Dictionary Entries: L

• Biblical Legal Codes and ANE Parallels — The study of how biblical law relates to other ancient Near Eastern legal texts and treaty forms. Such parallels help explain hist
• Laadah — Laadah is a personal name in the Old Testament. He appears in a Judahite genealogy in 1 Chronicles.
• labor — Labor is human work carried out under God’s creational design, curse, and redemptive calling.
• Lachish — Lachish was a major fortified city in Judah, important in the conquest, the kingdom period, and the Assyrian invasion in Hezekiah’
• Lachish Letters — Ancient Hebrew ostraca from Lachish that illuminate Judah’s final years before the Babylonian conquest.
• Lacktheism — Lacktheism is a modern apologetic label for defining atheism as the absence of belief in God rather than as an explicit claim that
• Lael — Lael is a minor Old Testament personal name, known as the father of Eliasaph of the Gershonite clan in Israel’s wilderness organiz
• Laish — Laish is a biblical proper name most notably used for the city captured by the Danites and renamed Dan. It also appears as a perso
• lake of fire — The lake of fire is the final place or state of divine judgment described in apocalyptic language.
• Lamb — In Scripture, a lamb commonly signifies innocence, sacrifice, and dependence on God. Most importantly, Jesus is called the Lamb of
• Lamb of God — "Lamb of God" is a title for Jesus Christ that highlights His sacrificial death for sinners. It especially points to Him as the on
• Lamech — The name of two men in Genesis: Lamech in Cain’s line, known for violent boastfulness, and Lamech in Seth’s line, the father of No
• Lament — Lament is faithful grief and complaint brought honestly before God.
• Lamentations — Lamentations is a poetic book that laments Jerusalem's fall while still hoping in the LORD's mercies.
• Lamp — A lamp is an ordinary source of light that Scripture often uses as an image of guidance, truth, readiness, witness, and blessing o
• Lamps — Small sources of light used in daily life, worship settings, and biblical imagery for guidance, readiness, and testimony.
• Lampstand — A lampstand is the stand that holds lamps, especially the golden lampstand used in Israel’s tabernacle and temple. In Scripture it
• Land — In Scripture, land can mean the earth or a region generally, but it often has special covenant significance as the land God promis
• Land laws — Old Testament laws that regulated land inheritance, boundaries, redemption, sabbath rest, and Jubilee within Israel’s covenant lif
• Land of Promise — The Land of Promise is the territory God pledged to give to Abraham and his descendants, especially identified with Canaan. In Scr
• Language — Language is the structured use of words, signs, and grammar to communicate meaning. In interpretation, it reminds readers that mea
• Laodicea — Laodicea was an important city in Asia Minor and one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation. The church there is known for
• Lapping — The way some of Gideon’s men drank water in Judges 7 during the Lord’s test of Israel’s army.
• lasciviousness — Lasciviousness is shameless sexual impurity or sensual self-indulgence. In Scripture it names conduct that casts off moral restrai
• Lasea — A city on the south coast of Crete mentioned in Acts 27:8, near Fair Havens, during Paul’s voyage to Rome.
• Lashon — Hebrew lashon means “tongue,” and by extension may refer to speech or language.
• Last Adam / Second Adam — A title for Jesus Christ that contrasts Him with the first Adam: where Adam brought sin and death, Christ brings righteousness, re
• Last Days — The “last days” refers to the climactic period of God’s redemptive work associated with Christ’s coming and the events leading to
• Last Judgment — The Last Judgment is God’s final judgment of all people through Jesus Christ at the close of this age. Scripture presents it as a
• Last Supper — The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion. During this meal He identified the brea
• Late Medieval — The later part of the medieval period in European history, especially the centuries leading up to the Reformation.
• Late Scholasticism — Late Scholasticism was the later medieval scholastic tradition of theology and philosophy, especially in the centuries before the
• Later Apostolic Activity — A broad, nonstandard phrase for the apostles’ continuing ministry after Pentecost and the earliest chapters of Acts.
