in each individual congregation

ἐκκλησία, ας, ἡ (ἐκ + καλέω; Eur., Hdt.+)

① a regularly summoned legislative body, assembly, as gener. understood in the Gr-Rom. world (Jos., Ant. 12, 164; 19, 332, Vi. 268) Ac 19:39 (on ‘[regular] statutory assembly’, s. ἔννομος and IBM III/2, p. 141. The term ἐννόμη ἐ. here contrasts w. the usage vss. 32 and 40, in which ἐ. denotes simply ‘a gathering’; s. 2 below. On the ἐ. in Ephesus cp. CIG III, 325; IBM III/1, 481, 340; on the ἐ. in the theater there s. the last-named ins ln. 395; OGI 480, 9).—Pauly-W. V/2, 1905, 2163–2200; RAC IV 905–21 (lit.).

② a casual gathering of people, an assemblage, gathering (cp. 1 Km 19:20; 1 Macc 3:13; Sir 26:5) Ac 19:32, 40.

③ people with shared belief, community, congregation (for common identity, cp. the community of Pythagoras [Hermippus in Diog. L. 8, 41]. Remarkably, in Himerius, Or. 39 [Or. 5], 5 Orpheus forms for himself τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, a group of wild animals, who listen to him, in the Thracian mountains where there are no people), in our lit. of common interest in the God of Israel.

ⓐ of OT Israelites assembly, congregation (Dt 31:30; Judg 20:2; 1 Km 17:47; 3 Km 8:14; PsSol 10:6; TestJob 32:8 τῆς εὐώδους ἐ.; Philo; Jos., Ant. 4, 309; Diod S 40, 3, 6) Hb 2:12 (Ps 21:23); e.g. to hear the law (Dt 4:10; 9:10; 18:16) Ac 7:38.

ⓑ of Christians in a specific place or area (the term ἐ. apparently became popular among Christians in Greek-speaking areas for chiefly two reasons: to affirm continuity with Israel through use of a term found in Gk. translations of the Hebrew Scriptures, and to allay any suspicion, esp. in political circles, that Christians were a disorderly group).

α. of a specific Christian group assembly, gathering ordinarily involving worship and discussion of matters of concern to the community: Mt 18:17; συνερχομένων ὑμῶν ἐν ἐ. when you come together as an assembly 1 Cor 11:18; cp. 14:4f, 12, 19, 28, 35; pl. vs. 34. ἐν ἐ. ἐξομολογεῖσθαι τὰ παραπτώματα confess one’s sins in assembly D 4:14; cp. 3J 6 (JCampbell, JTS 49, ’48, 130–42; for the Johannines s. ESchweizer below). In Ac 15:22 the ‘apostles and elders’ function in the manner of the βουλή or council, the committee of the whole that was responsible in a Gr-Rom. polis for proposing legislation to the assembly of citizens.—Of Christians gathering in the home of a patron house-assembly (‘house-church’) Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν … καὶ τὴν κατʼ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐ. Ro 16:5; cp. 1 Cor 16:19. Νύμφαν καὶ τὴν κατʼ οἶκον αὐτῆς ἐ. Col 4:15; ἡ κατʼ οἶκόν σου ἐ. Phlm 2.—FFilson, JBL 58, ’39, 105–12; other reff. οἶκος 1aα.—Pl. ἐ. τῶν ἁγίων 1 Cor 14:33; ἐ. τῶν ἐθνῶν Ro 16:4.—1 Ti 5:16 prob. belongs here, s. βαρέω b.

β. congregation or church as the totality of Christians living and meeting in a particular locality or larger geographical area, but not necessarily limited to one meeting place: Ac 5:11; 8:3; 9:31 (so KGiles, NTS 31, ’85, 135–42; s. c below), 11:26; 12:5; 15:3; 18:22; 20:17; cp. 12:1; 1 Cor 4:17; Phil 4:15; 1 Ti 5:16 perh., s. α above; Js 5:14; 3 J 9f; 1 Cl 44:3; Hv 2, 4, 3. More definitely of the Christians in Jerusalem Ac 8:1; 11:22; cp. 2:47 v.l.; 15:4, 22; Cenchreae Ro 16:1; cp. vs. 23; Corinth 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; 1 Cl ins; 47:6; AcPlCor 1:16; Laodicea Col 4:16; Rv 3:14; Thessalonica 1 Th 1:1; 2 Th 1:1; Colossae Phlm subscr. v.l. Likew. w. other names: Rv 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7; IEph ins; 8:1; IMg ins; ITr ins; 13:1; IRo 9:1; IPhld ins; 10:1; ISm 11:1; Pol ins. Plural: Ac 15:41; 16:5; Ro 16:16; 1 Cor 7:17; 2 Cor 8:18f, 23f; 11:8, 28; 12:13; Rv 2:7, 11, 17, 23, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 22:16; the Christian community in Judea Gal 1:22; 1 Th 2:14; Galatia Gal 1:2; 1 Cor 16:1; Asia vs. 19; Rv 1:4, and cp. vss. 11 and 20; Macedonia 2 Cor 8:1. κατʼ ἐκκλησίαν in each individual congregation or assembly Ac 14:23 (on the syntax cp. OGI 480, 9 [s. 1 above]: ἵνα τιθῆνται κατʼ ἐκκλησίαν in order that they [the statues] might be set up at each [meeting of the] ἐ.). On κατὰ τ. οὖσαν ἐ. Ac 13:1 cp. εἰμί 1 end.

ⓒ the global community of Christians, (universal) church (s. AvHarnack, Mission I⁴ 420 n. 2 on Ac 12:1): Mt 16:18 (OBetz, ZNW 48, ’57, 49–77: Qumran parallels; s. HBraun, Qumran I, ’66, 30–37); Ac 9:31 (but s. 3bβ); 1 Cor 6:4; 12:28; Eph 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:23ff, 27, 29, 32 (HSchlier, Christus u. d. Kirche im Eph 1930; also ThBl 6, 1927, 12–17); Col 1:18, 24; Phil 3:6; B 7:11; Hv 2, 2, 6; 2, 4, 1 (with the depiction of the church as an elderly lady cp. Ps.-Demetr. 265 where Hellas, the homeland, is represented as λαβοῦσα γυναικὸς σχῆμα); 3, 3, 3; IEph 5:1f and oft.—The local assembly or congregation as well as the universal church is more specif. called ἐ. τοῦ θεοῦ or ἐ. τ. Χριστοῦ. This is essentially Pauline usage, and it serves to give the current Gk. term its Christian coloring and thereby its special mng.:

α. ἐ. τοῦ θεοῦ (Orig., C. Cels. 1, 63, 22) 1 Cor 1:2; 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:13; 1 Th 2:14; 2 Th 1:4; 1 Ti 3:5, 15; Ac 20:28; ITr 2:3; 12:1; IPhld 10:1; ISm ins al.

β. ἐ. τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Orig., C. Cels. 5, 22, 14) Ro 16:16.

γ. both together ἐ. ἐν θεῷ πατρὶ καὶ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ 1 Th 1:1.

