Bible Dictionary
SENTENCE
A sentence may be a declaration, the content of a law, a judgment, or a judicial decision. In Scripture the term can also refer to a mysterious saying or an official ruling.
Definition
A sentence may be a saying, a declaration, the contents of a law, a judgment, judicial advice, or a formal judicial decision. The term therefore ranges from a mysterious saying to an official ruling or condemnation.
Biblical Usage
Scripture uses sentence for a mystery, for the contents of the law, for judgment, and for a judicial sentence. It can also describe judicial advice, as in the decision rendered in the Jerusalem council.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>sen'-tens: Eight Hebrew and three Greek words are thus translated in the King James Version. Sometimes it points to a mystery (Da 5:12; 8:23); then again to the contents of the Law (De 17:11); then again to the idea of judgment (Ps 17:2) or of a judicial sentence (2Co 1:9; Lu 23:24), or of judicial advice (Ac 15:19, the American Standard Revised Version "judgment").</p>