speak the truth, you are manifesting a "hidden reality". Does that make sense? An parallel example in Scripture is the case of the woman in the crowd who had touched Jesus (Read context = Mk 5:24-25, 26-27, 28-29, 30, 31-32), but when she became "aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth " (Mk 5:33) and nothing but the truth. She did not lie. She spoke no falsehoods.
Truth then is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set forth or describe the reality. To say it another way, words spoken or written are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession (which we describe with words like integrity, sincerity, non-hypocritical, etc). In other words, "what you see is what you get". Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth of Creation (Natural Revelation) and the Truth of Scripture (Special Revelation). Thus it is not surprising that rebellious, sinful men actively hold down or suppress the Truth of Creation (and the glorious Creator) (Ro 1:18) and even exchange this clearly manifested (and objective) reality (Creation) for a lie (Ro 1:25).
THE GOD OF
TRUTH
One of the attributes of God is Truth. God is the definition of truth; He is absolutely true, and all truth accords with God’s actions. God is all that He as God should be and that His word and revelation are completely reliable. He is absolutely dependable, without falseness of any kind. God’s plan, principles, and promises are completely reliable, accurate, real, and factual. God is real not imaginary, vain and empty like the idols of the pagans, who represent a so-called god of their own vain imagination. Truth can be depended upon and does not fail, change, or disappoint and so practically God's promises are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus and His word cannot fail or disappoint. The practical aspect of God's unchanging truthfulness is that we can stand on His promises with full assurance of faith no matter how we feel, no matter how dire our circumstances. We can trust and rest on this great attribute of God, forever and forever. Amen. And since God is truth, He desires that those who would give a proper opinion of Him also be truthful in the words and deeds. (Ro 12:9). Scripture on God is truth: Ex 34:6; Nu 23:19; Ps 19:9; 91:4; 100:5; 146:6; Isa 25:1; 65:16 Da 4:37; Mic7:20; Jn 17:17; 2 Cor 1:20; Rev 16:7. Jesus proclaimed, “I am the truth” (Jn 14:6). His word to mankind is absolutely reliable and can be trusted implicitly. It means He will never renege on any promise He has made. (See also Truthful by C H Spurgeon; The Truth of God by Bob Deffinbaugh; The Truth of God by Thomas Watson - Scroll down; Of the Veracity of God by John Gill; Let God Be True! by Richard Strauss)
Lewis Sperry Chafer writes that "Truth" is
"the character of God is in view when He is called the God of Truth. He not only advances and confirms that which is true, but in faithfulness abides by His promise, and executes every threat or warning He has made. Apart from the element of truth in God there would be no certainty whatsoever in this life, and men would wander on in comfortless perplexity not knowing whence they came or whither they are going. Without truth in God, a revelation is only a mockery. On the contrary, as asserted in the Bible, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Ro3:4). Though men deceive, the veracity of God can never be questioned to the slightest degree. Truth in God is surety that what He has disclosed is according to the nature of things and that His disclosures may be depended upon with plenary certainty. This certainty characterizes alike every revelation from God by whatever means."(Biblical Theism Pt 3/4 The Attributes of God - Bibliotheca Sacra: Vol. 96, Page 14-16, 1939 - full access cost $50/yr but gives access to 1000's of conservative theological articles which are searchable by subject and by Scripture-Click for info)
Charles Simeon wrote that
truth is a conformity of our feelings and actions to our professions and this God requires of us in the whole of our spirit and conduct.
Noah Webster defined truth as
Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. (1828 Dictionary)
Nelson's New Illustrated Dictionary says truths is
conformity to fact or actuality; faithfulness to an original or to a standard. In the Old and New Testaments, truth is a fundamental moral and personal quality of God. (Ex 34:6, Dt 32:4, Ps 25:10)
Friberg gives one of the best summaries of aletheia (the following is modified slightly) and includes the Greek word that is the antonym...
(1) Truth speaks of what has certainty and validity (Ep 4.21), The opposite = plane [word study] = going astray from the path of truth, thus error
(2) Truth describes the real state of affairs, especially as divinely disclosed truth (Ro 1.18). The opposite = muthos [word study] = fiction, myth
(3) Truth speaks of the concept of the Gospel message as being absolute truth (2Th 2.12)
(4) Truth can describe the true-to-fact statements (Lk 4.25). The opposite = pseudos [word study] (lie, falsehood); (See devotional related to lying - Which Tire Was It - Our Daily Bread)
(5) Truth speak of what is characterized by love of truth (truthfulness, uprightness, fidelity - in one's words or conduct = thus equates with sincerity, veracity) (1Co 5.8; 13.6). The opposite = adikia [word study] = wrong, evil
(6) Truth describes reality as opposed to pretense or mere appearance (Phil 1.18). The opposite = prophasis [word study] =pretext, excuse.
(a) Idiomatically "in truth" = really, truly, indeed (Mt 22:16)
(b) Idiomatically "according to truth" =. rightly (Ro 2.2)
(c) Idiomatically "upon or on truth" = of a truth, as the fact or event shows, really, actually (Acts 4:27, 10:34 [lit. = "of a truth"], Lk 4:25, Job 9:2, Is 37:18KJV) (Friberg, T., Friberg, B., & Miller, N. F. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Baker Academic)
Aletheia is a reality which is firm, solid, binding. When aletheia is used of individuals, it characterizes their action, their words or their thoughts and conveys the general sense of integrity (integer = one) (See Integrity - A Few Thoughts)
Truth is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set it forth. Words are true when they correspond with objective reality: Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession. Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth. Ultimately Jesus is "the Truth" and He is "the Word".
Aletheia speaks of veracity, reality, sincerity, accuracy, integrity ("what you see is what you get").
Vine - Aletheia, truth "expresses that which is consistent with reality."
Aletheia is the opposite of fictitious, feigned, false.
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