δ. ἡ ἐ. ἡ πρώτη ἡ πνευματική the first, spiritual church (conceived in a Platonic sense as preexistent) 2 Cl 14:1; ἐ. ζῶσα the living church the body of Christ vs. 2; ἡ ἁγία ἐ. Hv 1, 1, 6; 1, 3, 4; ἡ καθολικὴ ἐ. ISm 8:2; ἡ ἁγία καὶ καθολικὴ ἐ. MPol ins; ἡ κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην καθολικὴ ἐ. 8:1; 19:2; ἓν σῶμα τῆς ἐ. ISm 1:2.—The literature before ’32 is given in OLinton, D. Problem der Urkirche in d. neueren Forschung (s. esp. 138–46) ’32 and AMedebielle, Dict. de la Bible, Suppl. II ’34, 487–691; before ’60, s. RAC; also s. TW, Sieben, and JHainz, Ekklesia ’72. Esp. important: EBurton, Gal (ICC) 1921, 417–20; KHoll, D. Kirchenbegriff des Pls usw.: SBBerlAk 1921, 920–47=Ges. Aufs. II 1928, 44ff; FKattenbusch, D. Vorzugsstellung d. Petrus u. d. Charakter d. Urgemeinde zu Jerusalem: KMüller Festschr. 1922, 322–51; KLSchmidt, D. Kirche des Urchristentums: Dssm. Festschr. 1927, 259–319, TW III 502–39. S. also: EPeterson, D. Kirche aus Juden u. Heiden ’33; KLSchmidt, D. Polis in Kirche u. Welt ’39; WBieder, Ekkl. u. Polis im NT u. in d. alten Kirche ’41; OMichel, D. Zeugnis des NTs v. d. Gemeinde ’41; NDahl, D. Volk Gottes ’41; RFlew, Jesus and His Church², ’43; GJohnston, The Doctrine of the Church in the NT ’43; WKümmel, Kirchenbegriff u. Geschichtsbewusstsein in d. Urg. u. b. Jesus ’43; DFaulhaber, D. Johev. u. d. Kirche ’38; AFridrichsen, Kyrkan i 4. ev.: SvTK 16, ’40, 227–42; ESchweizer, NT Essays (Manson memorial vol.) ’59, 230–45; EWolf, Ecclesia Pressa—eccl. militans: TLZ 72, ’47, 223–32; SHanson, Unity of the Church in the NT ’46; HvCampenhausen, Kirchl. Amt u. geistl. Vollmacht in den ersten 3 Jahrh. ’53; EKäsemann, Sätze hlg. Rechtes im NT, NTS 1, ’55, 248–60; AGeorge, ET 58, ’46/47, 312–16; in ATR: JBernardin 21, ’39, 153–70; BEaston 22, ’40, 157–68; SWalke 32, ’50, 39–53 (Apost. Fath.); JMurphy, American Ecclesiastical Review 140, ’59, 250–59; 325–32; PMinear, Images of the Church in the NT, ’60; BMetzger, Theology Today 19, ’62, 369–80; ESchweizer, Church Order in the NT, tr. FClarke ’61; RSchnackenburg, The Church in the NT, tr. WO’Hara ’65; LCerfaux, JBL 85, ’66, 250–51; AHilhorst, Filología Neotestamentaria 1, ’88, 27–34. S. also ἐπίσκοπος 2 end; Πέτρος; πέτρα 1.—B. 1476f. DELG s.v. καλέω. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.

κατά (Hom.+) prep. (s. the lit. s.v. ἀνά beg., also LfgrE s.v. κατά 1346; with the gen. 74 times in NT; w. acc. 391 times in NT).

A. w. the gen.

① marker of extension or orientation in space or specific area

ⓐ of location that is relatively lower, down from someth. (Hom. et al.; LXX; Ath. 1, 4 κ. κόρρης προπηλακίζειν=to smack on one side of the head) ὁρμᾶν κ. τοῦ κρημνοῦ rush down (from) the bank (cp. Polyb. 38, 16, 7 κ. τῶν κρημνῶν ῥίπτειν; Jos., Bell. 1, 313) Mt 8:32; Mk 5:13; Lk 8:33. κ. κεφαλῆς ἔχειν have someth. on one’s head (lit. hanging down fr. the head, as a veil. Cp. Plut., Mor. 200f ἐβάδιζε κ. τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔχων τὸ ἱμάτιον.; Mitt-Wilck. I/2, 499, 5 of a mummy ἔχων τάβλαν κ. τοῦ τραχήλου) 1 Cor 11:4.

ⓑ of position relatively deep, into someth. (Od. 9, 330 κ. σπείους ‘into the depths of the cave’; Hdt. 7, 235; X., An. 7, 1, 30) ἡ κ. βάθους πτωχεία extreme (lit. ‘reaching down into the depths’; cp. Strabo 9, 3, 5 [419] ἄντρον κοῖλον κ. βάθους) or abysmal poverty 2 Cor 8:2. This may perh. be the mng. of πλήσσειν τινὰ κ. τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν strike someone deep into the eyes ApcPt 11:26 (cp. Demosth. 19, 197 ξαίνει κ. τοῦ νώτου; PPetr II, 18 [2b], 15 [246 B.C.] ἔτυπτεν αὐτὸν κ. τοῦ τραχήλου).—κ. γαστρός Just., D. 78, 3 for ἐν γαστρί Mt 1:18 (cp. Ath. 35, 2 τὸ κ. γαστρὸς ζῶον εἶναι).

ⓒ extension in various directions within an area, throughout (so in Luke’s writings; Polyb. 3, 19, 7 κ. τῆς νήσου διεσπάρησαν; PGiss 48, 8 κ. κυριακῆς γῆς; Jos., Ant. 8, 297; SibOr 3, 222; 4, 24; 5, 305) γνωστὸν γενέσθαι καθʼ ὅλης Ἰόππης become known throughout all Joppa Ac 9:42. καθʼ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας 9:31; 10:37; Lk 23:5. φήμη ἐξῆλθεν καθʼ ὅλης τῆς περιχώρου 4:14.

② down upon, toward, against someone or someth, fig. ext. of 1.

ⓐ w. verbs of swearing, to denote what one swears by (Thu. 5, 47, 8; Lysias 32, 13; Isaeus 7, 28; Demosth. 21, 119; 29, 26; SIG 526, 4ff; 685, 25; UPZ 110, 39 [164 B.C.]; BGU 248, 13; Jdth 1:12; Is 45:23; 2 Ch 36:13) by ἐξορκίζειν (q.v.) Mt 26:63. ὀμνύναι (q.v.) Hb 6:13, 16. ὁρκίζειν (q.v.) Hs 9, 10, 5. Sim. ἐρωτᾶν κ. τινος request, entreat by someone Hv 3, 2, 3.