• Latin — Latin is the classical language of ancient Rome and, later, an important language of Western church history, Bible translation, an
• Latin Fathers — The Latin Fathers were influential early Christian teachers and writers of the Western church whose works were composed mainly in
• Latin inscriptions — Latin inscriptions are texts carved or written in Latin on durable materials such as stone, metal, or pottery. They are a historic
• Latin Vulgate — The Latin Vulgate is the historic Latin Bible associated with Jerome and the Western church. It is a major translation tradition i
• Lattice — An openwork screen or grating in a window or opening, used as an ordinary architectural feature in Scripture.
• Laughing — A recurring biblical motif that can express joy, relief, mockery, disbelief, or derision depending on context.
• law — In Scripture, law commonly refers to God’s commands, especially the Law of Moses given to Israel. More broadly, it can describe Go
• Law and faith — The New Testament contrast between seeking right standing with God by works of the law and receiving God’s righteousness through f
• law and gospel — Law and gospel refers to the distinction and relation between God's commands and His saving promise in Christ.
• Law and gospel in ethics — A theological topic on how God’s moral law and the gospel of grace relate to Christian conduct: the law reveals God’s standards an
• Law and promise — The biblical distinction between God’s law and God’s promise: the law reveals God’s righteous will and exposes sin, while the prom
• Law and Spirit — A theological summary of the New Testament contrast between life under the Mosaic law and life empowered by the Holy Spirit in the
• Law in James — James uses “law” for God’s authoritative moral will, especially as summed up in love of neighbor and lived out in obedient faith.
• Law in Paul — In Paul’s letters, “law” usually refers to the Mosaic Law and its role in God’s redemptive plan. Paul teaches that the law is good
• Law in the NT — In the New Testament, “law” most often refers to the Mosaic law given through Moses, though it can also mean Scripture more broadl
• Law in the OT — God’s revealed instruction to Israel under the old covenant, centered especially in the commands given through Moses.
• Law of God — The law of God is God’s holy will and commands as revealed in Scripture. It reflects His righteous character, defines human duty,
• Law of nature — A phrase used for the regular order God established in creation and, in moral discussion, for the limited knowledge of right and w
• Law of Noncontradiction — A basic principle of logic stating that something cannot both be and not be in the same sense at the same time.
• Law, Ceremonial — A traditional theological term for the Old Testament laws governing Israel’s sacrifices, priestly ministry, ritual purity, sacred
• Law, Civil — Civil law is the category used for the judicial and social laws God gave Israel to govern courts, restitution, property, public or
• Law, Fulfillment of — The teaching that Jesus Christ brought the Mosaic Law to its intended goal, and that believers also fulfill the Law in a secondary
• Law, Moral — The moral law is God’s righteous standard for human conduct, reflecting his holy character and summarized in Scripture’s enduring
• lawlessness — Lawlessness is rebellion against God's rule and disregard for His righteous order.
• Laws of logic — Basic principles of right reasoning, commonly summarized as the laws of identity, non-contradiction, and excluded middle.
• Laws of property and restitution — Biblical laws of property and restitution are Old Testament commands that protect ownership, condemn theft and damage, and require
• Laws on cities of refuge — Mosaic laws that provided protection for a person who caused a death unintentionally, while still preserving justice for bloodshed
• Laws on Marriage, Divorce, and Levirate Marriage — Biblical laws regulating marriage, divorce, and levirate marriage in Israel, showing God’s concern for covenant order, marital fai
• Laws on offerings and sacrifices — The Old Testament regulations that governed Israel’s offerings and sacrifices, especially in Leviticus, for worship, purification,
• Laws on slavery and servants — Biblical laws regulating servitude and slavery in ancient Israel and the wider biblical world. These texts limit abuse, protect ce
• Laws on vows and oaths — Biblical instructions on solemn promises and sworn declarations, stressing reverence for God, truthfulness, and careful fulfillmen
• Laws on warfare — Biblical laws on warfare are the commands God gave Israel under the old covenant to regulate military conflict with moral restrain
• Laws on witnesses and courts — Biblical laws governing testimony, accusations, judges, and courtroom procedure to protect truth, fairness, and the innocent.
