A law unto themselves
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
People who follow their own standards rather than ordinary rules or outside authority. Pronouns change with the subject. Modern use is often disapproving, unlike the more nuanced Pauline context. Regional use: Early modern English Bible tradition; now international English.
Origin
Romans 2:14 describes Gentiles who, without the Mosaic law, act by nature and are 'a law unto themselves'. That wording was established in English before the 1611 King James Bible: William Tyndale's 1526 New Testament already has the phrase, and the Geneva tradition continued it. Modern use often shifts from Paul's argument about conscience to criticism of independent or unaccountable behaviour.
Research Sources
Variants
- A law unto himself
- A law unto herself
- Be a law unto oneself
Usage Examples
- The remote office had become a law unto itself, ignoring every central procedure.
- Famous enough to escape scrutiny, the director behaved like a law unto himself.
- No department should be a law unto itself when public money is involved.