ⓑ in a hostile sense, against

α. after verbs that express hostile action, etc. διχάζειν Mt 10:35. ἐπαίρεσθαι 2 Cor 10:5. ἰσχύειν Ac 19:16. κακοῦν 14:2. στρατεύεσθαι 1 Pt 2:11. φυσιοῦσθαι 1 Cor 4:6

β. after words and expressions that designate hostile speech, esp. an accusation ἔχειν (τι) κ. τινος have or hold someth. against someone Rv 2:4, 14, 20. φέρειν J 18:29. ἐγκαλεῖν Ro 8:33. ἐντυγχάνειν τινὶ κ. τινος 11:2 (TestJob 17:5). κατηγορεῖν Lk 23:14. ποιεῖν κρίσιν Jd 15a. τὸ κ. ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον the bond that stands against us Col 2:14. ἐμφανίζειν Ac 24:1; 25:2. αἰτεῖσθαί τι 25:3, 15. αἱ κ. τινος αἰτίαι vs. 27. εἰπεῖν πονηρόν Mt 5:11 (cp. Soph., Phil. 65 κακὰ λέγειν κ. τινος. X., Hell. 1, 5, 2; Isocr., C. Nic. 13; Plut., Mor. 2a λέγειν κ.; SIG 1180, 1 λέγειν κ. τινος; Just., A I, 23, 3; 49, 6 κ. τῶν … ὁμολογούντων). λαλεῖν ῥήματα Ac 6:13; cp. Jd 15b (TestDan 4:3; JosAs 23:15). μαρτυρεῖν κ. τ. θεοῦ give testimony in contradiction to God 1 Cor 15:15. ζητεῖν μαρτυρίαν κ. τινος testimony against someone Mk 14:55. ψευδομαρτυρεῖν 14:56f. ψευδομαρτυρία Mt 26:59. γογγύζειν 20:11. στενάζειν Js 5:9. διδάσκειν Ac 21:28. συμβούλιον διδόναι (ποιεῖν v.l.) Mk 3:6; ς. λαβεῖν Mt 27:1. ψεύδεσθαι Js 3:14 (Lysias 22, 7; X., Ap. 13; Ath. 35, 1 καθʼ ἡμῶν … κατεψεύσατο).

γ. after expressions that designate such a position or state of mind in a different way εἶναι κ. τινος be against someone (opp. ὑπέρ) Mk 9:40 (WNestle, ZNW 13, 1912, 84–87; AFridrichsen, ibid., 273–80); Ro 8:31; (opp. μετά) Mt 12:30; Lk 11:23. δύνασθαί τι κ. τινος be able to do someth. against someone 2 Cor 13:8. ἔχειν τι κ. τινος have someth. against someone (in one’s heart) Mt 5:23; Mk 11:25; Hs 9, 24, 2; cp. ibid. 23, 2, where the acc. is to be supplied. ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν J 19:11. ἐπιθυμεῖν Gal 5:17. μερίζεσθαι καθʼ ἑαυτῆς Mt 12:25. Cp. 1 Cl 39:4 (Job 4:18).—κατά prob. means against also in ἔβαλεν κατʼ αὐτῆς ἄνεμος Ac 27:14. ἐτελείωσαν κ. τ. κεφαλῆς αὐτῶν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα they completed the full measure of sins against their own head GPt 5:17.

B. w. acc. (so in the NT 399 times [besides καθʼ εἷς and κατὰ εἷς])

① marker of spatial aspect

ⓐ of extension in space, along, over, through, in, upon (Hom. et al.; OGI 90, 7 ἐκ τῶν κ. τ. χώραν ἱερῶν; PHib 82, 19; PTebt 5, 188; LXX; Just.; Mel., HE 4, 26, 5) Ac 24:12. καθʼ ὅλην τ. πόλιν throughout the city Lk 8:39 (cp. Diod S 4, 10, 6 καθʼ ὅλην τὴν Ἐλλάδα). ἐγένετο λιμὸς κ. τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην 15:14. κ. τὰς κώμας 9:6. κ. πόλεις καὶ κώμας 13:22 (Appian., Maced. 9 §1 and 4 κ. πόλεις; Just., A I, 67, 3 κ. πόλεις ἢ ἀγρούς).—κ. τόπους in place after place Mt 24:7; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:11 (Theophr., περὶ σημ. 1, 4 p. 389 W.; Cat. Cod. Astr. III 28, 11 ἐν μέρει τ. ἀνατολῆς κ. τόπους, VIII/3, 186, 1 λιμὸς καὶ λοιμὸς καὶ σφαγαὶ κ. τόπους). οἱ ὄντες κ. τὴν Ἰουδαίαν those throughout Judea or living in Judea Ac 11:1. διασπαρῆναι κ. τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας be scattered over the regions of Judea 8:1. κ. τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν in the congregation there 13:1. τοῖς κ. τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν ἀδελφοῖς 15:23. τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη Ἰουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21. τοῖς κ. τὸν νόμον γεγραμμένοις throughout the law = in the law 24:14b. κ. τὴν ὁδόν along or on the way (Lucian, Catapl. 4; Jos., Ant. 8, 404) Lk 10:4; Ac 25:3; 26:13. τὸ κ. Κιλικίαν καὶ Παμφυλίαν πέλαγος the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia 27:5; but the geographical designation τὰ μέρη τ. Λιβύης τῆς κ. Κυρήνην 2:10 prob. belongs to b: the parts of Libya toward Cyrene.

ⓑ of extension toward, toward, to, up to ἐλθεῖν (γίνεσθαι v.l.) κ. τὸν τόπον come up to the place (Jos., Vi. 283) Lk 10:32. ἐλθόντες κ. τὴν Μυσίαν to Mysia Ac 16:7; cp. 27:7. πορεύεσθαι κ. μεσημβρίαν (s. μεσημβρία 2) toward the south 8:26 (cp. Jos., Bell. 5, 505). κ. σκοπὸν διώκειν run (over the course) toward the goal Phil 3:14. λιμὴν βλέπων κ. λίβα καὶ κ. χῶρον a harbor open to the southwest and northwest Ac 27:12 (s. βλέπω 8).—κ. πρόσωπον to the face (cp. Jos., Ant. 5, 205) Gal 2:11. ἔχειν τινὰ κ. πρόσωπον meet someone face to face (Thieme 19 has reff. for the use of κατὰ πρόσωπον as a legal formula) Ac 25:16. κ. πρόσωπον ταπεινός humble when personally present 2 Cor 10:1. κ. πρόσωπόν τινος in the presence of someone Lk 2:31; Ac 3:13. τὰ κ. πρόσωπον what lies before one’s eyes, i.e. is obvious 2 Cor 10:7. κ. ὀφθαλμοὺς προγράφειν portray before one’s eyes Gal 3:1.