• Lawsuit — A lawsuit is a legal dispute brought before a judge or court. In Scripture, lawsuits are evaluated through the lens of justice, tr
• Lawyer — In the New Testament, a lawyer is usually an expert in the Mosaic Law who interpreted, taught, and debated its application. The te
• Lazarus — Lazarus is the name of two New Testament figures: Lazarus of Bethany, whom Jesus raised from the dead, and Lazarus in Jesus’ parab
• Lazarus (Friend of Jesus) — Lazarus of Bethany was the brother of Mary and Martha and a close friend of Jesus. Jesus raised him from the dead after four days
• Lazarus (Parable) — The poor man named Lazarus in Jesus’ parable in Luke 16:19–31. He contrasts with the rich man and highlights the dangers of hard-h
• Laziness — Laziness is an unwillingness to do the work and responsibilities God has given. Scripture treats it as a form of sloth or idleness
• leadership — Leadership is the responsibility to guide others wisely under God for their good and His glory.
• Leah — Leah was Jacob’s first wife and the older sister of Rachel. She became the mother of six of Jacob’s sons and a central figure in t
• Leaven — Leaven is yeast or fermented dough used to make bread rise. In Scripture it can picture hidden influence, most often the spread of
• Lebanon — Lebanon is the mountainous region north of Israel, known in Scripture for its cedars, forests, and use in royal and temple-related
• Lebonah — Lebonah is a biblical place-name near Shiloh, mentioned in Judges 21:19.
• lectionary — A lectionary is a manuscript arranged around Scripture readings for worship services.
• Leek — A leek is an edible plant named in Numbers 11:5 among the foods the Israelites remembered from Egypt.
• Lees — Lees are the sediment or dregs left in wine after fermentation; Scripture uses the image for settled complacency, impurity, and th
• Left Hand — In Scripture, the left hand usually refers to literal direction or to a contrast with the right hand. Its symbolic force depends o
• legalism — Legalism is the error of seeking acceptance with God through rule-keeping or human performance.
• Legion — In the Gospels, “Legion” is the name spoken by a demonized man for the many demons afflicting him, emphasizing their number and Je
• Legumes — Legumes are edible seed plants such as lentils and beans. In the Bible, they appear as ordinary food rather than as a distinct the
• Leisure — Leisure is time not taken up by ordinary work or duty. Scripture does not treat leisure as a formal doctrine, but it does guide ho
• lemma — A lemma is the standard dictionary form under which a word is listed.
• Lemuel — Lemuel is the king named in Proverbs 31:1 as the recipient of an oracle taught by his mother. His identity is uncertain, and Scrip
• Lending and borrowing — Biblical teaching on lending and borrowing calls God’s people to fairness, mercy, honesty, and generosity, especially toward the p
• Lentils — Lentils are a common food crop mentioned in the Bible, best known from the meal in Genesis 25 in which Esau sold his birthright.
• Leo the Great — Leo the Great was a fifth-century bishop of Rome whose Tome on Christ’s two natures strongly influenced the Council of Chalcedon.
• LEOPARD — A leopard is a real animal in Scripture and a recurring symbol of speed, stealth, and fierce danger, especially in prophetic image
• Leper — A person afflicted with a serious skin disease or related condition that rendered him or her ceremonially unclean under the Mosaic
• Leprosy — In the Bible, “leprosy” usually refers to a range of serious skin conditions and related contaminations, not only modern Hansen’s
• Leshem — Leshem is a biblical place name associated with territory later linked to Dan; it is not a theological concept.
• Letter of Jeremiah — An ancient Jewish warning against idolatry, preserved in some traditions with Baruch and treated in Protestant usage as Apocrypha
• Letter to Diognetus — An anonymous early Christian apology, usually dated to the second century, that describes Christian belief and conduct for a non-C
• Letushim — A people group named in Genesis 25:3 as descendants of Dedan, through Abraham’s line by Keturah.
