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Greek noun · G4245

πρεσβύτερος

presbyterospres-boo'-ter-os

of age, elder; Of dignity, rank or office

65 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: presbýteros

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G4245is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 12 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 9
    spellings
  • 2
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G4245

older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian "presbyter"

The King James renders it: elder(-est), old.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

presbyteros is rendered "of age, elder; Of dignity, rank or office". It stands 65 times in the Greek text, across twelve books.

  • Eighteen of the uses stand in Acts, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists two meanings for it, beginning with "of age, elder".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 15:2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
  • The Greek text spells it nine different ways.

The first use

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

Matthew 15:2πρεσβυτέρων

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Eighteen of the word's sixty-five uses are in Acts.

The other 15 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

The word carries two meanings: of age, elder, and Of dignity, rank or office.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
of age, elderὁ νἱὸς ὁ π., Luk.15:25; as subst., opposite to νεανίσκοι, Act.2:17; to νεώτερος, 1Ti.5:1-2; of the religious leaders of the past,...Tagged as
  • elders57
  • elder4
  • An elder2
  • ancients1
  • to elders1
WhereMatthew 15:2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before…
Of dignity, rank or officeas found in π. and Inscr. of civil and religious officesTagged aslisted under the tableWhereMatthew 16:21From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer…

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

πρεσβύτηςpresbytesold manUses3
πρεσβυτέριονpresbyterioncouncil of eldersUses3
πρεσβείαpresbeiadelegationUses2
πρεσβεύωpresbeuobe ambassadorUses2
πρεσβῦτιςpresbytisold womanUses1

All 65, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

9 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • πρεσβυτέρων21
  • πρεσβύτεροι20
  • πρεσβυτέρους12
  • πρεσβυτέροις5
  • πρεσβύτερος3
  • πρεσβυτέρας1
  • πρεσβύτεροι.¶1
  • πρεσβυτέρου1
  • Πρεσβυτέρῳ1

The grammar of each form

  • noun · genitive (“of”) · masculine plural19N-GPM
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine plural17N-NPM
  • noun · accusative (object) · masculine plural12N-APM
  • noun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine plural4N-DPM
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine singular3N-NSM
  • noun · genitive (“of”) · masculine plural2N-GPM-T
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2N-NPM-C
  • noun · accusative (object) · feminine plural1N-APF-C
  • noun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine plural1N-DPM-C
  • noun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine singular1N-DSM-C
  • noun · genitive (“of”) · masculine singular1N-GSM
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine plural1N-NPM-T

Matthew

twelve uses
  • “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

    Matthew 15:2

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

    Matthew 16:21

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

    Matthew 21:23

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

    Matthew 26:3

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.

    Matthew 26:47

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.

    Matthew 26:57

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.

    Matthew 27:1

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

    Matthew 27:3

    • πρεσβυτέροιςpresbuteroisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.

    Matthew 27:12

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

    Matthew 27:20

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,

    Matthew 27:41

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money

    Matthew 28:12

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

Mark

seven uses
  • Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

    Mark 7:3

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

    Mark 7:5

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.

    Mark 8:31

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him.

    Mark 11:27

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

    Mark 14:43

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes assembled.

    Mark 14:53

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

    Mark 15:1

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

Luke

five uses
  • When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

    Luke 7:3

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • “The Son of Man must suffer many things,” He said. “He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

    Luke 9:22

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

    Luke 15:25

    • πρεσβύτεροςpresbuterosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: elder
  • One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.

    Luke 20:1

    • πρεσβυτέροιςpresbuteroisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?

    Luke 22:52

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

Acts

eighteen uses
  • ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

    Acts 2:17

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,

    Acts 4:5

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!

    Acts 4:8

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · vocative (address) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

    Acts 4:23

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,

    Acts 6:12

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

    Acts 11:30

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

    Acts 14:23

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

    Acts 15:2

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.

    Acts 15:4

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.

    Acts 15:6

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

    Acts 15:22

    • πρεσβυτέροιςpresbuteroisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

    Acts 15:23

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

    Acts 16:4

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

    Acts 20:17

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

    Acts 21:18

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

    Acts 23:14

    • πρεσβυτέροιςpresbuteroisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.

    Acts 24:1

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.

    Acts 25:15

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

1 Timothy

four uses
  • Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

    1 Timothy 5:1

    • Πρεσβυτέρῳpresbuteronoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine singulartagged: An elder
  • older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

    1 Timothy 5:2

    • πρεσβυτέραςpresbuterasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: elder
  • Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

    1 Timothy 5:17

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

    1 Timothy 5:19

    • πρεσβυτέρουpresbuterounoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine singulartagged: an elder

Titus

one use
  • The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

    Titus 1:5

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

Hebrews

one use
  • This is why the ancients were commended.

    Hebrews 11:2

    • πρεσβύτεροι.¶presbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: ancients

James

one use
  • Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

    James 5:14

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

1 Peter

two uses
  • As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:

    1 Peter 5:1

    • Πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: Elders
  • Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

    1 Peter 5:5

    • πρεσβυτέροιςpresbuteroisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: to elders

2 John

one use
  • The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I alone, but also all who know the truth—

    2 John 1:1

    • πρεσβύτεροςpresbuterosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: elder

3 John

one use
  • The elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth:

    3 John 1:1

    • πρεσβύτεροςpresbuterosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: elder

Revelation

twelve uses
  • Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads.

    Revelation 4:4

    • πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

    Revelation 4:10

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

    Revelation 5:5

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

    Revelation 5:6

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

    Revelation 5:8

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.

    Revelation 5:11

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

    Revelation 5:14

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God,

    Revelation 7:11

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • Then one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes,” he asked, “who are they, and where have they come from?”

    Revelation 7:13

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,

    Revelation 11:16

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

    Revelation 14:3

    • πρεσβυτέρωνpresbuteronnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: elders
  • And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

    Revelation 19:4

    • πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: elders

Where it leads

Studies that open this word1

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →