πρεσβύτης G4246
an old man, elder; a man advanced in years
This noun refers to an individual old man, someone advanced in age. Unlike the related term for a council of elders, this word focuses on the individual rather than the institution. It appears in contexts addressing the dignity, status, or self-identification of older men. Paul uses it both to describe others and possibly himself.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Designates an individual male who is advanced in years. Zechariah identifies himself as 'an old man' when the angel announces John's birth (Luke 1:18). Titus 2:2 addresses behavioral expectations for 'older men' in the Christian community. In Philemon 1:9, Paul identifies himself as 'Paul, an old man' (though some interpret this as 'ambassador'). The consistent cross-linguistic rendering as 'anciano,' 'vieillard,' and 'alter Mann' shows this refers to chronological age and social status associated with seniority, not institutional office. 3×
AR["الشُّيوخَ", "شَيخًا", "شَيْخٌ"]·ben["বৃদ্ধ", "বৃদ্ধ-পুরুষদের"]·DE["alter-Mann", "πρεσβύτης"]·EN["an-old-man", "old-man", "older-men"]·FR["vieillard"]·heb["זְקֵנִים", "זָקֵן"]·HI["बूढ़ा", "बोओधे-पुरुश", "व्रिध"]·ID["laki-laki-tua", "seorang-tua", "yang-tua,"]·IT["presbutas", "presbutes", "presbutēs"]·jav["sepuh,", "tiyang-sepuh,", "tiyang-sepuh-priya"]·KO["늘은-남자들은", "늘은-자로", "늙은이"]·PT["ancião,", "que-os-velhos", "velho"]·RU["старец,", "старик", "старцам"]·ES["anciano", "ancianos"]·SW["mzee", "wazee-wa-kiume"]·TR["yaşlı,", "yaşlı-adam", "yaşlı-erkekler"]·urd["بوڑھا", "بوڑھے"]
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
πρεσβύτης [ῠ], ητος, Doric dialect -ας, ατος, ἡ, age, seniority, Refs probably restoration in Refs