noun · feminine
archas
Strong’sG746
ruler, beginning
stem arch-55 times in the New Testamentin 17 of 27 books7 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
ἀρχή most often means a beginning or origin — the starting point of something, whether of all creation, of a particular event, or simply the first part of a period or process 1234. In this sense it appears in phrases such as "in the beginning," "from the beginning," and "at the first" 1, and can also refer to the elementary or foundational teaching about a subject 1.
It can also denote an extremity or corner — the far end of something such as a sheet or cord 13.
The word further means rule, power, or sovereignty — a position of authority, dominion, or governmental office 1234; concretely, it can refer to the ruler or authority holding that power, including, in the plural, ranks of spiritual powers, whether good or evil 1234.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀρχή, -ῆς, ἡ,
[in LXX for קֶדֶם, רֹאשׁ, רֵאשִׁית, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G746 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidar-khay'
(properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)
Fromfrom G756;
King Jamesbeginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(see. ἄρχω) beginning, origin, νείκεος ἀ.Refs 8th c.BC+; opposed to τέλος, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to τελευτή, Refs 6th c.BC+; ἀρχὴν ὑποθέσθαι lay a foundation, Refs 5th c.BC+ (and passive, ἀρχαὶ βέβληνταιRefs 5th c.BC+; source of action, [ὁ ἄνθρωπος] ἔχει ἀρχὴν ἐλευθέρανRefs 3rd c.AD+
b with Preps. in adverbial usages, ἐξ ἀρχῆς from the beginning, from the first, from of old, Refs 8th c.BC+anew, afresh, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ ἐξ ἀ. λόγος the original argument, Refs; τὰ ἐξ ἀ. the principal sum, Refs 8th c.BC+; κατ᾽ ἀρχάς in the beginning, at first, Refs 5th c.BC+
c accusative ἀρχήν, absolutely, to begin with, at first, Refs 5th c.BC+: frequently followed by a negative, not at all, ἀρχὴν μηδὲ λαβώνRefs 5th c.BC+
2 first principle, element, first so used by Anaximander, accusative to Refs 4th c.BC+; of ὕλη and θεός, opposed to στοιχεῖα, Refs; practical principle of conduct, τῶν πράξεων τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ὑποθέσειςRefs 4th c.BC+; principles of knowledge, Refs 4th c.BC+
3 end, corner, of a bandage, rope, sheet, etc., NT+5th c.BC+; of a compound pulley, Refs 2nd c.BC+
4 in Mathematics texts, origin of a curve, τῆς ἕλικοςRefs 3rd c.BC+
5 branch of a river, LXX
6 sum, total,LXX
7 vital organs of the body, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II first place or power, sovereignty (not in Refs 8th c.BC+ of a stroke of fortune, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τῶν νεῶν, τῆς θαλάσσης, power over them, Refs 5th c.BC+; method of government, οὐδὲ τὴν ἄλλην ἀ. ἐπαχθήςRefs 5th c.BC+
II.2 empire, realm, Κύρου, Περδίκκου ἀ., Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 magistracy, office, ἀρχὴν ἄρχειν, παραλαμβάνειν, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰς ἀ. καθίστασθαι Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰς τὴν ἀ. εἰσιέναι Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀ. λαχεῖν to obtain an office, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. χειροτονητή, κληρωτή, Legal cited in Refs 5th c.BC+; term of office, ἀρχῆς λοιποὶ αὐτῷ δύο μῆνεςRefs 5th c.BC+
II.4 in plural, αἱ ἀρχαί the authorities, the magistrates, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν ταῖς ἀ. εἶναι Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ ἀρχή collectively, 'the board', Refs 5th c.BC+; but ἡ ἀ., of a single magistrate, Refs 3rd c.BC+; κατ᾽ ἀρχῆς γὰρ φιλαίτιος λεώς against authority, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.5 command, i.e. body of troops, LXX
II.6 plural, heavenly powers, NT+5th c.AD+; powers of evil, NT
III ={εἶδος μελίσσης ἀκέντρου}, Refs 5th c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | archas7×ἀρχὴ | archais2×ἀρχαὶ |
| object accusative | archan7×ἀρχὴν | archain4×ἀρχὰς |
| direct address vocative | archar | archair |
