Righteousness

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State of being morally correct and justifiable

title: "Righteousness" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["attributes-of-god-in-christian-theology", "religious-ethics", "concepts-in-ethics", "good-and-evil", "virtue"] description: "State of being morally correct and justifiable" topic_path: "philosophy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteousness" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary State of being morally correct and justifiable ::

Righteousness is the quality or state of being morally right or justifiable. The concept is rooted in religious or divine law and broadly encompasses moral correctness, justice, and virtuous living as dictated by a higher authority or set of spiritual beliefs. It is a concept found in many religions and traditions, including Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism. It is an attribute that implies that a person's actions are justified and can have the connotation that the person has been "judged" as living a moral life, relative to religious doctrines. Rectitude, often a synonym for righteousness, is about personal moral values and the internal compass that guides an individual’s decisions and actions.

William Tyndale (translator of the Bible into English in 1526) remodeled the word after an earlier word rihtwis, which would have yielded modern English right wise or right ways. He used it to translate the Hebrew root צדק he, which appears over five hundred times in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek word δίκαιος (grc), which appears approximately 80 times in the New Testament.

Etymologically, it comes from Old English rihtwīs, from riht 'right' + wīs 'manner, state, condition' (as opposed to wrangwīs, "wrongful"). The change in the ending of the word in the 16th century was due to association with words such as bounteous.

Ethics or moral philosophy

Ethics is a major branch of philosophy that encompasses principles leading to right conduct. American author and professor Rushworth Kidder states that "standard definitions of ethics have typically included such phrases as 'the science of the ideal human character' or 'the science of moral duty'". Professors Richard William Paul and Linda Elder define ethics as "a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what behavior helps or harms sentient creatures". The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy states that the word ethics is "commonly used interchangeably with 'morality' ... and sometimes it is used more narrowly to mean the moral principles of a particular tradition, group or individual".

Abrahamic and Abrahamic-inspired religions

Christianity

In the New Testament, the word righteousness, a translation of the Greek word grc, is used in the sense of 'being righteous before others' (e.g. Matthew 5:20) or 'being righteous before God' (e.g. Romans 1:17). William Lane Craig argues that we should think of God as the "paradigm, the locus, the source of all moral value and standards".

In Matthew's account of the Baptism of Jesus, Jesus tells John the Baptist, "It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" as Jesus requests that John perform the rite for him. The Sermon on the Mount contains the commandment, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness".

A secondary meaning of the Greek word is 'justice', which is used to render it in a few places by a few Bible translations, e.g. in Matthew 6:33 in the New English Bible.

Jesus asserts the importance of righteousness by saying in Matthew 5:20, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven".

Paul the Apostle speaks of two ways to achieve righteousness: through the Law of Moses (or Torah) and through faith in the atonement made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (). However, he repeatedly emphasizes that faith is the more effective way. For example, a few verses earlier, he states the Jews did not attain the law of righteousness because they sought it not by faith, but by works.

The New Testament speaks of a salvation founded on God's righteousness, as exemplified throughout the history of salvation narrated in the Old Testament (). Paul writes to the Romans that righteousness comes by faith: "... a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" ().

speaks of the relationship between works of righteousness and faith, saying that "faith without works is dead". Righteous acts ,according to James, include works of charity () as well as avoiding sins against the Law of Moses ().

describes Lot as a righteous man.

Broadly, righteousness is defined as the state of being morally upright and in right standing with God according to divine standards. Rooted in the Hebrew concept of tsedeq and the Greek dikaiosynē, it signifies both the holy character of God and the ethical behavior expected of humanity within a conventional relationship. While the Old Testament emphasizes righteousness through adherence to the Mosaic Law, New Testament theology—particularly in the Pauline epistles—posits that human sinfulness makes perfect righteousness unattainable through personal effort alone. Consequently, mainstream Christian doctrine teaches that righteousness is a gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ. This is often distinguished between "imputed righteousness," where Christ’s merit is legally credited to the believer to achieve justification, and "imparted" or "infused" righteousness, where the Holy Spirit works within the individual to effect actual moral transformation during the process of sanctification.