ⓒ of isolation or separateness, by (Thu. 1, 138, 6 οἱ καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς Ἕλληνες ‘the Greeks by themselves’; Polyb. 1, 24, 4; 5, 78, 3; 11, 17, 6; Diod S 13, 72, 8; Gen 30:40; 43:32; 2 Macc 13:13; Philo, Migr. Abr. 87; 90; Just., D. 4, 5 αὐτὴ καθʼ ἑαυτήν γενομένη; Tat. 13, 1 ἡ ψυχὴ καθʼ ἑαυτήν; Ath. 15, 2 ὁ πηλὸς καθʼ ἑαυτόν) ἔχειν τι καθʼ ἑαυτόν keep someth. to oneself Ro 14:22 (cp. Jos., Ant. 2, 255; Heliod. 7, 16, 1). καθʼ ἑαυτὸν μένειν live by oneself of the private dwelling of Paul in Rome Ac 28:16. πίστις νεκρὰ καθʼ ἑαυτήν faith by itself is dead Js 2:17 (Simplicius in Epict. p. 3, 43 τὸ σῶμα καθʼ αὑτὸ νεκρόν ἐστιν). ἡ κατʼ οἶκον ἐκκλησία the congregation in the house Ro 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19. κατʼ ἰδίαν s. ἴδιος 5. κ. μόνας (Thu. 1, 32, 5; Menand., Epitr. 988 S. [658 Kö.], Fgm. 146 Kö. [158 Kock]; Polyb. 4, 15, 11; Diod S 4, 51, 16; BGU 813, 15 [s. APF 2, 1903, 97]; LXX) alone, by oneself Mk 4:10; Lk 9:18; Hm 11:8 (here, as well as BGU loc. cit. and LXX, written as one word καταμόνας).

ⓓ of places viewed serially, distributive use w. acc., x by x (Arrian., Anab. 4, 21, 10 κ. σκηνήν=tent by tent) or from x to x: κατʼ οἶκον from house to house (PLond III, 904, 20 p. 125 [104 A.D.] ἡ κατʼ οἰκίαν ἀπογραφή) Ac 2:46b; 5:42 (both in ref. to various house assemblies or congregations; w. less probability NRSV ‘at home’); cp. 20:20. Likew. the pl. κ. τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος 8:3. κ. τὰς συναγωγάς 22:19. κ. πόλιν (Jos., Ant. 6, 73) from city to city IRo 9:3, but in every (single) city Ac 15:21; 20:23; Tit 1:5. Also κ. πόλιν πᾶσαν (cp. Herodian 1, 14, 9) Ac 15:36; κ. πᾶσαν πόλιν 20:23 D. κ. πόλιν καὶ κώμην Lk 8:1; cp. vs. 4.

② marker of temporal aspect (Hdt. et al.; ins, pap, LXX, apolog.)

ⓐ in definite indications of time: at, on, during (Hdt. 8, 17; Polemon Soph. B 43 Reader κατʼ ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν ‘in the course of that day’) κατʼ ἀρχάς in the beginning (cp. ἀρχή 1b) Hb 1:10 (Ps 101:26). κ. τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ in the day of trial 3:8 (Ps 94:8.—Cp. Antig. Car. 173 κ. τὸν σπόρου καιρόν). νεκροῦ … ἀνάστασιν κατʼ αὐτὸν γεγονυῖαν ἱστορεῖ (Papias) reports that a resurrection from the dead occurred in his time Papias (2, 9; so, with personal names, Hdt.; Just., D. 23, 1 τοῦ θεοῦ … τοῦ κ. τὸν Ἐνώχ; Tat. 31, 2 Θεαγένης … κ. Καμβύσην γεγονώς). Of the future: κ. τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον at that time, then Ro 9:9 (Gen 18:10). Of the past: κ. ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρόν at that time, then (2 Macc 3:5; TestJos 12:1; Jos., Ant. 8, 266; cp. κατʼ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ Konon: 26 Fgm. 3 p. 191, 25 Jac.; Just., A I, 17, 2; 26, 3 al.) Ac 12:1; 19:23. κ. καιρόν at that time, then Ro 5:6 (Just., D. 132, 1; cp. OGI 90, 28 καθʼ ὸ̔ν καιρόν), unless καιρός here means the right time (s. καιρός 1b end). κατʼ ὄναρ (as καθʼ ὕπνον Gen 20:6; Just., D 60, 5 κ. τοὺς ὕπνους) during a dream, in a dream Mt 1:20; 2:12 (s. s.v. ὄναρ for ins).

ⓑ with indefinite indications of time: toward, about κ. τὸ μεσονύκτιον about midnight Ac 16:25; cp. 27:27.—8:26 (s. μεσημβρία 1).

ⓒ distributively (cp. 1d): x period by x period: κατʼ ἔτος every year (s. ἔτος) Lk 2:41. Also κατʼ ἐνιαυτόν (s. ἐνιαυτός 1) Hb 9:25; 10:1, 3. καθʼ ἡμέραν daily, every day (s. ἡμέρα 2c) Mt 26:55; Mk 14:49; Lk 16:19; 22:53; Ac 2:46f; 3:2; 16:5; 17:11; 19:9; 1 Cor 15:31; Hb 7:27; 10:11. Also τὸ καθʼ ἡμέραν (s. ἡμέρα 2c) Lk 11:3; 19:47; Ac 17:11 v.l. ἡ ἐπίστασις ἡ καθʼ ἡμέραν (s. ἐπίστασις) 2 Cor 11:28. κ. πᾶσαν ἡμέραν every day (Jos., Ant. 6, 49) Ac 17:7. Also καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν (s. ἡμέρα 2c) Hb 3:13. κ. μίαν σαββάτου on the first day of every week 1 Cor 16:2. κ. πᾶν σάββατον every Sabbath Ac 13:27; 15:21b; 18:4. κ. μῆνα ἕκαστον each month Rv 22:2 (κ. μῆνα as SIG 153, 65; POxy 275, 18; 2 Macc 6:7). κ. ἑορτήν at each festival Mt 27:15; Mk 15:6.

③ marker of division of a greater whole into individual parts, at a time, in detail, distributive use apart from indications of place (s. above 1d) and time (s. 2c)

ⓐ w. numerals: κ. δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς two or, at the most, three at a time (i.e. in any one meeting, cp. ἀνὰ μέρος) 1 Cor 14:27 (Dio Chrys. 80 [30], 42 κ. δύο καὶ τρεῖς; Jos., Ant. 3, 142 κ. ἕξ; 5, 172 κ. δύο καὶ τρεῖς). καθʼ ἕνα (on this and the foll. s. εἷς 5e) singly, one after the other vs. 31. κ. ἕνα λίθον each individual stone Hs 9, 3, 5; καθʼ ἕνα λίθον 9, 6, 3. κ. ἓν ἕκαστον one by one, in detail Ac 21:19; 1 Cl 32:1 (Ath. 28, 4 καθʼ ἕκαστον). εἷς καθʼ εἷς Mk 14:19; J 8:9; cp. Ro 12:5 (B-D-F §305; Rob. 460). κ. ἑκατὸν καὶ κ. πεντήκοντα in hundreds and in fifties Mk 6:40.

ⓑ περί τινος λέγειν κ. μέρος speak of someth. in detail Hb 9:5 (s. μέρος 1c). κατʼ ὄνομα (each one) by name (ἀσπάζομαι … τοὺς ἐνοίκους πάντες κα[τʼ] ὄνομα PTebt [III A.D.] 422, 11–16; Jos., Vi. 86) J 10:3; 3J 15 (cp. BGU 27, 18); ISm 13:2.

