νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε

κρίνω (s. κρίμα; Hom.+) fut. κρινῶ; 1 aor. ἔκρινα; pf. κέκρικα; plpf. 3 sg. κεκρίκει (on the lack of augment s. B-D-F §66, 1; W-S. §12, 4; Mlt-H. 190; ἐκεκρίκει Just., D. 102, 2). Pass.: impf. ἐκρινόμην; 1 fut. κριθήσομαι; 1 aor. ἐκρίθην; pf. κέκριμαι. Primary mng.: ‘to set apart so as to distinguish, separate’, then by transference

① to make a selection, select, prefer (Aeschyl., Suppl. 39 τὶ; Pla., Rep. 3, 399e κρίνειν τινὰ πρό τινος ‘prefer someone to someone’, cp. Phlb. 57e; Himerius, Or. 40 [=Or. 6], 3 κ. τί τινι=select someth. because of someth. [a place because of its size]; κ. τὸ πρακτέον καὶ μὴ πρακτέον Did., Gen. 27, 3) ὸ̔ς μὲν γὰρ κρίνει ἡμέραν παρʼ ἡμέραν the one prefers one day to another Ro 14:5a. In the other half of the sentence ὸ̔ς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡμέραν, κ. prob. has the sense recognize, approve (X., Hell. 1, 7, 34 ἔκριναν τὴν τῆς βουλῆς γνώμην) the other holds every day in esteem vs. 5b. Closely associated is mng.

② to pass judgment upon (and thereby seek to influence) the lives and actions of other people

ⓐ judge, pass judgment upon, express an opinion about Mt 7:1a, 2a; Lk 6:37a; 1 Cl 13:2; Pol 2:3 (Sextus 183 ὁ κρίνων ἄνθρωπον κρίνεται ὑπὸ τ. θεοῦ). κ. δικαίως D 4:3; B 19:11. κ. κατʼ ὄψιν by the outward appearance J 7:24a. κατὰ τὴν σάρκα 8:15. τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν κ. pass a right judgment 7:24b (on the expr. cp. Dt 16:18). This is perh. the place for 1 Pt 4:6 ἵνα κριθῶσιν κατὰ ἀνθρ. (s. ESelwyn, comm. ad loc. ref. to Lghtf.; cp. Wsd 3:4).

ⓑ esp. pass an unfavorable judgment upon, criticize, find fault with, condemn (Epict. 2, 21, 11) Ro 2:1abc, 3; 14:3f, 10, 13a (a play on words, w. κρίνειν used in two different mngs. in the same vs.; s. 4 below on vs. 13b); Col 2:16; Js 4:11, 12; D 11:12. μή τι κρίνετε do not pronounce judgment on anything 1 Cor 4:5. ἱνατί γὰρ ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται ὑπὸ ἄλλης συνειδήσεως; why is my freedom (of action) to be unfavorably judged by another person’s scruples? 1 Cor 10:29. μακάριος ὁ μὴ κρίνων ἑαυτόν happy is the one who finds no fault w. himself Ro 14:22.—Also of a human judgment directed against God ὅπως ἂν νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε that you may win when you are judged Ro 3:4 (OMichel in KEK prefers active sense); 1 Cl 18:4 (both Ps 50:6).

③ to make a judgment based on taking various factors into account, judge, think, consider, look upon w. double acc. of the obj. and the predicate (Soph., Oed. R. 34; Pla., Rep. 9, 578b and s. Cebes 39, 4; 3 Macc 2:33; Just., D. 112, 1) οὐκ ἀξίους κρίνετε ἑαυτούς you do not consider yourselves worthy Ac 13:46 (Jos., Ant. 6, 159 ὸ̔ν αὐτὸς τ. βασιλείας ἄξιον ἔκρινεν; EpArist 98); cp. PtK 3 p. 15, 17. τὰ ὑστερήματα αὐτῶν ἴδια ἐκρίνετε you considered their shortcomings as your own 1 Cl 2:6. Pass. (Thu. 2, 40, 3; Jos., Ant. 4, 193) τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρʼ ὑμῖν; why do you think it is incredible? Ac 26:8 (Jos., Ant. 18, 76 ἄπιστα αὐτὰ κρίνειν).—Foll. by acc. w. inf. (Pla., Gorg., 452c, Rep. 9, 578b; X., An. 1, 9, 5; 28) κεκρίκατέ με πιστὴν … εἶναι Ac 16:15.—W. inf. foll. κρίνω μὴ παρενοχλεῖν τοῖς κτλ. 15:19.—Foll. by τοῦτο ὅτι 2 Cor 5:14.—W. direct quest. foll. ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς κρίνατε judge, decide for yourselves 1 Cor 11:13.—W. indirect quest. foll. (Thu. 4, 130, 7 κρίναντες ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς, εἰ … ; X., Cyr. 4, 1, 5) εἰ δίκαιόν ἐστιν, ὑμῶν ἀκούειν μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ, κρίνατε decide whether it is right to obey you rather than God Ac 4:19.—κρίνατε ὑμεῖς ὅ φημι pass your own judgment on what I say 1 Cor 10:15.—ὀρθῶς ἔκρινας you have judged rightly Lk 7:43.

④ to come to a conclusion after a cognitive process, reach a decision, decide, propose, intend (Isocr. 4, 46; Polyb. 3, 6, 7; 5, 52, 6; 9, 13, 7; Epict. 2, 15, 7; Appian, Bell. Civ. 14, 118 §497 ὅταν οἱ θεοὶ κρίνωσιν; LXX) τί οὖν θέλετε, κρίνατε (restored) so decide now what you wish (to be done); w. inf. (Diod S 4, 33, 10; 17, 95, 1; UPZ 42, 37 [162 B.C.]; PTebt 55, 4 [II B.C.] ἔκρινα γράψαι; PLond III, 897, 11 p. 207 [84 A.D.]; 1 Macc 11:33; 3 Macc 1:6; Jdth 11:13; Wsd 8:9; Jos., Ant.7, 33; 12, 403; 13, 188; Did., Gen. 179, 7) Ac 3:13; 20:16; 25:25; 1 Cor 2:2; 5:3; Tit 3:12. W. τοῦ and inf. (B-D-F §397, 2) ἐκρίθη τοῦ ἀποπλεῖν ἡμᾶς Ac 27:1. ἐπεὶ ἤδη σεαυτῷ κέκρικας τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπου φυλαχθῆναι since you have already decided in your own mind that these commandments cannot be kept by anyone Hm 12, 3, 6.—W. acc. and inf. (2 Macc 11:25, 36; 3 Macc 6:30; TestSol 10:8; SibOr 3, 127; Just., D. 102, 2) Ac 21:25 (even in the substantially different rdgs.). τοῦτο κέκρικεν …, τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον he has determined this, namely to keep his fiancée (pure and undefiled) 1 Cor 7:37 (s. s.v. γαμίζω 2; Diod S 4, 73, 2 of a father: κρίναι ταύτην [i.e. his daughter] παρθένον διαφυλάττειν). τοῦτο κρίνατε μᾶλλον, τὸ μὴ τιθέναι πρόσκομμα but rather decide this, (namely) to give no offense Ro 14:13b. ἔκρινα ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο, τὸ … ἐλθεῖν 2 Cor 2:1. τὰ δόγματα τὰ κεκριμένα ὑπὸ τ. ἀποστόλων Ac 16:4 (cp. Polyb. 5, 52, 6 πράξας τὸ κριθέν; Epict. 2, 15, 7 τοῖς κριθεῖσιν ἐμμένειν δεῖ).

⑤ to engage in a judicial process, judge, decide, hale before a court, condemn, also hand over for judicial punishment, freq. as a legal t.t. (in a forensic sense Hom. et al.; ins, pap, LXX).

