Lexicon despotés: Master, Lord, Sovereign Original Word: δεσπότης Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: despotés Pronunciation: des-pot'-ace Phonetic Spelling: (des-pot'-ace) Definition: Master, Lord, Sovereign Meaning: a lord, master, or prince. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Lord, master. Perhaps from deo and posis (a husband); an absolute ruler ("despot") -- Lord, master. see GREEK deo HELPS Word-studies 1203 despótēs (from posis, "husband") – properly, an authority figure ("master") who exercises complete jurisdiction (wields unrestricted power). [1203 (despótēs) implies someone exercising "unrestricted power and absolute domination, confessing no limitations or restraints" (R. Trench, 96).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definitionlord, master NASB TranslationLord (3), Master (3), masters (4).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1203: δεσπότηςδεσπότης, δεσπότου, ὁ (from Pindar down), a master, lord (as of δοῦλοι, οἰκέται): 1 Timothy 6:1,(2); 2 Timothy 2:21; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18; God is thus addressed by one who calls himself his δοῦλος: Luke 2:29, cf. Acts 4:24, 29 ( δεσπότης τῶν πάντων, Job 5:8; Wis. 6:8); Christ is so called, as one who has bought his servants, 2 Peter 2:1; rules over his church, Jude 1:4 (some take δεσπότης here as designating God; cf. R. V. marginal reading); and whose prerogative it is to take vengeance on those who persecute his followers, Revelation 6:10. [SYNONYMS: δεσπότης, κύριος: δεσπότης was strictly the correlative of slave, δοῦλος, and hence, denoted absolute ownership and uncontrolled power; κύριος had a wider meaning, applicable to the various ranks and relations of life, and not suggestive either of property or of absolutism. Ammonius under the word δεσπότης says δεδσποτης ὁ τῶν ἀργυρωνητων. κύριος δέ καί πατήρ υἱοῦ καί αὐτός τίς ἑαυτοῦ. So Philo, quis rer. div. heres § 6 ὥστε τόν δεσπότην κύριον εἶναι καί ἔτι ὡσανεί φοβερόν κύριον, οὐ μόνον τό κῦρος καί τό κράτος ἁπάντων ἀνημμενον, ἀλλά καί δέος καί φόβον ἱκανόν ἐμποιησαι. Cf. Trench, § xxviii.; Woolsey, in Bib. Sacr. for 1861, p. 599f; Schmidt, chapter 161, 5.]
Topical Lexicon Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb δέω (deō), meaning "to bind" or "to tie," and the noun πότης (potēs), meaning "master" or "lord."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Strong's Hebrew 113: אָדוֹן (adon) • A term used for lord or master, often in the context of human authority. • Strong's Hebrew 136: אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) • A title for God, emphasizing His lordship and sovereign authority.
These Hebrew terms parallel the Greek δεσπότης in their emphasis on authority and lordship, both in human and divine contexts. Usage: In the New Testament, δεσπότης is used to describe both human and divine authority figures. It appears in contexts where the emphasis is on the absolute power and authority of the individual being described. Context: The Greek term δεσπότης is used in the New Testament to convey the concept of absolute authority and control, often in the context of a master-servant relationship. It appears in several passages, highlighting different aspects of authority:
• Human Authority: In 1 Timothy 6:1-2, δεσπότης is used to describe the relationship between slaves and their masters, emphasizing the respect and honor that slaves are to show their earthly masters. This reflects the social structure of the time, where masters had significant control over their servants.
• Divine Authority: The term is also used to describe God's sovereign authority. In Luke 2:29, Simeon refers to God as δεσπότης, acknowledging His ultimate control over life and death. Similarly, in Acts 4:24, the early Christians address God as δεσπότης in their prayer, recognizing His supreme authority over creation and history.
• Christ's Authority: In 2 Peter 2:1, false teachers are described as denying the δεσπότης who bought them, referring to Christ's redemptive authority over believers. This highlights the theological understanding of Christ as the sovereign Lord who has purchased believers with His blood.
The use of δεσπότης in these contexts underscores the importance of recognizing and submitting to rightful authority, whether human or divine. It reflects a worldview that acknowledges the hierarchical structures established by God and the ultimate sovereignty of God over all creation. Forms and Transliterations δεσποτα δεσποτά δέσποτα δεσποταις δεσπόταις δεσποτας δεσπότας δεσποτη δεσπότη δεσπότῃ δεσποτην δεσπότην δεσποτης δεσπότης δεσπότου δεσποτών despota déspota despotais despótais despotas despótas despote despotē despótei despótēi despoten despotēn despóten despótēn despotes despotēs despótes despótēsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 2:29 N-VMSGRK: δοῦλόν σου δέσποτα κατὰ τὸNAS: Now Lord, You are releasing KJV: Lord, now lettest thou INT: servant of you Master according to the Acts 4:24 N-VMS GRK: καὶ εἶπαν Δέσποτα σὺ ὁ NAS: and said, O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN KJV: and said, Lord, thou [art] God, INT: and said Sovereign Lord you who 1 Timothy 6:1 N-AMP GRK: τοὺς ἰδίους δεσπότας πάσης τιμῆς NAS: their own masters as worthy KJV: count their own masters worthy of all INT: the own masters of all honor 1 Timothy 6:2 N-AMP GRK: πιστοὺς ἔχοντες δεσπότας μὴ καταφρονείτωσαν NAS: believers as their masters must not be disrespectful KJV: believing masters, let them INT: believing having masters not let them despise [them] 2 Timothy 2:21 N-DMS GRK: εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ εἰς πᾶν NAS: useful to the Master, prepared KJV: meet for the master's use, [and] prepared INT: useful to the master for every Titus 2:9 N-DMP GRK: δούλους ἰδίοις δεσπόταις ὑποτάσσεσθαι ἐν NAS: to their own masters in everything, KJV: unto their own masters, [and] to INT: Servants to their own masters to be subject in 1 Peter 2:18 N-DMP GRK: φόβῳ τοῖς δεσπόταις οὐ μόνον NAS: be submissive to your masters with all KJV: [be] subject to [your] masters with INT: fear to masters not only 2 Peter 2:1 N-AMS GRK: ἀγοράσαντα αὐτοὺς δεσπότην ἀρνούμενοι ἐπάγοντες NAS: denying the Master who bought KJV: denying the Lord that bought INT: having bought them Master denying bringing upon Jude 1:4 N-AMS GRK: τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ κύριον NAS: our only Master and Lord, KJV: denying the only Lord God, and INT: the only master and Lord Revelation 6:10 N-NMS GRK: πότε ὁ δεσπότης ὁ ἅγιος NAS: How long, O Lord, holy KJV: How long, O Lord, holy and INT: when O Lord holy Strong's Greek 1203 10 Occurrences
δέσποτα — 2 Occ. δεσπόταις — 2 Occ. δεσπότας — 2 Occ. δεσπότῃ — 1 Occ. δεσπότην — 2 Occ. δεσπότης — 1 Occ.
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