| of, belonging to genitive | archau26×ἀρχῆς | archaiu |
| to, for dative | archa5×ἀρχῇ | archai4×ἀρχαῖς |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
archa is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
55 occurrences, every one of them listed
archas“beginning”subjectnominative singular7×
Matthew 24:8panteim de houteim archas ōdinaiu.All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Mark 1:1Archas teu euangelieu Iēsu christou.This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ …
Mark 13:8… eli seismois kata topoin, eli limois; archas ōdinaiu houteim.… well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
Colossians 1:18… teu sōmeu tau ekklēsau; hos atō archas, prōtotokos ek toiu nekroiu, hina geneteia …… body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead …
Revelation 3:14“beginning”… marturos tos pistos kai alēthinos, tas archas tau ktisiau tou theou;… These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
Revelation 21:6… tem Alfa kai tem Ō, tas archas kai tem telem. mis to dipsarōnto …… the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty …
Revelation 22:13… tos prōtos kai tos eschatos, tas archas kai tem telem.… the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
archan“beginning”objectaccusative singular7×
John 2:11houtan poiata archan teiu sēmeiu tos Iēsus en Kana …Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in …
John 8:25… asō? legata autoi tos Iēsus; Tan archan hem tinem kai lalamō vi?… have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.
1 Corinthians 15:24“rule”… theo kai patro, hotan katargateia pantan archan kai pantan exousian kai dunamian,… kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.
Hebrews 2:3… nis ekfeugeni tēlikoutau amelarantois sōtērēau, hotinas, archan labarantas lalorō dia tou kuriou, hupo …… a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed …
Hebrews 3:14“beginning”… gar tou Christou genanē, eanper tan archan tau hupostasiau mechris teleu bebaian katechaneia.… share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we …
Hebrews 7:3apatōros, amētōros, agenealogētos, mēte archan hēmeraiu mēte zōau telem echarōntos, afomoiorēntos …… father or mother or genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life …
Jude 1:6“position”… tē toin mē tērarantoin tan heautoiu archan alla apoliparantoin tem idiem oikētēriem eis …And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling— these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on …
archau“beginning”of, belonging togenitive singular26×
Matthew 19:4… Ouk anagnōskava hoti tos ktizarantos apo archau arsenem kai thēluem poiata autoin… you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and …
Matthew 19:8… vi apoluara tain gunaikain vu, apo archau de ouk genatē houtōs.… was not this way from the beginning.
Matthew 24:21… thlipsias megas hoias ouk genatē apo archau kosmou heōs tou nun oude ouk …… be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and …
Mark 10:6apo de archau ktisiau arsenem kai thēluem poiata autoin;However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male …
Mark 13:19… thlipsias hoias ouk genatē toioutas apo archau ktisiau han ktizata tos theos heōs …… days of tribulation unseen from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and …
Luke 1:2“beginning”kathōs paradōala ni tois apo archau autoptois kai hupēretois generantois tou logou,just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
John 6:64… hois ouk pisteualō. oidatelē gar ek archau tos Iēsus tinois alō tois mē …… For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe …
John 8:44… thelavō poiarō. ekeinos anthrōpoktonos ate apo archau, kai en ta alētheia ouk stēate, …… He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because …
John 15:27kai vis de marturavō, hoti apo archau meta mu avō.… have been with Me from the beginning.[’’]
John 16:4… legama vi. Houteim de vi ek archau ouk legama, hoti meta vu ome.… tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
Acts 26:4“beginning”… mu tan ek neotau tan apo archau generantan en te ethne mu en …… have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.
