Webster
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Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Righteousness

Right′eous·ness, n. [AS. rihtwīsnes.] 1. The quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude.

☞ Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it chiefly occurs, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law.

2. A righteous act, or righteous quality.

All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isa. lxiv. 6.

3. The act or conduct of one who is righteous.

Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Ps. cvi. 3.

4. (Theol.) The state of being right with God; justification; the work of Christ, which is the ground of justification.

There are two kinds of Christian righteousness: the one without us, which we have by imputation; the other in us, which consisteth of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues. Hooker.

Only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Westminster Catechism.

Syn. — Uprightness; holiness; godliness; equity; justice; rightfulness; integrity; honesty; faithfulness.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Noah Porter, editor (Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913). Public domain. Text as transcribed by MICRA, Inc., from Project Gutenberg. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: Greek, which our source spelled in Latin letters, set in Greek letters; entries of one spelling merged into one article; Greek words our source left out (shown as “?”), read from the 1898 printing, from the same plates (the Library of Congress’s copy), where the place could be found with certainty. Of the others, 1,362 (a word or a single letter each) were inferred by AI from the context by the dictionary’s own rules and are marked with a wavy underline (tap or point at one to see the note); the rest, which could not be inferred with confidence, are left as “?”.