ⓐ of a human court

α. act. and pass. abs. Ac 13:27. W. adv. GPt 3:7. κ. τινά: κατὰ τὸν νόμον J 18:31; Ac 23:3; 24:6 v.l. οὐδὲ ἐγὼ κρίνω ὑμᾶς GJs 16:3. Of the right of the apostle and the church to judge believers 1 Cor 5:12ab. μὴ ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν κρίνει τὸν ἄνθρωπον; does our law (personified) judge a person? J 7:51 (Appian, Bell. Civ. 3, 50 §205 certain senators desire that before Mark Antony is declared a public enemy he should be brought to trial, ὡς οὐ πάτριον σφίσιν ἀκρίτου καταδικάζειν ‘on the ground that it was not their ancestral custom to condemn someone without a hearing’). ἐκ τ. στόματός σου κρινῶ σε I will punish you on the basis of your own statement Lk 19:22. Pass. Ac 25:10. κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τινι be on trial because of a thing 26:6 (Appian, Basil. 12 κρινόμενος ἐπὶ τῷδε=be brought to trial because of this thing; likew. Iber. 55 §233; Ath. 2, 3; of God ApcrEzk Fgm. d). Also περί τινος (Diod S 12, 30, 5) 23:6; 25:20; w. addition of ἐπί w. gen. of the court of judicature before someone (schol. on Hes., Op. 9) 24:21; 25:9; D 11:11.—τί δὲ καὶ ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν οὐ κρίνετε τὸ δίκαιον; Lk 12:57, which leads over into the sphere of jurisprudence (vs. 58), means: why cannot you yourselves decide what is right? (cp. the prayer for vengeance fr. Amorgos [BCH 25, 1901 p. 416; Dssm., LO 94=LAE 118] ἐπάκουσον, θεά, καὶ κρῖναι τὸ δίκαιον; cp. Appian, Mithrid. 89 §403 κρίνειν τὴν μάχην=decide the battle; Just., A II, 15, 5).

β. mid. and pass.: ‘dispute, quarrel, debate’, also go to law (so Thu. 4, 122, 4 δίκῃ κρίνεσθαι; Hos 2:4 al. in LXX; TestSol 4:4ff D; Mel., P. 101, 773) τινί with someone (Job 9:3; 13:19) Mt 5:40; B 6:1 (Is 50:8); μετά τινος (Vi. Aesopi W 76 κριθῆναί με μετὰ τῆς κυρίας μου ἐπὶ σοί=I am pleading my case with my mistress before you; Eccl 6:10) 1 Cor 6:6. ἐπί τινος before someone (as judge) vs. 1 (on the beginning of 1 Cor 6 cp. the decree of Alexander to the Greeks in Ps.-Callisth. 2, 21, 21: βούλομαι δὲ μὴ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς κρίνειν ὅσον τις ὑμῶν ἔχει πρὸς ἕτερον, οὐδὲ ἐφʼ οὗ βούλεσθε=it is my wish [will] that you are not to go to law among yourselves, no matter what any of you may have against another, nor before anyone you wish).

ⓑ of the divine tribunal

α. occupied by God or Christ: abs. administer justice, judge J 5:30; 8:16, 50; cp. vs. 26; Rv 6:10; B 5:7. Pass. be judged Mt 7:1b, 2b; Lk 6:37b; Rv 11:18.—W. acc. foll. (PGM 4, 1013 of Horus ὁ κρίνων τὰ πάντα) J 5:22; 8:15b. τοὺς ἔξω 1 Cor 5:13. ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς judge the living and the dead 2 Ti 4:1; 1 Pt 4:5; B 7:2. τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων Ro 2:16. τὸν κόσμον B 4:12 (TestAbr A 13 p. 92, 10 [Stone p. 32]; ApcEsdr 3:3 p. 27, 8 Tdf.). τὴν οἰκουμένην Ac 17:31; AcPl Ha 9, 29. κ. κατὰ τὸ ἑκάστου ἔργον judge each one by what that person does 1 Pt 1:17; cp. Rv 20:13. ἐκρίθησαν οἱ νεκροὶ ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν the dead were judged by what was written in the books (of life and of death), in accordance w. their deeds vs. 12; δικαίως κ. judge uprightly (Sotades [280 B.C.] Fgm. 11, 2 Diehl² II 6 p. 191 [in Stob. 4, 34, 8 vol. V p. 826, 5=Coll. Alex. p. 243] ὁ παντογενὴς … οὐ κρίνει δικαίως) 1 Pt 2:23; B 19:11. Also ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ Rv 19:11. διὰ νόμου κρίνεσθαι be judged on the basis of the law Js 2:12.—Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish (opp. σῴζειν as TestJud 24:6; Mel., P. 104, 810; cp. ApcEsdr 1, 11 p. 25, 3 Tdf. ἐμὲ κρῖνον ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν) J 3:17; cp. 18ab; 12:47ab, 48a; cp. 48b; Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14); Dg 7:5f (opp. ἀγαπᾶν). διὰ νόμου κ. punish on the basis of the law Ro 2:12.—3:6f; 1 Cor 11:31f (here of the temporal punishment which God brings upon sinners); 2 Th 2:12; Hb 10:30 (κρινεῖ κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ the Lord will judge = punish his people is derived fr. Dt 32:36=Ps 134:14, where the judgment of God is spoken of, resulting in the vindication of the innocent [the thought prominent in the two OT pass.] and the punishment of the guilty [the thought prominent in the Hb pass.]); 13:4; Js 5:9; for 1 Pt 4:6 s. 2a above; Rv 18:8; 19:2; B 15:5.—W. the punishment given κ. διὰ πυρός 1 Cl 11:1; διὰ τῶν μαστίγων 17:5. κεκριμένοι ἤδη τῷ θανάτῳ already condemned to death B 10:5. Also εἰς θάνατον condemned to death Hs 9, 18, 2. οἱ κρινόμενοι ἀσεβεῖς the godless, who are condemned 2 Cl 18:1. Of the devil ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κέκριται J 16:11.—ταῦτα ἔκρινας you have imposed these punishments Rv 16:5.—On κρίνειν τὸ κρίμα 18:20 s. κρίμα 4.

