G459 ἄνομος (ánomos)

Lawless (459) (anomos from a = without + nomos = law; see study of related word anomia) means literally without law and thus lawless. Recognizing no law in 1Ti 1:8. In 1Co 9:21 anomos refers to not so much to those who transgress the law but those who either do not have, know or acknowledge the law (i.e., Gentiles). It describes transgressors, those who step across the the line (law), thus passing over or beyond a limit. They live without regard to law, in the sense of refusing to obey laws. Lawless = Not subject to law; unrestrained by law, disobedient to the law, contrary to or heedless of the law, uncontrolled; unbridled. Synonyms of lawless = anarchic, chaotic, disorderly, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous, rebellious, reckless, riotous, seditious, ungoverned, unrestrained, unruly, wild Vine notes that in 2Peter anomos conveys... the thought is not simply that of doing what is unlawful, but of flagrant defiance of the known will of God. TDNT writes that anomos... has the objective sense of “having no law” and the subjective sense of “paying no heed to law.” The Jews often use the term for the Gentiles with some vacillation of sense. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Richards explains that anomos refers to... actions that are not outside the governance of law but are in active violation of either divine or innate moral principles. The apostle John says, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness (related word anomia)" (1Jn 3:4). The seriousness of lawlessness is seen in its association with the virulent outbreak of Satanic power destined for history's end (2Th 2:3, 7, 8). UBS Handbook says anomos... is used of people who disregarded divine and human laws and ordinances. (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series or Logos) Jamieson writes that anomos describes those who... set at defiance the laws of nature, as well as man and God. Anomos describes the consequence of having no fear of God and therefore feeling completely free to live without constraining laws, indulging our sinful desires. Day in and day out Lot observed their deeds characterized as anomos, as contrary to and in defiance of the known will of God. Lot saw and heard this "in your face" attitude and actions every day and it tortured his righteous soul which is another reference to the inner moral condition of Lot. Peter uses the "soul" to describe the seat and center of the inner man and especially the center of one's feelings and emotions. NIDNTT has an informative note on the root word "nomos" which means law or norm... The noun nomos is formed from the vb. nemo, distribute, deal out, assign, grant, especially in the sense of assigning property, apportioning pasture or agricultural land (cf. nome, pasture). In other words, the reference is to those processes which are essential whenever men live together in a community, whether small or great. Relationships to earthly possessions have to be determined in a legally binding fashion, so that private and communal ownership may become a reality. Thus the basic vb. covers all shades of meaning from merely handing something over for a given period of time, right through to transferring something, once and for all, to the ownership of another person. By means of appropriate prepositions, personal or non-personal objects, and other qualifying phrases, ethical value-judgment can be expressed: to grant equally, exercise fairness, be impartial, also to favour, pass over, reject. The same vb. can also indicate the result of distributing property: to appropriate, own or possess, occupy, utilize; pass. to belong to. The communal aspect can still be seen in the mid.: to distribute (e.g. an inheritance) between one another. Anomos - 9x in 6v (not counting Mk 15:28 because it is not in all manuscripts) - Mark 15:28, Luke 22:37; Acts 2:23; 1 Cor 9:21; 2 Thess 2:8; 1 Tim 1:9; 2 Pet 2:8. NAS = godless men(1), lawless(2), lawless one(1), transgressors(2), without the law(1), without law(1), without law(2). Mark 15:28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] (Not in all Greek manuscripts which is why it is in brackets) Luke 22:37 "For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, 'AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS'; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment." Acts 2:23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men (in context refers primarily to the Romans, i.e. Gentiles) and put Him to death. 1 Corinthians 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Then that lawless one (the Antichrist) will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 1 Timothy 1:9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 2 Peter 2:8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), The contemporary application is plain. To what extent are Christians living today in a godless and thus lawless society "tormented" and "tortured" by what they see.