Islam

Righteousness is mentioned several times in the Quran. The Quran says that a life of righteousness is the only way to go to Heaven.

Judaism

Main article: Tzadik

Righteousness is one of the chief attributes of God as portrayed in the Hebrew Bible. Its chief meaning concerns ethical conduct (for example, ; ; ; ). In the Book of Job, the title character is introduced as "a good and righteous man". The Book of Wisdom calls on rulers of the world to embrace righteousness. It also concerns actively pursuing justice (Mishpat), and charity (Tzedakah). The Talmud mentions that there are in each generation thirty-six righteous people (called Lamed Vav Tzadikim in Hebrew), whose existence sustains the world.

Mandaeism

Main article: Mandaeans#Origin, Zidqa

An early self-appellation for Mandaeans is myz meaning 'elect of righteousness' or 'the chosen righteous', a term found in the Book of Enoch and Genesis Apocryphon II, 4.{{multiref2 |1= |2= |3= |4= |1= |2=

East Asian religions

Yi (Confucianism)

Main article: Yi (Confucianism)

zh, (), literally "justice, or justness, righteousness or rightness, meaning", is an important concept in Confucianism. It involves a moral disposition for the good in life with the sustainable intuition, purpose, and sensibility to do good competently without expectation of reward.

zh resonates with Confucian philosophy's orientation towards the cultivation of reverence or benevolence (zh) and skillful practice (zh).

zh represents moral acumen that goes beyond simple rule-following. As it is based on empathy, it involves a balanced understanding of a situation, and it incorporates the "creative insights" and grounding necessary to apply virtues through deduction (Yin and Yang) and reason "with no loss of purpose and direction for the total good of fidelity. zh represents this ideal of totality and decisive ability to apply a virtue appropriately in a situation."

In application, zh is a "complex principle" that includes:

  1. skill in crafting actions which have moral fitness according to a given concrete situation
  2. the wise recognition of such fitness
  3. the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from that recognition.

Indian religions

There might not be a single-word translation for sa in English, but it can be translated as uprising righteousness of karma, religion, faith, duty, law, and virtue. Connotations of sa include rightness, good, natural, morality, righteousness, and virtue. In common parlance, sa means 'right way of living' and 'path of rightness'. It encompasses ideas such as duty, rights, character, vocation, religion, customs and all behavior considered appropriate, correct or "morally upright". It is explained as a law of righteousness and equated to sa (truth): "...when a man speaks the Truth, they say, 'He speaks the Dharma'; and if he speaks Dharma, they say, 'He speaks the Truth!' For both are one" sa has been a central concept in India for many ages and can be traced back to the Vedic Eras, as back as 1500–1000 BCE.

An ancient Tamil moral text, of Tirukkural is solely based on ta, the Tamil term for sa. The antonym of sa is generally referred to as sa.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg" caption="The wheel in the centre of India's flag represents the '''''Dharma'' ''Chakra'''''."] ::

The importance of sa to Indian sentiments can be seen in the fact that the national flag of India includes the Ashoka Chakra, a depiction of the sa ( the "wheel of dharma"), as the central motif on its flag.

Hinduism

Abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham"|Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharata, And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth|attr1=Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4: Text 7 {{multiref2 |1= |2= }}}}

In Hindu philosophy and religion, major emphasis is placed on individual practical morality. In the Sanskrit epics, this concern is omnipresent. This includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, and "right way of living". The Sanskrit epics contain themes and examples where right prevails over wrong and good over evil.

In an inscription attributed to the Indian Emperor Ashoka from , in Sanskrit, Aramaic, and Greek text, appears a Greek rendering for the Sanskrit word sa: the word grc.