β. occupied by those who have been divinely commissioned to judge: the 12 apostles judge the 12 tribes Mt 19:28; Lk 22:30 (PBatiffol, RB n.s. 9, 1912, 541–43. But here κ. could have the broader sense rule; cp. 4 Km 15:5; Ps 2:10; 1 Macc 9:73; PsSol 17:29). κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία … σέ the one who is physically uncircumcised will sit in judgment upon you Ro 2:27. οἱ ἅγιοι as judges of the cosmos 1 Cor 6:2ab (κρίνεσθαι ἐν: Diod S 19, 51, 4.—On the saints as co-rulers with God cp. Epict., Ench. 15; Sallust. 21 p. 36, 14) as well as of the angels vs. 3 (cp. Da 7:22).

⑥ to ensure justice for someone, see to it that justice is done (LXX) τινί to someone 1 Cl 8:4 (Is 1:17).—B. 1428. DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW.

νῑκάω, [dialect] Ion. [full] νικέω Democr.249, Herod.1.51, also GDI1413.16 (Aetol.), SIG265.4 (Delph., iv B.C.), v.l. in Apoc.2.7; [dialect] Aeol. [full] νίκημι Theoc.7.40, AP7.743 (Antip.); also in [tense] impf. νίκη cj. in Pi.N.5.5, cf. Theoc.6.46: [dialect] Ep. [tense] impf. [ per.] 1pl.

A

νικάσκομεν Od.11.512

: [tense] fut. -ήσω, later

- ήσομαι Hierocl.Facet.205

; [dialect] Dor. [ per.] 2sg. νικαξῇ v.l. in Theoc.21.32: [tense] pf. νενίκηκα, etc.: ([etym.] νίκη):

I abs., conquer, prevail in battle, in the games, or in any contest, Il.3.439, etc.; ὁ νικήσας the conqueror, ib. 138, X.Smp.5.9, etc.; ὁ νικηθείς the conquered, Il.23.656, 663; ἐνίκησα καὶ δεύτερος καὶ τέταρτος ἐγενόμην I won the first prize [at Olympia], etc., Th.6.16, cf. Isoc.16.33: [tense] pres.freq. in sense, to be (or be proclaimed) conqueror, Pi.O.9.112, 13.30, cf. X.Cyr.8.2.27, An.2.1.1; νικᾶν πᾶσι τοῖς κριταῖς or ἑνὶ κριτῇ in their opinion, Ar.Av. 445, 447; πολὺ ν. win a decisive victory, Th.7.34, etc.;

τὰ πάντα ν. X.An.

l.c.: freq. c. dat. modi, πυγμῇ in boxing, Il.23.669;

ναυμαχίῃ Hdt.7.10

.β';

ἵππῳ Id.6.122

;

μάχῃ E.Ph. 1143

, etc.;

ἵππῳ ἢ συνωρίδι ἢ ζεύγει Pl.Ap. 36d

;

λαμπάδι And.4.42

, etc.: c. acc. cogn. in same sense, πάντα ἐνίκα he won all the bouts, Il.4.389, 5.807; τὰ κοῦφα, τὰ μείζοναν., E.Alc. 1029, 1031;