• Levi — Levi was Jacob and Leah’s third son and the forefather of the tribe of Levi. In Scripture, the name can refer either to the man hi
• Leviathan — A fearsome sea creature or dragon-like monster in the Old Testament, used both as vivid poetic imagery and, in some readings, as a
• Levirate marriage — A biblical custom in which a brother, or in related cases a near kinsman, was expected to marry a deceased man’s widow to preserve
• Levite — A Levite is a member of the tribe of Levi, set apart in Israel for sacred service connected with the tabernacle and later the temp
• Levites — The Levites were members of the tribe of Levi set apart under the Mosaic covenant for service connected to Israel’s worship. They
• Levitical sacrifices — Levitical sacrifices were the offerings prescribed in the Law of Moses for Israel’s worship, atonement, purification, and thanksgi
• Leviticus — Leviticus is an Old Testament law book that teaches holiness, sacrifice, priesthood, purity, and covenant worship.
• Lewdness — Shameless sexual impurity or indecent conduct that rejects God’s moral standards.
• Lexical Domains — Lexical domains are meaning-based groupings of words used in biblical language study to compare related terms in Hebrew or Greek.
• Lexical range — The range of meanings a word can legitimately carry in different contexts; context determines which sense is meant in a given pass
• Lexical Semantics — Lexical semantics studies how words carry meaning in context. In Bible study, it helps readers distinguish possible senses of a wo
• lexical study — A lexical study examines a word’s meaning and usage in its original language and context. In Bible study, it can clarify a passage
• Lexicon — A lexicon is a dictionary or lexical reference work that lists words, forms, and senses. In Bible study, it helps clarify word usa
• liberal theology — Liberal theology is the approach that reshapes Christian doctrine to fit modern skepticism, culture, or critical revision.
• Libnah — Libnah is an Old Testament city in Judah, mentioned in Israel’s conquest accounts and later in the kingdom history of Judah.
• Libni — Libni is a biblical personal name borne by at least two Old Testament figures, including a son of Gershon in the tribe of Levi. It
• Libyans — An ancient North African people living west of Egypt, mentioned in Scripture mainly in historical and prophetic settings.
• Lice — The third plague on Egypt, in which the dust of the land became a swarm of tiny biting or crawling pests that afflicted people and
• licentiousness — Licentiousness is shameless moral looseness, especially sexual sin pursued without restraint or regard for God’s will. In Scriptur
• Liddah — Liddah, also called Lod, is a town in Judea mentioned in the New Testament where Peter healed Aeneas and many turned to the Lord.
• Life — In Scripture, life can mean physical existence, but it often refers more fully to life as God gives and sustains it. In the gospel
• Life of Adam and Eve — A noncanonical Jewish and Christian background work that expands the story of Adam and Eve after Genesis 3.
• Life-after-death — Life after death refers to the continuing reality of human existence beyond physical death and in relation to judgment and resurre
• Lift Up the Eyes — A biblical idiom for looking with purpose. Depending on context, it may mean simply to look, or it may carry ideas of attention, e
• Light — In Scripture, light commonly represents God’s truth, purity, life, and saving presence. It is also used of Christ and of the moral
• Light of the World — “Light of the World” is a biblical title used especially of Jesus Christ, who reveals God, exposes darkness, and brings life and s
• Lightning — A natural phenomenon Scripture often uses as vivid imagery for God’s power, glory, swiftness, and judgment.
• Ligure — An older Bible-translation name for one of the stones in the high priest’s breastpiece; its exact modern identification is uncerta
• likeness of God — Likeness of God refers to humanity's resemblance to God in relation to the image and created vocation.