The Ramayana is one of the two great Indian epics. It tells about life in India around and offers models in sa. The hero, Rama, lived his whole life by the rules of sa; this is why he is considered heroic. When Rama was a young boy, he was the perfect son. Later, he was an ideal husband to his faithful wife, Sita, and a responsible ruler of Aydohya. Each episode of Ramayana presents life situations and ethical questions in symbolic terms. The situation is debated by the characters, and finally, right prevails over wrong and good over evil. For this reason, in Hindu Epics, the good, morally upright, law-abiding king is referred to as sa.

In Mahabharata, another major Indian epic, similarly, sa is central, and it is presented with symbolism and metaphors. Near the end of the epic, the god Yama, referred to as sa in the text, is portrayed as taking the form of a dog to test the compassion of Yudhishthira, who is told he may not enter paradise with such an animal but who refuses to abandon his companion, for which decision he is then praised by sa. The appeal of Mahabharata, like Ramayana, is in its presentation of a series of moral problems and life situations, to which there are usually three answers given, according to Ingalls: one answer is of Bhima, which is the answer of brute force, an individual angle representing materialism, egoism, and self; the second answer is of Yudhishthira, which is always an appeal to piety and gods, of social virtue and tradition; the third answer is of introspective Arjuna, which falls between the two extremes and who, claims Ingalls, symbolically reveals the finest moral qualities of man. There is extensive discussion of sa at the individual level in the Epics of Hinduism, observes Ingalls; for example, on free will versus destiny, when and why human beings believe in either, ultimately concluding that the strong and prosperous naturally uphold free will, while those facing grief or frustration naturally lean towards destiny. The Epics of Hinduism illustrate various aspects of sa, they are a means of communicating sa with metaphors.

In Hinduism, sa signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with sa, the order that makes life and universe possible, and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, and "right way of living". The concept of sa was already in use in the historical Vedic religion, and its meaning and conceptual scope have evolved over several millennia.

Buddhism

In Buddhism, sa means cosmic law and order but is also applied to the teachings of the Buddha. In Buddhist philosophy, pi/sa is also the term for "phenomena". Dharma refers not only to the sayings of the Buddha, but also to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help explain and to expand upon the Buddha's teachings.[[File:Ahimsa Jainism Gradient.jpg|alt=The Ahimsa Emblem (hand with wheel). Ahimsa is one of the ethical cores of Jain righteousness. It represents non-violence, Jain texts treat ahimsa as the foundation of righteous conduct. |thumb|321x321px|The Ahimsa Emblem (hand with wheel). Ahimsa is one of the ethical cores of Jain righteousness. It represents non-violence, Jain texts treat ahimsa as the foundation of righteous conduct. ]]

Jainism

Tattvārthasūtra, a Jain philosophical text, mentions sa with the meaning of "righteous". These are forbearance, modesty, straightforwardness, purity, truthfulness, etc. Righteousness in Jainism is systematized through the doctrine of the Ratnatraya , which collectively constitute the path to liberation. These are right faith (samyak darśana), right knowledge (samyak jñāna), and right conduct (samyak cāritra). The Tattvārthasūtra states that liberation is attained through the combined practice of these three principles. Jain doctrine emphasizes that righteousness is incomplete if any one of these elements is absent, as ethical action without right knowledge or right faith is considered spiritually ineffective. Jainism does not personify righteousness; rather, through conduct, symbols and action.

In Jainism, righteousness is fundamentally associated with ethical discipline and spiritual purification aimed at liberating the soul (jīva) from karmic bondage. Jain philosophy holds that righteous living is essential to restrain the accumulation of karma and to eliminate existing karmic attachments, ultimately leading to moksha.

Samyak cāritra, or right conduct, represents the practical dimension of righteousness in Jainism. It involves disciplined control of body, speech, and mind, along with the systematic reduction of passions such as anger, pride, deceit, and greed. In Jainism, righteousness is inseparable from the goal of liberation. Ethical discipline purifies the soul by weakening karmic attachments and gradually restoring its inherent nature of infinite knowledge, perception, and bliss. Right conduct is regarded as essential for preventing karmic influx (āsrava) and facilitating the dissociation of accumulated karma (nirjarā).