τῶν παλαισμάτων ἓν ν. Pl.Phdr. 256b

;

ἅρμα ν. Pi.I.4(3).25

;

παγκράτιον Th.5.49

; ναυμαχίαν, μάχας, Id.7.66, Isoc.12.257, etc.: freq. ν. Ὀλύμπια to be conqueror in the Olympian games, Th.1.126;

τὠλύμπια Timocl.8.17

;

τὰ Παναθήναια Pl. Ion 530b

;

ν. Ὀλυμπιάδα Hdt.9.33

(also

ν. Ὀλυμπίασιν Pl.Ap. 36d

;

ἐν Πυθίοισι Pi.N.2.9

): c. dat. et acc.,

τὰ Πύθια τῷ τεθρίππῳ ν. D.59.33

; πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας οὐ παγκρατίῳ μόνον, κτλ., Plu.2.811d; Ὀλυμπίασι παῖδας στάδιον ν. conquer in the boys' race in the stadium at Olympia, D.58.66: c. dupl. acc., Πύθια ν. ἄνδρας Diog.Cyn. ap. D.L.6.33: also in [dialect] Att. Inscrr. c. gen.,

Λεωντὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐνίκα IG2.1291

, al.: generally c. acc. cogn., νίκην ν. win a victory, E.Supp. 1060, Pl.R. 465d, etc. (cf. infr. 11); also ν. τρίποδα win it, Simon.147.

2 prevail, be superior, μύθοισιν, ἔγχεϊ, Il.18.252;

δόλοισι Od.3.121

; κάλλει ἐνίκα (sc. κρητήρ) Il.23.742;

πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν νενικηκώς Pl.Lg. 964c

: c. part.,

εὐεργετῶν ν. X.Ages.9.7

.

3 of opinions, etc., βουλὴ κακὴ νίκησεν the evil counsel prevailed, Od. 10.46;

τὰ χερείονα νικᾷ Il.1.576

, Od.18.404;

ἐνίκα ἡ γνώμη Hdt.5.36

, cf. Th.2.12, etc.;

ἡ νικῶσα βουλή E.Med. 912

; ἐκ τῆς νικώσης [γνώμης] according to the prevailing opinion, vote of the majority, X.An.6.1.18, 6.2.12;

ταῦτ' ἐνίκα S.Ant. 274

;

νικᾷ πάσαισι ταῖς ψήφοις ὁ νόμος

is carried,

Pl.Lg. 801a

;

σὺν ψάφῳ τᾷ νικεούσᾳ SIG265.4

(Delph., iv B.C.): freq. of orators,

νικᾷ.. ὁ κακὸς ἐν πλήθει λέγων E.Or. 944

;

ν. γνώμῃσι Hdt.3.82

(so γνώμῃ, v.l. γνώμην, Id.1.61, cf.Ar.V. 594): freq. impers., ἐνίκα (sc. ἡ γνώμη) it was resolved, c. inf., ἐνίκα μὴ ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν it was carried not.., Hdt.6.101;

τέλος γε μέντοι δεῦρ' ἐνίκησεν μολεῖν S.Ant. 233

, etc.; ἐνίκησε.. λοιμὸν εἰρῆσθαι it was the prevailing opinion that.., Th.2.54; ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ νικᾷ ζῆν it is preferable.., Pl.Plt. 303b.

4 c. inf., succeed in..,

ἐνίκησε σκορπίσαι Psalm.Solom.4.13

.

5 as law-term, ν. τὴν δίκην win one's cause, E.El. 955, cf. Ar.V. 581; simply

νικᾶν GDI5011.11

([place name] Gortyn), Arist.Ath.42.1, Rh.Al. 1433a6, PHal.1.58 (iii B.C.), etc.;

νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε Ep.Rom.3.4

:—[voice] Pass., c. gen.,

αἴ κα νικαθῇ τῶν ἐνεχύρων Schwyzer 177.9

(Crete, v B.C.); v. infr. 11.