④ marker of intention or goal, for the purpose of, for, to (Thu. 6, 31, 1 κ. θέαν ἥκειν=to look at something; cp. Sb 7263, 6 [254 B.C.]; X., An. 3, 5, 2 καθʼ ἁρπαγὴν ἐσκεδασμένοι; Arrian, Anab. 1, 17, 12; 4, 5, 1; 21, 9; 6, 17, 6; 26, 2; Lucian, Ver. Hist. 2, 29; Anton. Lib., Fab. 24, 1 Δημήτηρ ἐπῄει γῆν ἅπασαν κ. ζήτησιν τῆς θυγατρός; 38; Jdth 11:19) κ. τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων for the Jewish ceremonial purification J 2:6. κατὰ ἀτιμίαν λέγω to my shame 2 Cor 11:21 (cp. Jos., Ant. 3, 268 κ. τιμὴν τ. θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιῶν). ἀπόστολος … κ. πίστιν … καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν an apostle … for the faith … and the knowledge Tit 1:1 (but the mng. ‘in accordance with’ is also prob.).

⑤ marker of norm of similarity or homogeneity, according to, in accordance with, in conformity with, according to

ⓐ to introduce the norm which governs someth.

α. the norm of the law, etc. (OGI 56, 33; Mitt-Wilck., I/2, 352, 11 κ. τὰ κελευσθέντα [as Just., D. 78, 7]; POxy 37 II, 8) κ. τὸν νόμον (Jos., Ant. 14, 173; 15, 51; Just., D. 10, 1 al.; Ath. 31, 1; κ. τοὺς νόμους Ἀρεοπαγείτης, letter of MAurelius: ZPE 8, ’71, 169, ln. 27) Lk 2:22; J 18:31; 19:7; Hb 7:5. τὰ κ. τ. νόμον what is to be done according to the law Lk 2:39 (cp. EpArist 32). κ. τὸ ὡρισμένον in accordance w. what has been determined 22:22. Cp. 1:9; 2:24, 27, 42; Ac 17:2; 22:3. κ. τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου Ro 2:16; 16:25a; 2 Ti 2:8. κ. τὸ εἰρημένον Ro 4:18 (cp. Ath. 28, 1 κ. τὰ προειρημένα). κ. τὰς γραφάς (Just., D. 82, 4; cp. Paus. 6, 21, 10 κ. τὰ ἔπη=according to the epic poems; Just., A I, 32, 14 κ. τὸ λόγιον, D. 67, 1 κ. τὴν προφητείαν ταύτην) 1 Cor 15:3; cp. Js 2:8. κ. τὴν παράδοσιν Mk 7:5 (Tat. 39, 1 κ. τὴν Ἑλλήνων παράδοσιν).—κ. λόγον as one wishes (exx. in Dssm., B 209 [not in BS]; also PEleph 13, 1; 3 Macc 3:14) Ac 18:14 (though 5bβ below is also prob.).—It can also stand simply w. the acc. of the pers. according to whose will, pleasure, or manner someth. occurs κ. θεόν (cp. Socrat., Ep. 14, 5 κ. θεόν; 26, 2; Nicol. Dam.: 90 Fgm. 4 p. 332, 1 Jac. and Appian, Bell. Civ. 2, 84 §352 κ. δαίμονα; Jos., Ant. 4, 143 ὁ κ. τοῦτον[=θεόν] βίος; Just., D. 5, 1 κ. τινας … Πλατωνικούς; Tat. 1, 3 κ. … τὸν κωμικόν) Ro 8:27; 2 Cor 7:9–11; κ. Χριστὸν Ἰ. Ro 15:5. κ. κύριον 2 Cor 11:17. Cp. 1 Pt 1:15. κ. τ. Ἕλληνας in the manner of the Greeks, i.e. polytheists PtK 2, p. 14, 1; 7. κ. Ἰουδαίους ln. 25.

β. the norm according to which a judgment is rendered, or rewards or punishments are given ἀποδοῦναι τινι κ. τ. πρᾶξιν or ἔργα αὐτοῦ (Ps 61:13; Pr 24:12; Just., A I, 12, 1; 17, 4 al.; κατʼ ἀξίαν τῶν πράξεων) Mt 16:27; Ro 2:6; 2 Ti 4:14; Rv 2:23. μισθὸν λήμψεται κ. τ. ἴδιον κόπον 1 Cor 3:8. κρίνειν κ. τι J 7:24; 8:15; 1 Pt 1:17; cp. Ro 2:2.

γ. of a standard of any other kind κ. τ. χρόνον ὸ̔ν ἠκρίβωσεν in accordance w. the time which he had ascertained Mt 2:16. κ. τ. πίστιν ὑμῶν acc. to your faith 9:29. κ. τ. δύναμιν acc. to his capability 25:15 (Just., D. 139, 4; Tat. 12, 3; cp. Just., A II, 13, 6 κ. δύναμιν). Cp. Lk 1:38; 2:29; Ro 8:4; 10:2; Eph 4:7. ἀνὴρ κ. τ. καρδίαν μου Ac 13:22 (καρδία 1bε).

δ. Oft. the norm is at the same time the reason, so that in accordance with and because of are merged: οἱ κ. πρόθεσιν κλητοί Ro 8:28. κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν θεοῦ 16:26; 1 Ti 1:1; Tit 1:3. κ. ἀποκάλυψιν Eph 3:3 (Just., D. 78, 2). οἱ καθʼ ὑπομονὴν ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ Ro 2:7. κατʼ ἐκλογήν 11:5 (Just., D. 49, 1). Cp. κ. τὴν βουλήν Eph 1:11 (Just., A I, 63, 16 al.); 2 Th 2:9; Hb 7:16. κ. τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; by what shall I know this? (cp. Gen 15:8) Lk 1:18.—Instead of ‘in accordance w.’ κ. can mean simply because of, as a result of, on the basis of (Ael. Aristid. 46 p. 219 D.: κ. τοὺς νόμους; Jos., Ant. 1, 259; 278; Just., A I, 54, 1 κατʼ ἐνέργειαν τῶν φαύλων δαιμόνων; Ath. 7, 1 κ. συμπάθειαν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ πνοῆς; 32, 1 κ. χρησμόν). κ. πᾶσαν αἰτίαν for any and every reason (αἰτία 1) Mt 19:3. κ. ἀποκάλυψιν Gal 2:2. Cp. Ro 2:5; 1 Cor 12:8 (κ. τ. πνεῦμα = διὰ τοῦ πν.); Eph 1:5; 4:22b; Phil 4:11; 1 Ti 5:21; 2 Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5; κ. ἀνάγκην Phlm 14 (Ar. 1, 2; 4, 2 al.; Just., A I, 30, 1; 61, 10; Ath. 24, 2); IPol 1:3. ὁ κ. τὸ πολὺ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἀναγεννήσας ἡμᾶς 1 Pt 1:3.—καθʼ ὅσον (Thu. 4, 18, 4) in so far as, inasmuch as Hb 3:3. καθʼ ὅσον …, κ. τοσοῦτο in so far as …, just so far (Lysias 31, 8; Galen, De Dignosc. Puls. 3, 2, VIII 892 K.) 7:20, 22.