Sikhism

For Sikhs, the word pa (Punjabi: ਧਰਮ, pa) means the path of righteousness and proper religious practice. Guru Granth Sahib in hymn 1353 connotes pa as duty. The 3HO movement in Western culture, which has incorporated certain Sikh beliefs, defines Sikh pa broadly as all that constitutes religion, moral duty, and way of life.

Persian religions

Zoroastrianism

In Zoroastrianism, asha is an important religious tenet with a complex and nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right(eousness)', 'order' and 'right working'.

From an early age, Zoroastrians are taught to pursue righteousness by following the Threefold Path of ae: ae, ae, ae (Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds).

One of the most sacred mantras in the religion is the Ashem Vohu, which has been translated as an "Ode to Righteousness". There are many translations that differ due to the complexity of Avestan and the concepts involved (for other translations, see: Ashem Vohu).

"Righteousness is the best good and it is happiness. Happiness is to her/him who is righteous, for the sake of the best righteousness".

References

References

  1. "Rectitude vs. Righteousness – What's the Difference?".
  2. "Rectitude vs. Righteousness – What's the Difference?".
  3. "rectitude vs. righteousness".
  4. "Strong's G1342 - dikaios".
  5. Wedgwood, Hensleigh. (1855). "On False Etymologies". George Bell.
  6. Annabelle, Laura. (2017-03-05). "Ethics Defined".
  7. Levin, Noah. (2019-11-08). "5: Ethics".
  8. (May 2016). "Morality and Ethics: A Brief Review". Journal of Life Science and Biomedicine.
  9. Craig, William Lane. "Doctrine of God (part 19)". Reasonable Faith.
  10. Young, Robert. (1998). "Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible". Hendrickson Academic.
  11. {{bibleverse. Romans. 4:5, {{bibleverse. Romans. 3:21–24
  12. {{bibleverse. Romans. 9:30–33
  13. "Righteousness – Bible Meaning & Definition – Baker's Dictionary".
  14. Mababaya, Norlain Dindang. "Islam Teaches Righteousness And Forbids Evil Deeds".
  15. {{bibleverse. Job. 1:1. NCB in the New Catholic Bible
  16. {{bibleverse. Wisdom. 1:1. NRSV: [[New Revised Standard Version]]
  17. "The Main Concepts of Confucianism". Philosophy.lander.edu.
  18. Cheng, Chung-ying. (July 1972). "On yi as a universal principle of specific application in Confucian morality". Philosophy East and West.
  19. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.4.xiv
  20. (2025-11-27). "Roots of Righteousness: A Glimpse into Ethics as the Moral Fabric of India".
  21. Ingalls, Daniel H. H.. (1957). "Dharma and Moksa".
  22. Parameswaran, Mangalam R.. (2014). "Vālmīkī Rāmāyaṇa: critical essays". Manipal University Press.
  23. Gerow, Edwin. (February 1986). "The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Vol. 1: Bālakānda. Introduction and Translation by Robert P. Goldman. Annotation by Robert P. Goldman and Sally J. Sutherland. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1985. xx, 429 pp. Glossary, Bibliography, Index. $50.". The Journal of Asian Studies.
  24. Umāsvāti. (2011). "Tattvarthasutra: with Hindi and English translation". Vikalp Printers Anekant Palace.
  25. Cort, John E.. (2001). "Jains in the world: religious values and ideology in India". Oxford University Press.
  26. Norman, K. R.. (1979). "The Jaina Path of Purification. By Padmanabh S. Jaini. University of California Press: Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 1979. Pp. xv, 374.". Modern Asian Studies.
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  28. (1999). "Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation". Journal of the American Oriental Society.
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  33. Kanga, Ervad Kawasji Eduljee. "English Translation of Gujarati Khordeh Avesta".

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