ἐξουσ-ία G1849
Authority, power, right; the capacity to act with legitimate force, including governing powers as entities, jurisdictional domains, and granted privileges.
Exousia is one of the New Testament's key political and theological terms, denoting not raw power (dynamis) but sanctioned authority — the right to act backed by legitimate standing. Jesus teaches 'with authority, not as the scribes' (Matt 7:29), grants his disciples authority over unclean spirits (Matt 10:1), and declares that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him (Matt 28:18). Paul extends the term to cosmic principalities and earthly governments alike (Rom 13:1; Eph 6:12), while Luke records its use for Herod's territorial jurisdiction (Luke 23:7). Spanish autoridad, French autorité, and German Vollmacht all center on the legitimacy dimension, though the plural 'authorities' as cosmic powers stretches every translation tradition.
1. authority, power — Abstract authority or power — the capacity, right, or freedom to act with legitimate force and control. This overwhelmingly dominant sense (91 of 102 occurrences) spans from Jesus' teaching authority (Matt 7:29), to his power to forgive sins (Matt 9:6), to the authority delegated to the disciples (Matt 10:1), to Pilate's claim of judicial authority (John 19:10). Spanish autoridad, French autorité, and German Vollmacht converge consistently, distinguishing this from brute force (dynamis/dunamis). The word emphasizes the rightful, sanctioned nature of the power — whether divine, delegated, or political. 91×
AR["السُّلطانَ","سُلطانٍ","سُلطانَ","سُلطَةً","سُلطَةٍ","سُلْطانًا","سُلْطانٌ","سُلْطَةٍ","سُلْطَةَ","مَنْ-لَهُ-سُلْطَانٌ"]·ben["কর্তৃত্ব","কর্তৃত্বে","কর্তৃত্বের"]·DE["Vollmacht"]·EN["authority"]·FR["autorité"]·heb["הַסָּמְכוּת","סַמְכוּת","סָמְכוּת","שָׁלְטָן"]·HI["अधिकार","अधिकार-के","आत्माओं","रखने-वाला"]·ID["apa","itu","kuasa","wewenang","yang-berkuasa"]·IT["autorità"]·jav["panguwasa","pangwaos"]·KO["권세","권세-가","권세-를","권세로","권세를","권위","권위-를"]·PT["autoridade"]·RU["власть","властью"]·ES["autoridad"]·SW["haya","hivi","mamlaka","mamlaka;","ninafanya"]·TR["yetki","yetkisi","yetkiye","yetkiyi","yetkiyle"]·urd["اختیار","اختیار-سے"]
Matt 7:29, Matt 8:9, Matt 9:6, Matt 9:8, Matt 10:1, Matt 21:23, Matt 21:23, Matt 21:24, Matt 21:27, Matt 28:18, Mark 1:22, Mark 2:10 (+38 more)
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
2. governing authorities, powers — Authorities as concrete entities — governing powers, rulers, or supernatural principalities that wield dominion, typically appearing in the plural. Paul's 'governing authorities' ordained by God (Rom 13:1), the cosmic 'rulers and authorities' in the heavenly places (Eph 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16), and the synagogue authorities before whom believers may be dragged (Luke 12:11). Spanish autoridades and the plural shift mark the metonymic move from abstract quality to the persons or beings who possess it. These 9 occurrences are theologically significant for Pauline cosmology and political theology alike. 9×
AR["السَّلاطينَ","السَّلاطينِ","سَلاطاتٍ","سَلاطينُ","سَلَاطِينِ","سُلطانٍ","لِ-لسُّلُطَاتِ","لِلسُّلطاتِ"]·ben["কর্তৃত্বগণ","কর্তৃত্বসমূহ","কর্তৃত্বসমূহ-কে","কর্তৃত্বসমূহকে","কর্তৃত্বের","কর্তৃপক্ষদের"]·DE["Vollmacht"]·EN["authorities","authority","to-authorities"]·FR["autorité"]·heb["לְ-שִׁלְטוֹנוֹת","לְרָשֻׁיּוֹת","סַמְכֻיּוֹת","שִׁלְטוֹן","שִׁלְטוֹנוֹת","שָׂלְטוֹת","שָׂרוֹת,"]·HI["अधिकअरियोन","अधिकअरियोन,","अधिकारियों","अधिकारियों-के"]·ID["kekuasaan-kekuasaan","kepada-kuasa-kuasa","kepada-penguasa,","kuasa-kuasa","kuasa-kuasa,","penguasa"]·IT["autorita","autorità"]·jav["dhumateng-wewenang,","kakiyatan,","kuwasa,","panguwaos","panguwasa","para-wewenang","wewenang"]·KO["권세들","권세들-에","권세들-에게","권세들과","권세들에게","권세들을","권세의"]·PT["autoridades","autoridades,","potestade","potestades","às-potências,"]·RU["властей,","власти","властям"]·ES["a-autoridades","autoridad","autoridades","potestades"]·SW["mamlaka"]·TR["-lara-","otoriteler","otoritelere","otoritelere,","otoriteleri","otoritenin","yetkililere","yetkililerin"]·urd["اختیار-کا","اختیارات","اختیارات-کو","اختیارات-کے","اختیارات،","اختیاروں","حکام-کے"]
3. jurisdiction, domain — Jurisdiction or domain — the territorial or administrative sphere over which authority extends. The single occurrence in Luke 23:7, where Pilate learns that Jesus falls under Herod's exousia (jurisdiction), sending him there accordingly. Spanish jurisdicción captures this spatial-legal nuance precisely, while French and German retain the more generic autorité/Vollmacht. Though only one occurrence, this sense is lexicographically distinct: it denotes not the power itself nor the power-holder, but the bounded area of governance. 1×
AR["سُلْطانِ"]·ben["কর্তৃত্বের"]·DE["Vollmacht"]·EN["jurisdiction"]·FR["autorité"]·heb["שִׁלְטוֹן"]·HI["अधिकार"]·ID["wilayah-kekuasaan"]·IT["autorità"]·jav["pangwasa"]·KO["관할구역의"]·RU["власти"]·ES["jurisdicción"]·SW["hadhi"]·TR["yetki-alanından"]·urd["علاقے"]
4. right, privilege — Right, privilege, or entitlement — the liberty or warrant to do something, emphasizing permission and legitimate claim rather than force or control. In Hebrews 13:10, 'We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat,' Spanish derecho (right/entitlement) distinguishes this from the power-authority of Sense 1. This single occurrence highlights a semantic facet where exousia shades into the language of rights and privileges — what one is entitled to do rather than what one has the power to enforce. 1×
AR["سُلْطَة"]·ben["অধিকার"]·DE["Vollmacht"]·EN["authority"]·FR["autorité"]·heb["רְשׁוּת"]·HI["अधिकार"]·ID["hak,"]·IT["autorità"]·jav["wewenang"]·KO["권한-을"]·PT["autoridade"]·RU["права"]·ES["derecho"]·SW["haki,"]·TR["yetkiye"]·urd["اختیار"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)G1658 1. free (23×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐξουσ-ία, ἡ, (ἔξεστι) power, authority to do a thing, with infinitive, χαίρειν καὶ νοσεῖν ἐ. πάρεστι Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐξουσίαν ὁ νόμος δέδωκε permission to do.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐ. with the freedom permitted by peace, Refs 4th c.BC+ power of life and death, Refs 2nd c.AD+; πρᾶγμα οὗ τὴν ἐ. ἔχουσιν ἄλλοι control over.., Refs 2nd c.AD+; ἐ. τινός power over, licence in a thing, τοῦ…