δεσπότ-ης G1203
Master, sovereign lord — whether addressing God/Christ as supreme ruler or human slaveholders as household masters
Despotes carries the weight of absolute authority and ownership that kyrios does not always convey. When Simeon addresses God as 'Sovereign Lord' (Luke 2:29) or the early church prays to the 'Master' who made heaven and earth (Acts 4:24), the word evokes an owner's unquestioned authority over his entire household. The same word applies to human slaveholders whom Christian slaves are told to honor (1 Tim 6:1-2; Titus 2:9; 1 Pet 2:18). Spanish splits this neatly between 'Soberano/Senor' for the divine referent and 'amos' (masters) for the human, while French uses 'Seigneur' and 'Maitre' respectively.
2. masters — Human masters, specifically slaveholders exercising authority over enslaved persons in the household. The Pastoral Epistles and 1 Peter use despotes consistently for this social role: slaves should count their masters worthy of honor (1 Tim 6:1), especially believing masters (1 Tim 6:2), and submit even to harsh ones (1 Pet 2:18; Titus 2:9). Spanish 'amos' (masters/owners) and German 'Herrscher' capture the concrete relational authority in view. 4×
AR["أَسيادِهِم","السّادَةِ","الَّذينَ","سادَتَهُم"]·ben["প্রভুদের","মনিবদের","মালিক,","মালিকদের"]·DE["Herrscher"]·EN["masters"]·FR["Maître"]·heb["אֲדוֹנִים","אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם"]·HI["मअलिइकोन","सवअमियोन","स्वामियों-के"]·ID["tuan","tuan-tuan"]·IT["padrone"]·jav["bendara","bendara,"]·KO["주인들-에게","주인들에게","주인들을","주인들을,"]·PT["senhores","senhores,"]·RU["господ","господам","господам,"]·ES["amos"]·SW["mabwana","zao"]·TR["efendilere","efendileri","efendilerine","efendilerini"]·urd["مالکوں","مالکوں-کے","مالکوں-کے،"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. Master — Sovereign Master — a title for God or Christ as absolute ruler and owner of all, emphasizing supreme authority that cannot be challenged. Simeon's 'now you are releasing your servant, Sovereign Lord' (Luke 2:29) and the church's prayer 'Sovereign Lord, who made heaven and earth' (Acts 4:24) use despotes where kyrios alone would feel insufficient. Jude 1:4 and 2 Peter 2:1 warn of those who deny 'the Master who bought them.' Spanish 'Soberano' and French 'Seigneur' reserve this elevated register for the divine referent. 6×
amh["ጌታ"]·AR["أَيُّهَا-السَّيِّدُ","السيد","السَّيِّدَ","السَّيِّدُ","السَّيِّدِ","سَيِّدُ"]·ben["প্রভু","প্রভু,","মালিকের-কাছে,"]·ces["Vládce"]·dan["Hersker,"]·DE["Gebieter","Herrscher","Δέσποτα"]·ell["Δεσπότην,"]·EN["Master","master"]·FR["Maître","Maître,","Seigneur"]·guj["માલિક,"]·hat["Mèt"]·hau["Ubangiji"]·heb["אֲדוֹנִי","אָדוֹן","אדון"]·HI["-आकाश","सवमि,","स्वामी","स्वामी,","स्वामी-को","हे-स्वामी"]·hun["Urat"]·ID["Penguasa","Penguasa,","Tuan","Ya-Tuhan,","tuan"]·IT["Padrone","despota","padrone"]·jav["Bendara","Dhuh-Pangwasa,","Gusti","Gusti,","Jurubendara","bendara,"]·JA["主人"]·KO["주-여","주인에게,","주인을","주인이시여","주재이시며"]·mar["स्वामी,"]·mya["အရှင်သခင်"]·nld["Meester"]·nor["Hersker"]·pnb["مالک"]·pol["Władcę"]·PT["Senhor","Soberano"]·ron["Stăpân,"]·RU["Владыка","Владыка,","Владыке","Владыку"]·ES["Señor","Soberano","amo"]·SW["Bwana","Bwana-Mkuu","Bwana-Mkuu,","Mwenye-enzi","bwana"]·swe["Härskare"]·tam["எஜமானரை"]·tel["ప్రభువు"]·tgl["Panginoon"]·TH["เจ้านาย"]·TR["-o","Efendi","Efendi'yi","Efendi'yi,","efendiye"]·ukr["Владику"]·urd["مالک","مالک-کو","مالک-کے"]·VI["Chủ"]·yor["Olùwa,"]·yue["主宰"]·ZH["主宰"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δεσπότ-ης, ου, ; vocative δέσποτᾰ: Ionic dialect accusative δεσπότεα Refs 5th c.BC+:—master, lord, properly the master of the house, δόμων Refs 4th c.BC+: plural, of a family, Refs; in respect of slaves, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὦναξ δέσποταRefs 4th c.BC+ __2 despot, absolute ruler, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the Roman Emperors, Refs 1st c.AD+ __3 of the gods, Refs 5th c.BC+ __4 dominant planet, Refs __II generally, master, lord, owner, κώμου, ναῶν, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἑπτὰ δεσποτῶν, of the seven Refs 8th c.BC+