ἀρχή G0746
Beginning, origin; a ruler or cosmic principality; the domain or office of authority; a corner or extremity.
One of the most theologically loaded nouns in the New Testament. John opens his Gospel with ἐν ἀρχῇ — 'in the beginning' — deliberately echoing Genesis 1:1 and anchoring Christ in the pre-creation order. Paul then deploys the same word for the invisible 'principalities' (ἀρχαί) of the spiritual realm (Rom 8:38; Col 1:16), a shift from time to hierarchy that Spanish captures by alternating between 'principio' and 'principados.' A third use abstracts further into the 'rule' or 'domain' of authority itself (1 Cor 15:24). Finally, Acts 10:11 repurposes the word concretely for the 'corners' of Peter's visionary sheet — a meaning preserved in English as 'corners' and Spanish as 'extremos.'
Senses
1. beginning, commencement — The primary temporal sense (43x): the beginning, commencement, or origin of something. This covers the creation-origin ('in the beginning,' John 1:1–2; Heb 1:10), the start of Jesus' ministry (Mark 1:1), the onset of birth pangs (Matt 24:8), and references to 'from the beginning' (ἀπ' ἀρχῆς). Spanish 'principio,' French 'commencement,' and German 'Anfang' all consistently render this meaning. The Johannine and Hebrews usage carries special theological weight, deliberately invoking the LXX of Genesis 1:1. 43×
AR["-الْبَدْءِ","البَدءُ","البَدْءِ","البِدايَةِ","البِدَايَةِ","الـ-بَدْءِ","الْبَدْءِ","بَدْءِ","بِدايَة","بِدايَةُ","بِدايَةِ","بِدَايَةٍ","بِدَايَةَ","بِدَايَةُ"]·ben["আদি","আদিতে","আরম্ভ","প্রথম","প্রথমে","প্রথমের","শুরু","শুরুতের","শুরুর"]·DE["Anfang"]·EN["beginning","the-beginning"]·FR["commencement"]·heb["הַתְּחִלָּה","רֵאשִׁית","תְּחִלַּת"]·HI["अअरमभ","आदि","आरंभ","आरम्भ","आरम्भ-से","शुरु","शुरुअअत","शुरुआतसे"]·ID["awal","mulanya","permulaan","permulaan,"]·IT["principio"]·jav["wiwitan","wiwitan,"]·KO["시작","시작이다","시작이라","처음","처음부터"]·PT["o-princípio","o-princípio,","princípio"]·RU["Начало","начала","начала,","начале","начало"]·ES["-principio","el-principio","principio"]·SW["Mwanzoni","hadi","lakini","mwanaume","mwanzo","wa-uchungu"]·TR["Başlangıçtan-beri","basinda","baslangic","başlangıcı","başlangıcından","başlangıç","başlangıçta","başlangıçtan","başından"]·urd["-ال","ابتدا","شروع","شروع-سے","شروع-میں","شروعات"]
2. ruler, principality — A cosmic-hierarchical sense (7x): supernatural or political rulers, often plural ἀρχαί denoting angelic or demonic powers in the invisible order. Paul's 'principalities and powers' lists (Rom 8:38; Eph 6:12; Col 1:16) make this a key term in New Testament angelology. Spanish distinguishes this clearly as 'principados' or 'gobernantes,' while Luke 12:11 extends the term to earthly magistrates before whom believers may be arraigned. 7×