II c. acc., conquer, vanquish,

Ἕκτορα Il.7.192

, etc.: freq. c. dat. modi,

μάχῃ ν. Ἀχαιούς 16.79

;

ἀγορῇ ν. υἷας Ἀχαιῶν 2.370

;

πόδεσσι δὲ πάντας ἐνίκα 20.410

;

κάλλει ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν 9.130

; πάντα ν. ἄνδρα.. κακοῖσιν surpass him in miseries, E.Hec. 659;

ν. τινὰ ἔν τινι Pl.Smp. 213e

, etc.; μὴ φῦναι τὸν ἅπαντα νικᾷ λόγον excels the whole account, S.OC 1224 (lyr.);

νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν Ep.Rom.12.21

: c. acc. cogn.,

μάχην ν. τινά Isoc. 8.58

, Aeschin.3.181, etc.:—[voice] Pass.,

ἔστιν ἃ τῶν ἄθλων δὶς ἕκαστος ἐνικήθη X.HG4.5.2

: c. part.,

ν. ἀλεξόμενός τινα Id.An.1.9.11

, etc.

b as law-term (cf. 1.5),

νίκης τήν μιν ἐγὼ νίκησα Od.11.545

:—[voice] Pass.,

ἧ δέ κα νικαθῇ Leg.Gort.1.23

, al.; also of objects in dispute, damages, etc., recover, ib.1.28, al.:—[voice] Pass., to be assigned, adjudicated, ib.1.55.

2 generally, overpower, esp. of passions, etc.,

νόον νίκησε νεοίη Il.23.604

;

μὴ φόβος σὲ νικάτω φρένας A.Eu.88

, cf. 133;

[φύσις] νικᾷ τῷ ἥσσονι τὸ μεῖζον τῆς ἐλπίδος Democr.176

; βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με grievous is the pleasure ye win prevailing over me, S.OC 1204: c. inf., μηδ' ἡ βία σε.. νικησάτω τοσόνδε μισεῖν let not violence prevail on thee to.., Id.Aj. 1334: with gen. of comparison, νικᾷ γὰρ ἁρετή με τῆς ἔχθρας πολύ weighs with me more than enmity, from the compar. force in νικᾷ, ib. 1357 codd.

3 [voice] Pass., to be vanquished, Hom. only in part. νικηθείς (v. supr. 1.1); νικᾶσθαι ὕπνῳ, κέρδεσιν, A.Ag. 291, 342;

ἡδονῇ S.El. 1272

;

συμφορᾷ E.Med. 1195

; also

ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ Th.2.51

;

πρὸς ἱμέρου S.Fr.932.4

, etc.: sts. c. gen.,

ἱμέρου νικώμενος A.Supp. 1005

;

αὐτῆς <τε> τῆς δίκης.. αὐτοῦ τε τοῦ ἀληθοῦς νικᾶσθαι Antipho 5.87

: freq. of persons, νικᾶσθαί τινος, with gen. of comparison, to be inferior, yield to, S.Aj. 1353, E.Med. 315, Cyc. 454; ξείνων νενίκανται θύραι the doors give way to the guests, Pi.N.9.2;

ἢν τοῦτο νικηθῇς ἐμοῦ Ar.Nu. 1087

.

νικάω (Hom.+; ins, pap, LXX; PsSol 4:10; TestJob 27:5; Test12Patr, Philo, Joseph., Just., Tat.; Ath. 3, 2) ptc. νικῶν, dat. νικῶντι or νικοῦντι (so some edd. Rv 2:17, in part also vs. 7; on this exchange of-άω and-έω forms s. B-D-F §90; W-S. §13, 26; Rob. 203; s. Mlt-H. 195); fut. νικήσω; 1 aor. ἐνίκησα; pf. νενίκηκα. Pass.: 1 fut. inf. νικηθήσεσθαι (Just., D. 78, 9); 1 aor. ἐνικήθην LXX, ptc. νικηθείς; pf. inf. νενικῆσθαι 4 Macc 13:2.

① to win in the face of obstacles, be victor, conquer, overcome, prevail, intr.

ⓐ in a battle or contest (EpArist 281); of Israel as victorious in battle 12:2 (cp. Ex 17:11); of Christ Rv 3:21b; 5:5 (the foll. inf. ἀνοῖξαι indicates what the victory enables the victor to do). ἐξῆλθεν νικῶν κ. ἵνα νικήσῃ 6:2. Of the good athlete (Lucian, Tim. 50; POxy 1759, 4 letter to an athlete) IPol 3:1. The Christian as ὁ νικῶν the one who is victorious (s. B-D-F §322; Rob. 865) Rv 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7 (s. Boll 49, 1). οἱ νικῶντες ἐκ τοῦ θηρίου (=τηρήσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐκ τ. θ.—B-D-F §212; GBonaccorsi, Primi saggi di filologia neotest. I ’33 p. clxii) 15:2.—Hs 8, 3, 6 v.l.