ⓑ as a periphrasis to express equality, similarity, or example in accordance with, just as, similar(ly) to (TestJob 32:6 τίς γὰρ κ. σε ἐν μέσῳ τῶν τέκνων σου; Tat. 25, 1 κ. … τὸν Πρωτέα like Proteus; schol. on Nicander, Ther. 50: sheep are not burden-bearers κ. τοὺς ὄνους=as donkeys are).

α. κ. τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε do not do as they do Mt 23:3. κ. Ἰσαάκ just as Isaac Gal 4:28. κ. θεὸν κτισθείς Eph 4:24 (Synes., Prov. 2, 2 p. 118c κ. θεόν=just as a god). Cp. Col 3:10. κ. τὸν τύπον Hb 8:5 (Ex 25:40; Mel., P. 58, 424 [νόμον v.l.]). Cp. 5:6 (Ps 109:4); 8:9 (Jer 38: 32); Js 3:9.—κ. τὰ αὐτά in (just) the same way (OGI 56, 66; PEleph 2, 6; 1 Macc 8:27; 12:2; Just., D. 1, 2; 3, 5; 113, 3) Lk 6:23, 26; 17:30; Dg 3:1. On the other hand, the sing. κ. τὸ αὐτό Ac 14:1 means together (marriage contract PEleph 1, 5 [IV B.C.] εἶναι ἡμᾶς κ. ταὐτό; 1 Km 11:11). καθʼ ὸ̔ν τρόπον just as (2 Macc 6:20; 4 Macc 14:17) Ac 15:11; 27:25. καθʼ ὅσον …, οὕτως (just) as …, so Hb 9:27. κ. πάντα τρόπον in every way (PSI 520, 16 [250 B.C.]; PCairZen 631, 2; 3 Macc 3:24) Ro 3:2. κ. μηδένα τρόπον (PMagd 14, 9 [221 B.C.]; PRein 7, 31; 3 Macc 4:13; 4 Macc 4:24; Just., D. 35, 7; s. Reader, Polemo 262) 2 Th 2:3. Cp. Johannessohn, Kasus, 1910, 82. κατά w. acc. serves in general

β. to indicate the nature, kind, peculiarity or characteristics of a thing (freq. as a periphrasis for the adv.; e.g. Antiochus of Syracuse [V B.C.]: 555 Fgm. 12 Jac. κ. μῖσος=out of hate, filled with hate) κατʼ ἐξουσίαν with authority or power Mk 1:27. κ. συγκυρίαν by chance Lk 10:31. κ. ἄγνοιαν without knowing Ac 3:17 (s. ἄγνοια 2a). κ. ἄνθρωπον 1 Cor 3:3 al. (s. Straub 15; Aeschyl., Th. 425; ἄνθρωπος 2b). κ. κράτος powerfully, Ac 19:20 (κράτος 1a). κ. λόγον reasonably, rightly (Pla.; Polyb. 1, 62, 4; 5; 5, 110, 10; Jos., Ant. 13, 195; PYale 42, 24 [12 Jan., 229 B.C.]) 18:14 (but s. above 5aα). λέγειν τι κ. συγγνώμην οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγήν say someth. as a concession, not as a command 1 Cor 7:6; cp. 2 Cor 8:8. κ. τάξιν in (an) order(ly manner) 1 Cor 14:40 (τάξις 2). κατʼ ὀφθαλμοδουλίαν with eye-service Eph 6:6. μηδὲν κατʼ ἐριθείαν μηδὲ κ. κενοδοξίαν Phil 2:3. κ. ζῆλος zealously 3:6a, unless this pass. belongs under 6 below, in its entirety. κ. σάρκα on the physical plane Ro 8:12f; 2 Cor 1:17; also 5:16ab, if here κ. ς. belongs w. οἴδαμεν or ἐγνώκαμεν (as Bachmann, JWeiss, H-D Wendland, Sickenberger take it; s. 7a below). καθʼ ὑπερβολήν (PTebt 42, 5f [c. 114 B.C.] ἠδικημένος καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπὸ, Ἁρμιύσιος; 4 Macc 3:18) beyond measure, beyond comparison Ro 7:13; 1 Cor 12:31; 2 Cor 4:17. καθʼ ὁμοιότητα (Aristot.; Gen 1:12; Philo, Fug. 51; Tat. 12, 4 κ. τὸ ὅμοιον αὐτῇ) in a similar manner Hb 4:15b. κ. μικρόν in brief B 1:5 (μικρός 1eγ).

⑥ denoting relationship to someth., with respect to, in relation to κ. σάρκα w. respect to the flesh, physically of human descent Ro 1:3; 4:1; 9:3, 5 (Ar. 15, 7 κ. σάρκα … κ. ψυχήν; Just., D. 43, 7 ἐν τῷ γένει τῷ κ. σάρκα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ al.). κ. τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 7:22 (cp. POxy 904, 6 πληγαῖς κατακοπτόμενον κ. τὸ σῶμα). Cp. Ro 1:4; 11:28; Phil 3:5, 6b (for vs. 6a s. 5bβ above); Hb 9:9b. τὰ κ. τινα (Hdt. 7, 148; Diod S 1, 10, 73; Aelian, VH 2, 20; PEleph 13, 3; POxy 120, 14; Tob 10:9; 1 Esdr 9:17; 2 Macc 3:40; 9:3 al.) someone’s case, circumstances Ac 24:22 (cp. PEleph 13, 3 τὰ κ. σε; Just., A I, 61, 13 τὰ κ. τὸν Ἰησοῦν πάντα, D. 102, 2 τὰ κ. αὐτόν; Ath. 24, 4 τὸ κ. τοὺς ἀγγέλους); 25:14; Eph 6:21; Phil 1:12; Col 4:7. κ. πάντα in all respects (since Thu. 4, 81, 3; Sb 4324, 3; 5761, 22; SIG 834, 7; Gen 24:1; Wsd 19:22; 2 Macc 1:17; 3 Macc 5:42; JosAs 1:7; Just., A II, 4, 4, D. 35, 8 al.); Ac 17:22; Col 3:20, 22a; Hb 2:17 (Artem. 1, 13 αὐτῷ ὅμοιον κ. π.); 4:15a.