• Lily — A lily is a flower mentioned in Scripture as an image of beauty, delight, and God’s provision in creation. In biblical usage it is
• Lime — Lime is a caustic building and coating material made from limestone, used in biblical times for plaster, whitewash, and similar co
• Linen — A fine cloth made from flax, frequently mentioned in Scripture for clothing, priestly garments, burial cloths, and household use;
• Linen, Goat Hair, and Ram Skins — The materials used in the tabernacle’s curtains, coverings, and priestly garments, especially fine linen, goat hair, and ram skins
• Linguistics — Linguistics is the academic study of language—its sounds, words, grammar, meaning, and use. In Bible study, it can help readers un
• Lion — A real animal in Scripture that also functions as a symbol of strength, danger, royal authority, and judgment; in one of its most
• Lion of Judah — "Lion of Judah" is a biblical title for the Messiah, applied to Jesus Christ in Revelation 5:5. It presents him as the promised ro
• Lip — In Scripture, “lip” usually refers to the physical lips, but it often functions figuratively for speech, words, confession, praise
• Literally — Literally means according to the intended sense of the words in their context, while still recognizing normal figures of speech, p
• literary context — Literary context is the surrounding flow of words, sentences, paragraphs, and book structure that helps explain what a biblical pa
• literary criticism — Literary criticism in biblical studies examines genre, structure, language, motifs, and composition in order to understand how the
• Litter — A portable seat or couch carried by attendants, used in royal or ceremonial settings in the ancient world.
• Liturgical Traditions — Established patterns of public Christian worship, including prayers, readings, sacraments or ordinances, songs, and seasonal obser
• liturgy — Liturgy is the ordered pattern of worship through which God’s people pray, confess, hear, and respond together.
• living faith — Living faith is faith that is real, active, obedient, and fruitful rather than empty profession.
• Living for Christ — Living for Christ is the believer’s daily life of faith, obedience, and love under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
• Living God — "Living God" is a biblical title for the true God, emphasizing that he is active, personal, and unlike lifeless idols. It highligh
• Living water — In Scripture, “living water” can refer to flowing, fresh water, but in key theological passages it becomes a picture of God’s life
• Lizard — A lizard is a small creeping reptile mentioned in Old Testament purity laws among the creatures classified as unclean.
• Lo-Ammi — Lo-Ammi is the symbolic name given to one of Hosea’s children, meaning “not my people.” It signals covenant judgment on unfaithful
• Lo-Ruhamah — Lo-Ruhamah is the symbolic name of Hosea’s daughter, meaning “not pitied” or “not shown mercy.” In Hosea, it marks God’s announced
• local church — The local church is a gathered congregation of believers who worship, disciple, and serve together under Christ’s lordship.
• Locust — A locust is a swarming insect used in Scripture both as a literal plague and as a vivid image of devastation and divine judgment.
• Lod — Lod is a biblical town in the region associated with Benjamin and later with postexilic resettlement. In the New Testament it appe
• Lodging Place — A temporary place to stay for the night while traveling. In Scripture it may refer to a guest room, inn, or resting place rather t
• Log — A biblical unit of liquid measure, used especially in Old Testament ceremonial instructions for oil.
• Logic — Logic is the study of valid reasoning, sound argument, and the relation between premises and conclusions.
• Logical connectors — Logical connectors are words and phrases such as “for,” “therefore,” “but,” and “so that” that show how biblical statements relate
• Logical positivism — Logical positivism is a twentieth-century philosophical movement that claimed a statement is meaningful only if it is empirically
• Logical Possibility — Logical possibility refers to what could be true or could occur without involving a contradiction. It concerns consistency at the
• Logos — "Logos" is the Greek term meaning "Word" in John 1. In that passage it refers to the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was wit
• Loins — A biblical term for the waist, hips, or lower torso, often used figuratively for strength, readiness, or descendants.
• London Baptist Confession — A historic Baptist confession of faith, most commonly the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession, used to summarize and defend bibl
• loneliness — Loneliness is the pain of isolation or unmet relational need that Scripture answers with God’s presence and the fellowship of His
• longsuffering — Longsuffering is patient endurance under provocation or difficulty.
