ἄρχων G0758
ruler, leader, chief — one who holds authority, whether civic magistrate, religious leader, or supernatural power
Archon is the present participle of archo ('to rule') used as a substantive noun, designating anyone who wields governing authority. In the Gospels it ranges from the synagogue ruler who begs Jesus to raise his daughter (Matt 9:18, 23) to Nicodemus, 'a ruler of the Jews' (John 3:1), to the ominous 'ruler of the demons' applied to Beelzebul (Matt 9:34; 12:24). Jesus himself speaks of 'the ruler of this world' being cast out (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), a usage Paul echoes with 'the rulers of this age who crucified the Lord of glory' (1 Cor 2:6-8). Acts applies it to Sanhedrin members (4:5, 8, 26) and Roman magistrates (16:19). The multilingual glosses converge on authority: Spanish 'gobernante/principe,' French 'chef,' German 'Fuerst/Herrscher.'
Senses
1. ruler, leader, chief — One who holds governing authority or official power, whether over a civic body, religious assembly, or spiritual domain. The semantic range spans synagogue officials (Matt 9:18; Luke 8:41), Sanhedrin members (John 3:1; Acts 4:5-8), Roman magistrates (Acts 16:19), and supernatural powers including Satan as 'ruler of this world' (John 12:31; 14:30). The Spanish 'gobernante' and German 'Herrscher' both capture the broad ruling function. Paul's 'rulers of this age' (1 Cor 2:6-8) deliberately blurs the human-demonic boundary. 37×
AR["الرُّؤَسَاءُ", "حَاكِمٍ", "رَئيسِ", "رَئِيسًا", "رَئِيسَ", "رَئِيسُ", "رَئِيسِ", "رُؤَساءَ", "رُؤَساءُ", "رُؤَساءِ", "رُؤَساؤُنا", "رُؤَسَاؤُكُمْ", "رُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ"]·ben["অধিপতি", "অধিপতিতে", "প্রধানের", "শাসক", "শাসকদের", "শাসকরা", "শাসকের", "শাসকেরা", "শাসনকর্তা", "ἄρχοντες-শাসকেরা"]·DE["Fuerst", "Herrscher"]·EN["a-ruler", "ruler", "rulers"]·FR["chef"]·heb["מַנְהִיגֵיהֶם", "שַׂר", "שָׂרִים"]·HI["-प्रभु-के-विरुद्ध", "अधिकारी-के", "अधिपति", "अधीन", "और", "प्रधान", "शसक", "शासक", "शासकों", "शासकों-ने"]·ID["pemimpin", "pemimpin-pemimpin", "penghulu", "penguasa"]·IT["governante"]·jav["pangageng", "pangarsaning", "pangarsanipun", "panggedhéné", "panguwasa", "panguwasa,"]·KO["관원에게", "다스리는-자-로", "두목", "우두머리", "우두머리로", "지도자들과", "지도자들도", "지도자들이", "통치자-가", "통치자가", "통치자들-의", "통치자들-이", "통치자들이"]·PT["governante", "governantes", "príncipe"]·RU["князе", "князь", "князя", "начальникам", "начальниками", "начальники", "начальников", "начальником", "начальнику", "правители"]·ES["gobernante", "gobernantes", "príncipe", "un-gobernante"]·SW["mkuu", "mtawala", "viongozi", "wa-", "watawala"]·TR["atadı", "hükümdar", "hükümdarı", "reisi", "sizin", "yönetici", "yöneticiler", "yöneticileri", "yöneticilerimiz", "yöneticilerinin", "yöneticisi", "yöneticisiyle", "yöneticiye"]·urd["حاکم", "حاکموں", "حاکموں-نے", "حکمران", "حکمرانوں", "سردار", "سردار-کے"]
Matt 9:18, Matt 9:23, Matt 9:34, Matt 12:24, Matt 20:25, Mark 3:22, Luke 8:41, Luke 11:15, Luke 12:58, Luke 14:1, Luke 18:18, Luke 23:13 (+25 more)
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
ἄρχων, οντος, ὁ, (participle of ἄρχω) ruler, commander, νεόςRefs 5th c.BC+; chief, king, ἈσίαςRefs 4th c.BC+; ἄ. τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, of Satan, NT __II as official title, chief magistrate, especially at Athens, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ ἄ., at Sparta, the authorities, Refs 5th c.BC+ the eponymous magistrate of the year, Refs 4th c.BC+; so in Boeotia, at Delphi, Delos, and elsewhere, Refs; = Latin consul,…