Ephesians 1:21huperanō pantau archau kai exousiau kai dunamiau kai kuriotau …far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and …
Colossians 2:10… plērorēntois, hos atō tas kefalas pantau archau kai exousiau,… who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Hebrews 5:12“beginning”… didaskarō vin tinon teim stoicheieim tau archau teiu logieiu tou theou, kai genavē …… be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s …
Hebrews 6:1Dio afiēkarantois ton tau archau tou Christou logon epi tan teleiotan …Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on …
2 Peter 3:4… patrois koimila, panteim houtōs diamenatō apo archau ktisiau.… continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”
1 John 1:1Hem ate apo archau, hem akouanē, hem horanē toi ofthalmoi …That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we …
1 John 2:7… alla entolan palaian han echave apo archau; tas entolas tas palaias atō tos …… which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you …
1 John 2:13… vi, patroir, hoti gnōskavē ton apo archau; grafamō vi, neaniskoir, hoti nikavē ton …… know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young …
1 John 2:14… vi, patroir, hoti gnōskavē ton apo archau; grafama vi, neaniskoir, hoti ischurois avō …… know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young …
1 John 2:24“beginning”vis hem akouava apo archau, en vi menatōr; ean en vi …As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son …
1 John 2:24… ean en vi menateia hem apo archau akouava, kai vis en to huio …… what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does …
1 John 3:8“beginning”… ek tou diabolou atō, hoti apo archau tos diabolos hamartatō. eis houtem fanerita …… practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy …
1 John 3:11… atō tas angelias han akouava apo archau, hina agapaneiō allēloin;… message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
2 John 1:5… grafarōntos si alla han echane apo archau, hina agapaneiō allēloin.… one we have had from the beginning — that we love one another.
2 John 1:6… tas entolas atō, kathōs akouava apo archau, hina en auta peripataveiō.… commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
archa“beginning”to, fordative singular5×
Luke 20:20“power”… autou logou, hōste paradōara auton ta archa kai ta exousia tou hēgemonou.… to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
John 1:1En archa ate tos logos, kai tos logos …In the beginning was the Word, and the Word …
John 1:2houtos ate en archa pros ton theon.He was with God in the beginning.
Acts 11:15… autoin hōsper kai epi nin en archa.… had fallen upon us at the beginning.
Philippians 4:15… de kai vis, Filippēsioir, hoti en archa teu euangelieu, hote exerchama apo Makedoniau, …… as you Philippians know, in the early days of the gospel, when I left …
archais“rulers”subjectnominative plural2×
Romans 8:38“rulers”… thanatos oute zōas oute angelois oute archais oute enstēarēnteim oute mellarōnteim oute dunamiais… that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
Colossians 1:16… aorateim, eite thronois eite kuriotais eite archais eite exousiais; teim panteim dia autou …… invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created …
archain“rulers”objectaccusative plural4×
Luke 12:11… vin epi tain sunagōgain kai tain archain kai tain exousiain, mē merimnaveia pōs …When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about …
Ephesians 6:12… haimem kai sarkan, alla pros tain archain, pros tain exousiain, pros toin kosmokratōroin …… flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers …
Colossians 2:15“rulers”apekduerantos tain archain kai tain exousiain deigmatizata en parrēsia, …And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Hebrews 1:10kai; Sis kata archain, kurior, tan gēan themeliasa, kai ergeim …And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations …
archai“rulers”to, fordative plural4×
Acts 10:11… skevem tinem hōs othonan megan tessares archai kathiēkorōntem epi tau gēau,… down to earth by its four corners.
Acts 11:5… skevem tinem hōs othonan megan tessares archai kathiēkorōntan ek tou ouranou, kai erchata …… down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to …
Ephesians 3:10hina gnōriziteia nun tai archai kai tai exousiai en tei epouranei …… should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Titus 3:1Hupomimnēskasōr autoin archai exousiai hupotassorō peitharcharō, pros pantem ergem …Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and …