• Lord — “Lord” is a title of authority, ownership, and honor used in Scripture for human masters, for God, and in the New Testament especi
• Lord of Hosts — “Lord of Hosts” is a biblical title for God that emphasizes his supreme rule over the armies of heaven and over all powers in crea
• Lord's Day — The Lord’s Day most commonly refers to Sunday, the first day of the week, especially as the day Christians associate with the rise
• Lord's Prayer — The Lord's Prayer is the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples, recorded chiefly in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. It teaches b
• Lord's Supper — The Lord’s Supper is the covenant meal in which believers remember Christ’s death and proclaim it together until He comes.
• Lordship — Lordship means rightful rule, authority, and sovereign claim. In Christian theology it especially refers to the authority of God a
• lordship of Christ — lordship of Christ is a Christological term used to explain who Jesus is or what He did.
• Lordship Salvation — Lordship Salvation is the view that saving faith cannot be separated from submission to Christ and the beginning of obedient disci
• Lordship salvation controversy — A modern evangelical debate over how saving faith relates to repentance, obedience, and the confession of Jesus as Lord.
• Lot — Lot was Abraham’s nephew, best known for living in Sodom and being rescued by God before its destruction. His account warns about
• Lot (Casting Lots) — A biblical method of making selections or decisions by an apparently random process under God’s sovereign oversight.
• Lot (Person) — Lot was Abraham’s nephew in Genesis who chose to live near Sodom and was later rescued from its destruction. His life illustrates
• Lotan — Lotan is a biblical proper name: a Horite clan chief in Edom and a son of Seir the Horite.
• Love — Love is God's holy, self-giving goodness shown perfectly in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Love Feast — A love feast was an early Christian shared meal that expressed fellowship, unity, and practical care within the church.
• Love for God — Love for God is whole-hearted devotion, delight, and obedience directed toward the Lord.
• Love for Neighbor — Love for neighbor is active goodwill that seeks another person’s true good in ways consistent with God’s commands.
• Low Christology — A comparative scholarly label for presentations of Jesus that emphasize His humanity, earthly ministry, or historical role more th
• Lowland — The Shephelah: the low hill country between Judah’s central highlands and the Philistine plain.
• Lubim — An Old Testament people group commonly associated with Libya or North Africa, mentioned in military and geopolitical settings.
• Lucian — Lucian is usually linked with later discussion of Greek textual history and possible editorial work on the text.
• Lucius — Lucius is a New Testament personal name borne by a man associated with the church at Antioch and by a greeting in Romans 16:21. Sc
• Luke — Luke is a Gospel book that presents Jesus as the saving Lord for Jews and Gentiles and stresses prayer, the Spirit, and mercy.
• Luke, Gospel of — The third Gospel in the New Testament, presenting an orderly account of Jesus Christ’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and a
• Luminaries — Luminaries are the heavenly lights God set in the sky, especially the sun, moon, and stars. In Scripture they are created order, n
• Lute — A lute is a stringed musical instrument. In Bible translations, the term may be used for an ancient stringed instrument or to appr
• Lutheranism — Lutheranism is the Reformation tradition associated with Martin Luther and known for justification by faith and confessional theol
• Lydia — Lydia was a woman in Philippi who responded to Paul’s preaching, believed the gospel, was baptized with her household, and showed
• Lyre — A lyre is a stringed musical instrument mentioned in Scripture, often associated with praise, celebration, and court or temple mus
• Lysanias — Lysanias was a ruler of Abilene named in Luke 3:1 as part of Luke’s dating of John the Baptist’s ministry.
• Lysias — Claudius Lysias was the Roman military commander in Jerusalem who intervened when Paul was seized by a crowd and later sent him sa
• Lysimachus — An ancient Hellenistic name with an unresolved Bible-dictionary referent; the intended figure has not been verified.
• Lystra — A city in Asia Minor visited by Paul on his missionary journeys, known for the healing of a lame man, the crowd’s mistaken attempt
• Parable of the Lost Coin — A parable of Jesus in Luke 15:8–10 that portrays careful searching and heaven’s joy when one sinner repents.
• Parable of the Lost Sheep — Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep teaches God’s compassionate pursuit of the wandering and the joy that follows repentance. It high
• Seven Deadly Sins — A traditional Christian list of seven major vices—pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust—used for moral reflection,