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46. Blameless. Unblameable. Unreproveable. Without Spot

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: Appendix

By: George A. Morrish

Various Greek words are thus translated and with other similar meanings, but the renderings in the A. V. are not uniform: thus ἄμωμος, which occurs but seven times in the N. T., is translated in six different ways. ἄμωμος (from a, neg. and μῶμος ‘spot') signifies ‘without spot or blemish'; and in this sense it is employed in the LXX three times, in Numb. 6:14¹⁴And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, (Numbers 6:14) respecting the offerings: the animals must be without blemish. From this it came to be used in a moral sense. It occurs in Col. 1:22²²In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:22) along with ἀνέγκλητος: "to present you holy and unblameable (ἄμ.) and unimpeachable (ἀν.) before him"

ἀμώμητος is a kindred word and has the same signification. It occurs but twice, namely, Phil. 2:15¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15) and 2 Pet. 3:14¹⁴Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2 Peter 3:14): in the latter it is accompanied by ἄσπιλος, "be diligent.... without spot (ἄσ.) and unblameable (ἀμ.)"

ἀμεμπος (from a, neg. and μέμφομαι, ‘to blame,') signifies ‘without blame.' Paul in his former life had nothing to accuse himself of as to the righteousness of the law. Phil. 3:6⁶Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:6); Zacharias and his wife were irreproachable, Luke 1:6⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Luke 1:6); the saints also should be irreproachable. Phil. 2:15¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15); 1 Thess. 3:13¹³To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13). Had the first covenant been ‘faultless' there had been no place for a second. Heb. 8:7⁷For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (Hebrews 8:7).

ἀνέγκλητος, (from a, neg. and ἐγκαλέω, ‘to accuse'), beside Col. 1:22²²In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:22) mentioned above, occurs only in 1 Tim. 3:10¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. (1 Timothy 3:10); Titus 1:6, 7⁶If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (Titus 1:6‑7), where elders and deacons should be unimpeachable; and in 1 Cor. 1:8⁸Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8), where the Lord Jesus will confirm the saints unimpeachable in His own day. There will be no room for any possible accusation.

ἀνεπίληπτος (from a, neg. and ἐπίληπτος, ‘blameable') occurs only in 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:7²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2)
⁷And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. (1 Timothy 5:7), translated ‘blameless ' in the A. V.; and in 1 Tim. 6:14¹⁴That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Timothy 6:14), ‘unrebukeable.' Archbishop Trench suggests ‘irreprehensible ' for this word, which rendering was given in the Rheims Edition in 1 Tim. 3:2²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2). It implies that there is nothing that an enemy can lay hold of.

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