⑦ Somet. the κατά phrase, which would sound cumbersome in the rendering ‘such-and-such’, ‘in line with’, or ‘in accordance with’, is best rendered as an adj., a possessive pron., or with a genitival construction to express the perspective from which something is perceived or to be understood. In translation it thus functions as

ⓐ an adj. (Synes., Kingdom 4 p. 4d τὰ κατʼ ἀρετὴν ἔργα i.e. the deeds that are commensurate with that which is exceptional = virtuous deeds; PHib 27, 42 ταῖς κ. σελήνην ἡμέραις; 4 Macc 5:18 κ. ἀλήθειαν=ἀληθής; Just., A I, 2, 1 τοὺς κ. ἀλήθειαν εὐσεβεῖς; Tat. 26, 2 τῆς κ. ἀλήθειαν σοφίας) οἱ κ. φύσιν κλάδοι the natural branches Ro 11:21. ἡ κατʼ εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλία 1 Ti 6:3; cp. Tit 1:1b. οἱ κ. σάρκα κύριοι the earthly masters (in wordplay, anticipating the κύριος who is in the heavens, vs. 9) Eph 6:5. Cp. 2 Cor 5:16b, in case (s. 5bβ above) κ. ς. belongs w. Χριστόν (as the majority, incl. Ltzm., take it): a physical Christ, a Christ in the flesh, in his earthly relationships (σάρξ 5). Correspondingly in vs. 16a κ. ς. would be taken w. οὐδένα: no one simply as a physical being.—JMartyn, JKnox Festschr., ’67, 269–87.

ⓑ a possessive pron., but with limiting force (Demosth. 2, 27 τὰ καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐλλείμματα [i.e. in contrast to the activities of others: ‘your own’]; Aelian, VH 2, 42 ἡ κατʼ αὐτὸν ἀρετή; 3, 36; OGI 168, 17 παραγεγονότες εἰς τοὺς καθʼ ὑμᾶς τόπους; SIG 646, 6; 807, 15 al.; UPZ 20, 9 [II B.C.] ἐπὶ τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς λειτουργίας; PTebt 24, 64; 2 Macc 4:21; Tat. 42, 1 τίς ὁ θεὸς καὶ τίς ἡ κατʼ αὐτὸν ποίησις; Mel., HE 4, 26, 7 ἡ καθʼ ἡμᾶς φιλοσοφία) τῶν καθʼ ὑμᾶς ποιητῶν τινες some of your (own) poets Ac 17:28. ἡ καθʼ ὑμᾶς πίστις Eph 1:15. ὁ καθʼ ὑμᾶς νόμος Ac 18:15. τὸ κατʼ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον my eagerness Ro 1:15.

ⓒ a gen. w. a noun (Polyb. 3, 113, 1 ἡ κ. τὸν ἥλιον ἀνατολή; 2, 48, 2; 3, 8, 1 al.; Diod S 14, 12 ἡ κ. τὸν τύραννον ὠμότης; Dionys. Hal. 2, 1; SIG 873, 5 τῆς κ. τ. μυστήρια τελετῆς; 569, 22; 783, 20; PTebt 5, 25; PLond III, 1164k, 20 p. 167 [212 A.D.] ὑπὸ τοῦ κ. πατέρα μου ἀνεψιοῦ) τὰ κ. Ἰουδαίους ἔθη the customs of the Judeans Ac 26:3 (Tat. 12, 5 τῇ κ. Βαβυλωνίους προγνωστικῇ; 34, 2 ἡ κ. τὸν Ἀριστόδημον πλαστική). Cp. 27:2. ἡ κ. πίστιν δικαιοσύνη the righteousness of faith Hb 11:7. ἡ κατʼ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις purpose of election Ro 9:11.—Here also belong the titles of the gospels εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ματθαῖον etc., where κατά is likew. periphrasis for a gen. (cp. JLydus, De Mag. 3, 46 p. 136, 10 Wünsch τῆς κ. Λουκανὸν συγγραφῆς; Herodian 2, 9, 4 of an autobiography ἐν τῷ καθʼ αὑτὸν βίῳ; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 18 τ. καθʼ αὐτὸν ἱστορίαν; 2 Macc 2:13. Cp. B-D-F §163; 224, 2; Zahn, Einleitung §49; BBacon, Why ‘According to Mt’? Exp., 8th ser., 16, 1920, 289–310).—On the periphrasis of the gen. by κατά s. Rudberg (ἀνά beg.) w. many exx. fr. Pla. on. But it occurs as early as Thu. 6, 16, 5 ἐν τῷ κατʼ αὐτοὺς βίῳ.—M-M. DELG. EDNT. TW.

πρεσβύτερος, α, ον (Hom.+; comp. of πρέσβυς)

① pert. to being relatively advanced in age, older, old

ⓐ of an individual person older of two ὁ υἱὸς ὁ πρ. (cp. Aelian, VH 9, 42; TestJob 15:2 τῷ ἀδελφῷ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ; JosAs; Just., A II, 6, 1) Lk 15:25; of Manasseh (w. Ephraim) B 13:5. In contrast to the younger generation οἱ πρεσβύτεροι the older ones J 8:9. Opp. οἱ νεανίσκοι Ac 2:17 (Jo 3:1). Opp. νεώτεροι (s. νεός 3aβ) 1 Ti 5:1 (similar advice, containing a contrast betw. πρ. and νεώτ., from ins and lit. in MDibelius, Hdb. ad loc.); 1 Pt 5:5 (though here the πρεσβύτεροι are not only the older people, but at the same time, the ‘elders’; s. 2bβ). The same double mng. is found for πρεσβύτεροι in 1 Cl 1:3 beside νέοι, while in 3:3; 21:6, beside the same word, the concept of being old is the dominant one (as Jos., C. Ap. 2, 206). On the disputed pass. Hv 3, 1, 8 (οἱ νεανίσκοι … οἱ πρεσβύτεροι) cp. MDibelius, Hdb. ad loc.—Fem. πρεσβυτέρα old(er) woman (opp. νεωτέρα, as Gen 19:31) 1 Ti 5:2.—With no ref. to younger persons, w. complete disappearance of the comparative aspect: πρεσβύτερος an old man (Jos., Ant. 13, 226; 292 [as a witness of events in the past, as Ps.-Pla., Virt. 3, 377b; 4, 377c]) Hv 3, 12, 2; cp. 3, 11, 3. The personified church is called λίαν πρεσβυτέρα very old 3, 10, 3; cp. 3, 11, 2. She appears as ἡ πρ. the elderly woman 2, 1, 3; 3, 1, 2; 3, 10, 6; 9 and has τὰς τρίχας πρεσβυτέρας the hair of an old woman 3, 10, 4; 5; 3, 12, 1.

ⓑ of a period of time (Petosiris, Fgm. 3 and 4 mention οἱ πρεσβύτεροι and οἱ νεώτεροι. In both instances the context shows that the reference is to astrologers from earlier and more recent times) οἱ πρεσβύτεροι the men of old, our ancestors Hb 11:2. ἡ παράδοσις τῶν πρεσβυτέρων the tradition of the ancients (cp. Iambl., Vi. Pyth. 35, 253 τῶν π. συγγράμματα) Mt 15:2; Mk 7:3, 5 (ELohse, D. Ordination im Spätjudentum u. NT, ’51, 50–56: scholars).

② an official (cp. Lat. senator), elder, presbyter

ⓐ among the Jews (the congregation of a synagogue in Jerusalem used πρεσβύτεροι to denote its officers before 70 A.D.: SEG VIII, 170, 9; cp. Dssm., LO 378–80 [LAE 439–41]).

α. for members of local councils in individual cities (cp. Josh 20:4; Ruth 4:2; 2 Esdr 10:14; Jdth 8:10; 10:6) Lk 7:3; 1 Cl 55:4.—Schürer II, 185.

