ἐπισκοπή
episkopḗ
G1984 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The act of looking upon, inspecting, or visiting with attention; in various contexts in Koine Greek, it carries the nuances of oversight, supervision, care, or a formal visit. In administrative or communal settings, it refers to an official oversight or the function of one charged with such duty. Specifically, in early Christian communities, ἐπισκοπή designates the office or function of an overseer (later 'bishop'), emphasizing supervision and responsibility for a group or community. The sense may also extend to 'visitation' (either for benefaction or for judgment) depending on context, especially in the Septuagint and New Testament use.
Semantic Range
inspection, oversight, supervision, official charge or office of oversight (esp. in a communal/religious setting), act of visiting with care or judgment, divine visitation (for mercy or punishment)
Root / Etymology
From the root ἐπισκoπ- (as in ἐπισκέπτομαι, 'to look upon, inspect'), formed with the abstract noun ending -ή. Related to words indicating inspection or oversight.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἐπισκοπή generally referred to 'looking over', 'inspection', or supervision, sometimes in administrative contexts (e.g., magisterial oversight). In the Septuagint, ἐπισκοπή translates Hebrew terms relating to 'visitation'—which could be either for blessing/care or for judgment/punishment (cf. LXX Psalms, Isaiah). In certain contexts, e.g., Wisdom literature and prophetic texts, it denotes God's purposeful attention—either in mercy or in discipline. In Second Temple and Hellenistic literature, the sense of 'official charge' or 'oversight' emerges more clearly. In the New Testament, especially Acts and the Pastoral Epistles, ἐπισκοπή develops as a term for the role or office of community supervision, later translated in ecclesiastical English as 'bishopric' or 'episcopate'; however, the role referred to in the first century often bore less institutional significance and was closer to communal oversight or pastoral care than hierarchical office. Traditional English translation as 'bishopric' or 'visitation' sometimes narrows the term excessively, missing its broader association with responsible communal oversight or the act of looking in on the community.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπισκέπτομαι; inspection (for relief); by implication, superintendence; specially, the Christian "episcopate":--the office of a "bishop", bishoprick, visitation.
Root Family
ἐπισκοπή (episkopē) — inspection, oversight, supervision, visitation
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1984-02 |
ἐπισκοπῆς | episkopes | N GEN F SG |
of visitation | of oversight | of oversight | 3 |
G1984-01 |
ἐπισκοπὴν | episkopen | N ACC F SG |
office | oversight | oversight | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1984-02 |
Luke 19:44 | ἐπισκοπῆς | episkopes | N GEN F SG |
visitation | of oversight | visitation |
G1984-01 |
Acts 1:20 | ἐπισκοπὴν | episkopen | N ACC F SG |
office | oversight | oversight |
G1984-02 |
1 Timothy 3:1 | ἐπισκοπῆς | episkopes | N GEN F SG |
oversight | of oversight | of oversight |
G1984-02 |
1 Peter 2:12 | ἐπισκοπῆς | episkopes | N GEN F SG |
of visitation | of oversight | of visitation |