σεβαστός G4575
august, venerable; worthy of reverence, especially as title for Roman emperors
This adjective means venerable, august, or worthy of reverence. Classical Greek used it for revered things and people. In the Roman imperial period it became the Greek equivalent of the Latin 'Augustus'—the title of Roman emperors. Luke uses it exclusively in this imperial sense to refer to Caesar and things associated with his authority.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Describes things associated with the Roman emperor and his authority. Acts 25:21 reports that Paul 'appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the Augustus' (Caesar). Acts 25:25 continues Festus's report: 'he himself appealed to the Augustus.' Acts 27:1 mentions 'the Augustan Cohort.' The cross-linguistic evidence shows Greek forms preserved, indicating technical imperial vocabulary. This term marks the collision between the kingdom of God and the Roman Empire—Paul appeals to Caesar's authority, not knowing that his testimony before imperial powers would fulfill Jesus' prophecy about witnessing to kings. 3×
AR["أُغُسْطُسَ", "الأُغُسْطِيَّةِ"]·ben["মহামান্যকে", "মহামান্যের"]·DE["Σεβαστοῦ", "Σεβαστὸν", "Σεβαστῆς"]·EN["Augustan", "Augustus"]·FR["vénérable"]·heb["אַוְגוּסְטוּס", "אוֹגוּסְטוּס"]·HI["अगस्ती।", "महाराजकी", "महाराजके"]·ID["Agustus", "Agustus,", "Agustus."]·IT["Augusto"]·jav["Agustus.", "Sang-Agustus", "Sang-Agustus,"]·KO["황제-의", "황제에게"]·PT["Augusta.", "Augusto", "Augusto,"]·RU["Августа", "Августовой"]·ES["Augusta", "Sebastós"]·SW["Augusto", "cha-Augusto"]·TR["İmparator'a", "İmparator'un", "İmparatorluk"]·urd["آگسطس", "شہنشاہ", "شہنشاہ-کو"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σεβαστός, ή, όν, venerable, reverend, august, πρᾶγμα Refs 1st c.BC+; θεοί, probably of deified Emperors, Refs 1st c.AD+ __II = Latin NT+1st c.BC+; ἐπὶ τοῦ πρώτου Σ. in the time of the first Refs; feminine Σεβαστή, = Refs 1st c.AD+; joined with Αὔγουστος, -ούστη, Refs __II.2 name of month, “Augustus”, in Egyptian calendars,= ThothRefs; in Phrygia and elsewhere, Refs __II.3 σεβαστή, ἡ (i.e. ἡμέρα),…