AR["الرِئاساتِ","الرِّياساتِ","رِئَاسَاتٌ","رِئَاسَاتِ","رِياساتٌ","لِلرِّياساتِ"]·ben["আধিপত্যসমূহ","শাসকদের","শাসনসমূহ","শাসনসমূহ-কে","শাসনসমূহকে"]·DE["Anfang"]·EN["rulers","to-rulers"]·FR["commencement"]·heb["לְ-שָׂרִים","רָשׁוֹיוֹת,","שִׁלְטוֹנוֹת","שַׂרִים","שָׂרִים","שָׂרוּיוֹת"]·HI["प्रधानताएं","शअसकोन","शशकोन,","शासकों"]·ID["kepada-pemerintah,","pemerintah","pemerintah-pemerintah,","pemerintahan-pemerintahan","pemerintahan-pemerintahan,"]·IT["principio"]·jav["dhumateng-panguwasa,","pamarentahan","panguwasa","panguwasa,","para-pangageng"]·KO["관리들에게","권세들도","정원들-에","통치들","통치들과","통치들에게","통치자들-에게"]·PT["principados","principados,","às-autoridades,"]·RU["-начальства","начальств,","начальства","начальствам"]·ES["a-gobernantes","gobernantes","principados"]·SW["falme","watawala"]·TR["-lara-","yonetimler","yonetimlere","yonetimleri","yöneticiler","yöneticilere","yöneticiliklere,"]·urd["حاکموں","حکمرانوں-کے","حکومتوں","حکومتیں","ریاستوں-کو","ریاستیں"]
3. rule, domain of authority — The abstract sphere or office of ruling — dominion, authority, or governmental power as such (5x). Distinguished from sense 2 by focusing on the authority itself rather than the beings who hold it. In 1 Cor 15:24 Christ destroys every 'rule' (ἀρχήν); in Jude 1:6 angels abandon their proper 'domain.' German 'Herrschaft' and Spanish 'autoridad' capture this abstract-institutional nuance, while Luke 20:20 uses it for the 'authority' of the Roman governor. 5×
amh["ሥልጣን"]·AR["-السُّلطَةِ","رئاسة","رِئاسَةٍ","رِياسَةٍ"]·ben["আধিপত্য","আধিপত্যের","আর","শাসন","শাসন,"]·ces["vládu"]·dan["begyndelse,"]·DE["Anfang","Herrschaft"]·ell["αρχήν,"]·EN["domain","rule"]·FR["commencement","domaine,"]·guj["અધિકાર,"]·hat["dominasyon"]·hau["matsayi"]·heb["מקום","שִׁלְטוֹן","שָׂרוּת"]·HI["आरम्भ-को","प्रधानता","शअसकोन","सरकार"]·hun["kezdetét"]·ID["kekuasaan","pemerintah","pemerintahan","pemerintahan,"]·IT["dominio","principio"]·jav["kalungguhan","pamarentahan","pamarentahan,","paprentahan","para-pangageng"]·JA["支配"]·KO["지배와","처음-지위를","통치와","통치와,"]·mar["सत्ता,"]·mya["မူလနေရာ"]·nld["heerschappij"]·nor["opprinnelse"]·pnb["حکومت-نوں"]·pol["zwierzchność"]·PT["autoridade","domínio","governo,","principado","principado,"]·ron["stăpânire,"]·RU["власти","начальства","начальства,","начальство"]·ES["autoridad","principado"]·SW["mamlaka","uongozi","utawala","wote"]·swe["ursprung"]·tam["ஆரம்பநிலையை"]·tel["ఆధిపత్యమును"]·tgl["kalagayan"]·TH["อํานาจปกครอง"]·TR["yetkilerini,","yonetimin","yönetim","yönetimi"]·ukr["начало"]·urd["حکومت","حکُومت-کو","ریاست-کا"]·VI["địa-vị"]·yor["àkọ́kọ́,"]·yue["本位"]·ZH["权位"]
4. corner, extremity — A concrete spatial sense (2x): the corner or extremity of a physical object. In Peter's rooftop vision (Acts 10:11; 11:5), a great sheet descends held by its four ἀρχαί — its four 'corners.' English 'corners' and Spanish 'extremos' reflect this specialized usage, which derives from the word's root idea of 'starting point' applied to the edges from which a sheet extends. 2×
AR["زَوَايَا"]·ben["কোণে"]·DE["Anfang"]·EN["corners"]·FR["commencement"]·heb["קְצָווֹת"]·HI["कोनों-से"]·ID["sudut"]·IT["principio"]·jav["pojok"]·KO["끝들-로","모퉁이로"]·RU["углами"]·ES["extremos"]·SW["nne"]·TR["köşelerinden"]·urd["کونوں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀρχή, ἡ, (see. ἄρχω) beginning, origin, νείκεος ἀ.Refs 8th c.BC+; opposed to τέλος, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to τελευτή, Refs 6th c.BC+; ἀρχὴν ὑποθέσθαι lay a foundation, Refs 5th c.BC+ (and passive, ἀρχαὶ βέβληνταιRefs 5th c.BC+; source of action, [ὁ ἄνθρωπος] ἔχει ἀρχὴν ἐλευθέρανRefs 3rd c.AD+ __b with Preps. in adverbial usages, ἐξ ἀρχῆς from the beginning, from the first, from of old, Refs 8th…