β. for members of a group in the Sanhedrin (Schürer II, 206–8; JJeremias, Jerusalem z. Zt. Jesu II B 1: Die gesellschaftl. Oberschicht 1929, 88ff). They are mentioned together w. (the) other groups: ἀρχιερεῖς (Ac 4:5 has ἄρχοντες for this), γραμματεῖς, πρεσβύτεροι (the order is not always the same) Mt 16:21; 26:3 v.l.; 27:41; Mk 8:31; 11:27; 14:43, 53; 15:1; Lk 9:22; 20:1.—Only ἀρχιερεῖς (Ac 4:8 has for this ἄρχοντες τοῦ λαοῦ) and πρεσβύτεροι (τοῦ λαοῦ: cp. Ex 19:7; Num 11:16b, 24; 1 Macc 7:33; 12:35; Just., D. 40, 4 al.) Mt 21:23; 26:3, 47, 59 v.l.; 27:1, 3, 12, 20; 28:(11), 12; Lk 22:52 (here, as an exception, οἱ στρατηγοὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ); Ac 4:23; 23:14; 25:15; cp. 24:1. Also οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς GPt 7:25 (for this combination cp. Jos., Ant. 11, 83; 12, 406).—Only πρεσβύτεροι and γραμματεῖς Mt 26:57; Ac 6:12.—The use of πρεσβύτερος as a title among the Jews of the Diaspora appears quite late, except for the allusions in the LXX (cp. Schürer III/1, 102; MAMA III [Cilicia], 344; 448 [cp. ZNW 31, ’32, 313f]. Whether πρεσβύτερος is to be understood in the older Roman inscriptions [CIJ 378] as a title [so CIJ p. lxxxvi], remains doubtful).

ⓑ among the Christians (for their use of the word as a title one must bear in mind not only the Jewish custom, but also its use as a t.t. among the ἔθνη, in connection w. associations of the ‘old ones’ [FPoland, Geschichte des griech. Vereinswesens 1909, 98ff] and to designate civic as well as religious officials [Dssm., B 153ff=BS 154–57, NB 60ff=BS 233–35, also LO 315, 5; HHausschildt, ZNW 4, 1903, 235ff; MStrack, ibid. 213ff; HLietzmann, ZWT 55, 1914, 116–32 [=Kl. Schr. I ’58, 156–69]; MDibelius, exc. on 1 Ti 5:17ff; RAlastair-Campbell, The Elders, Seniority within Earliest Christianity ’94.].—BGU 16, 6 [159 A.D.] πρεσβύτεροι ἱερεῖς θεοῦ Σοκνοπαίου; 347, 6; PVindBosw 1, 31 [87 A.D.].—As honorary title: Iren. 4, 26, 5 [Harv. II 238, 3]. The Engl. word ‘priest’ comes fr. πρεσβύτερος via Lat. presbyter; later Christian usage is largely, if not entirely, responsible for this development; s. OED s.v. ‘priest’ B).

α. Ac 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22f; 16:4 (in all the places in Ac 15 and 16 mention is made of οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι in the Jerusalem church); 20:17; 21:18; 1 Ti 5:17, 19 (Nicol. Dam.: 90 Fgm. 103a Jac. νεωτέρῳ πρεσβυτέρου καταμαρτυρεῖν οὐκ ἔξεστι); Tit 1:5; Js 5:14; 1 Pt 5:1, 5 (s. 1a above); 1 Cl 44:5; 47:6; 54:2; 57:1. WWrede, Untersuchungen zum 1 Cl 1891, 8ff.—Acc. to 2 Cl 17:3, 5 exhortation and preaching in the church services were among their duties.—In Ign. the πρεσβύτεροι come after the bishop, to whom they are subordinate IMg 2; 3:1; 6:1, or betw. the bishop and the deacons IPhld inscr.; 10:2; IPol 6:1, or the higher rank of the bishop in comparison to them is made plain in some other way ITr 3:1; 12:2 (s. πρεσβυτέριον b; cp. Hippol., Ref. 9, 12, 22).—Polycarp—an ἐπίσκοπος, accord. to the title of the Ep. bearing his name—groups himself w. πρεσβύτεροι in Pol inscr., and further takes the presence of presbyters in Philippi for granted (beside deacons, though no ἐπίσκοπος is mentioned; cp. Hdb. on Pol inscr.) Pol 5:3.

β. Just how we are to understand the words ὁ πρεσβύτερος, applied to himself by the author of the two smallest Johannine letters 2J 1; 3J 1, remains in doubt. But in any case it is meant to indicate a position of great dignity the elder.—HWindisch, exc. on 3J, end; ESchwartz, Über den Tod der Söhne Zebedaei 1904, 47; 51; HWendt, ZNW 23, 1924, 19; EKäsemann, ZTK 48, ’51, 292–311; DWatson, NTS 35, ’89, 104–30, rhetorical analysis of 2J.—ὁ πρ. and οἱ πρ. are mentioned by Papias in these much-discussed passages: 2:3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 15. For some of the lit. s. the note on JKleist’s transl. ’48, p. 207 n. 18.

γ. In Rv there are 24 elders sitting on thrones about the throne of God; they form a heavenly council of elders (cp. Is 24:23) 4:4, 10; 5:5–14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4. The elders have been understood as glorified human beings of some kind or astral deities (or angels) (for the var. views s. RCharles, ICC Rv I 128–33; JMichl, D. 24 Ältesten in d. Apk. d. hl. J. ’38); the number 24 has been referred to the following: the 24 priestly classes of the Jews (1 Ch 24:7–18; Jos., Ant. 7, 365–67) whose heads were called ‘elders’ (Yoma 1, 5; Tamid 1, 1; Middoth 1, 8); the 24 stars which, according to Babylonian belief, stood half on the north and half on the south of the zodiac (Diod S 2, 31, 4; POsl 4, 19: HGunkel, Z. religionsgesch. Verständnis des NT 1903, 42f; Boll 35f); the 24 hours of the day, represented as old men w. shining garments and w. crowns (acc. to the Test. of Adam [ed. CBezold, TNöldeke Festschr. 1906, 893–912]: JWellhausen, Analyse der Offb. Joh. 1907, p. 9, 1; NMorosof, Offb. Joh. 1912, 32); the 24 Yazatas in the state of the gods in heaven, acc. to Persian thought (Bousset). It is certainly an open question whether, or how far, the writer of Rv had any of these things in mind.—On the presbyters, and esp. on the question how ἐπίσκοπος and πρεσβύτερος were originally related to each other (a question which is raised particularly in the pastorals; cp. MDibelius, Hdb. exc. after 1 Ti 3:7 section 2 [w. lit.] and before 5:17), s. the lit. s.v. ἐπίσκοπος.—BEaston, Pastoral Epistles ’47, 188–97; WMichaelis, Das Ältestenamt ’53; GBornkamm, πρεσβύτερος; RCampbell, The Elders ’94.—B. 1472. DELG s.v. πρέσβυς. M-M. EDNT. TW.