ⓑ in a legal action (Aristoph., Equ. 95, Av. 445; 447; Protagoras in Diog. L. 9, 56 [νικάω and νίκη]; Artem. 1, 35 p. 36, 20; 4, 31 p. 222, 17 al.; PSI 551, 7 [III B.C.] ἐνίκων τῇ κρίσει; PHal 1, 51; 58 [III B.C.]; Jos., Bell. 2, 284, Ant. 12, 126) ὅπως … και νικήσεις (v.l. νικήσῃς) ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε that you may win when you are accused Ro 3:4; 1 Cl 18:4 (both Ps 50:6.—IG XI/4, 1299, 26f [c. 200 B.C.] Sarapis and his worshipers win in a lawsuit over a new temple [Eng. tr. in Danker, Benefactor, no. 27]).

② to overcome someone, vanquish, overcome, trans.

ⓐ act. w. the obj. in the acc. τινά overcome someone (Polyb. 6, 58, 13; Diod S 4, 57, 6; Jos., Vi. 81) Lk 11:22; Rv 11:7; 13:7; 17:14. Of Christ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον I have overcome the world (i.e. the sum total of everything opposed to God; s. κόσμος 7b) J 16:33b (ν. τι=‘be stronger than’: IAndros Isis, Kyme 55 p. 124). Also said of Christians 1J 5:4f; cp. αὕτη ἐστιν ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον vs. 4b (s. νίκη). Also ν. τὸν πονηρόν overcome the evil one, the devil 2:13f (on this passage and J 16:33b s. JBruns, JBL 86, ’67, 451–53); cp. Rv 12:11. αὐτόν (=τὸν διάβολον) Hs 8, 3, 6. αὐτούς (=τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου) 1J 4:4. ν. τὴν ψυχήν win a victory over the soul (i.e. the earthly-minded part of man; cp. Sextus 71a νίκα τὸ σῶμα) 2 Cl 16:2. The conquering power added in the dat.: by (means of) ἔν τινι (Pla., Symp. 213e; Himerius, Or. [Ecl.] 3, 11 ἐν δόγμασι νικῶν ἐκείνους): ἐν τῷ μὴ ποιεῖν τὰς ἐπιθυμίας αὐτῆς τὰς πονηράς by not carrying out its base desires 2 Cl 16:2. ν. ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν overcome evil with good Ro 12:21b (TestBenj 4:3 οὗτος τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποιῶν νικᾷ τὸ κακόν).

ⓑ pass. be conquered, beaten (Thu. 1, 76, 2 al.; Posidippus [III B.C.]: 447 Fgm. 2 Jac. νικᾶται ὁ Κύπριος τῷ σχήματι=the Cyprian is ‘conquered’ by the picture [of Aphrodite] et al.; Philo, De Jos. 200 νικώμενος ὑπὸ πάθους; Jos., Ant. 1, 302 by the force of necessity; Tat. 9, 2 ὁ νικώμενος νῦν εἰσαῦτις ἐπικρατεῖν εἴωθεν; Theoph. Ant. 2, 12 [p. 130, 30] θεὸν γὰρ οὐ χρὴ ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς νικᾶσθαι) Hm 12, 5, 2. ὁ πονηρὸς … νικηθείς AcPlCor 2:15. Let oneself be overcome μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τ. κακοῦ Ro 12:21a; Dg 7:7.

③ to surpass in ability, outstrip, excel, trans. w. the superior power added in the dat. (cp. Eur., Herc. Fur. 342 ἀρετῇ; Ael. Aristid. 13 p. 272 D.: ἐπιεικείᾳ; Tat. 15:4 θανάτῳ … τὸν θάνατον νενικήκασιν) τοῖς ἰδίοις βίοις νικῶσι τ. νόμους in their way of life they surpass (or outdo) the laws (i.e., they live better lives than the laws require) Dg 5:10.—DELG s.v. νίκη. M-M. TW.