noun · feminine
exousias
Strong’sG1849
power, authority, weight
stem exousi-102 times in the New Testamentin 16 of 27 books8 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
Ἐξουσία first means liberty or power to act — the freedom or inward capacity to do something, one's ability or right to exercise a given action 12. It can be used absolutely or together with a verb, describing simply having the freedom or capacity to do a particular thing 13.
More often in the New Testament it means authority — the power of right, i.e. legitimate power or the right to act or command, as opposed to mere raw force 1. This covers the authority behind an action or teaching, Messianic authority, apostolic authority, the authority of government and rulers, and especially judicial authority to decide or punish 1. Strong's likewise glosses this side of the word as authority, jurisdiction, right, and mastery or control 2, and Dodson's gloss gives power, authority, weight for the word as a whole 4.
By extension the word can also refer concretely to the thing or persons in whom authority is vested: a specific jurisdiction or area of legal control 13; a ruler or magistrate, or collectively "the authorities" 13; and, in a spiritual sense, one of the ranked supramundane powers or spiritual authorities alongside terms like rule, power, throne, and lordship 1. Strong's similarly notes that, taken concretely, the word can denote a magistrate or a superhuman power, or a token of control 2.
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
ἐξουσία, -ας, ἡ
(< ἔξεστι), [in LXX: IV Ki 20:13, Ps 113 (114):2 135 (136)8, 9, Is 39:2, Je 28 (51):28 (מֶמְשָׁלָה), freq. in Da for Aram. שָׁלְטָן, etc., Wi 10:14, Si 9:13, al.;]
SYN.: v.s. δύναμις.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1849 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidex-oo-see'-ah
privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence
Fromfrom G1832 (in the sense of ability);
King Jamesauthority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
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
(ἔξεστι) power, authority to do a thing, with infinitive, χαίρειν καὶ νοσεῖν ἐ. πάρεστι Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐξουσίαν ὁ νόμος δέδωκε permission to do.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐ. with the freedom permitted by peace, Refs 4th c.BC+ power of life and death, Refs 2nd c.AD+; πρᾶγμα οὗ τὴν ἐ. ἔχουσιν ἄλλοι control over.., Refs 2nd c.AD+; ἐ. τινός power over, licence in a thing, τοῦ λέγειν Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν μεγάλῃ ἐ. τοῦ ἀδικεῖνRefs; κατὰ τὴν οὐκ ἐ. τῆς ἀγωνίσεως from want of qualification for.., Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, power, authority, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 abuse of authority, licence, arrogance, ὕβρις καὶ ἐ. Refs 5th c.BC+
3 Lit. Crit., ἐ. ποιητική poetic licence, Refs 1st c.BC+
II office, magistracy, ἀρχαὶ καὶ ἐ. LXX+5th c.BC+; ἡ ὑπατικὴ ἐ. the consulate, Refs 1st c.BC+; ἡ ταμιευτικὴ ἐ. the quaestorship, Refs; δημαρχικὴ ἐ., see at {δημαρχικό; ἡ τοῦ θαλάμου ἐ}., in the Roman empire, lordship of the bedchamber, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.2 concrete, body of magistrates, Refs 1st c.BC+; αἱ ἐ. (as we say) the authorities, NT+1st c.AD+
II.2.b ἡ ἐ. as an honorary title, Refs 4th c.AD+
III abundance of means, resources, ἐξουσίας ἐπίδειξις Refs 5th c.BC+; excessive wealth, opposed to οὐσία, Refs
IV pomp, Refs 1st 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 | exousias13×ἐξουσία | exousiais1×ἐξουσίαι |
| object accusative | exousian56×ἐξουσίαν | exousiain3×ἐξουσίας |
| direct address vocative | exousiar | exousiair |
| of, belonging to genitive | exousiau9×ἐξουσίας | exousiaiu1×ἐξουσιῶν |
| to, for dative | exousia16×ἐξουσίᾳ | exousiai3×ἐξουσίαις |
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
exousia 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
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
102 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
exousias“authority”subjectnominative singular13×
Matthew 28:18… lalata autoi legarōntos; Dōita mi pantas exousias en ourano kai epi tau gēau;… came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has …
Luke 22:53… atō vu tas hōras kai tas exousias teu skoteu.… belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”
Romans 13:1… exousiai huperecharōntai hupotassotōr, ouk gar atō exousias ei mē hupo theou, tais de …… governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God …
1 Corinthians 8:9“right”blepavōr de mē pōs tas exousias vu houtas proskommem geneteia toi asthenoi.… freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
Jude 1:25… kuriou nu doxas megalōsunas kratem kai exousias pro pantou tou aiōnou kai nun …… Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before …
Revelation 6:8… akolouthate meta autou, kai dōita autoi exousias epi tem tetartem tau gēau, apoktenara …… close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth …
Revelation 9:3… eis tan gēan, kai dōita autai exousias hōs echalō exousian tois skorpiois tau …… the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of …
Revelation 9:10… kai en tai ourai autaiu tas exousias autaiu adikara toin anthrōpoin mēnoin pente.… stingers like scorpions, which had the power to injure people for five months.
Revelation 9:19tas gar exousias toiu hippoiu en te stome autoiu …For the power of the horses was in their …
Revelation 12:10… basileias tou theou nu kai tas exousias tou christou autou, hoti balita tos …… kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser …
Revelation 13:5… megeim kai blasfēmiain, kai dōita aute exousias poiara mēnoin tesserakonta duo.… speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
Revelation 13:7… kai nikara autoin, kai dōita aute exousias epi pantan fulan kai laon kai …… conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and …
Revelation 22:14… tain stolain autoiu, hina eti tas exousias autoiu epi tem xulem tau zōau …… so that they may have the right to the tree of life and …
exousian“authority”objectaccusative singular56×, 54 shown
Matthew 7:29ate gar didaskarōntos autoin hōs exousian echarōntos kai ouk hōs tois grammatevois …… He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 8:9kai gar mis anthrōpos amō hupo exousian, echarōntos hupo miauton stratiōtoin, kai legamō …… I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell …
Matthew 9:6hina de oidaveiē hoti exousian echatō tos huios tou anthrōpou epi …… that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” Then …
Matthew 9:8… kai doxazala ton theon ton dōaranton exousian toioutan toi anthrōpoi.… glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 10:1… toin dōdeka mathētoin autou dōata autoi exousian pneumeiu akatharteiu hōste ekbalarō auteim kai …… disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they …
Matthew 21:23… poiasō? kai tinos si dōata tan exousian houtan?… asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
Mark 1:22… autou, ate gar didaskarōntos autoin hōs exousian echarōntos kai ouk hōs tois grammatevois.… He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 1:27… Tinem atō houtem? didachas kainas; kata exousian kai tei pneumei tei akathartei epitassatō, …… is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits …
Mark 2:10hina de oidaveiē hoti exousian echatō tos huios tou anthrōpou epi …… that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He …
Mark 3:15kai echarō exousian ekbalarō teim daimoneim;and to have authority to drive out demons.
Mark 6:7… apostelarō duo duo, kai dōate autoi exousian teiu pneumeiu teiu akatharteiu,… out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.
Mark 11:28… poiasō? ē tinos si dōata tan exousian houtan hina houteim poiaseiō?… asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”
Mark 13:34“authority”… kai dōarantos toi douloi autou tan exousian, hekasto tem ergem autou, kai to …… house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to …
Luke 4:6… auto tos diabolos; Si dōami tan exousian houtan hapantan kai tan doxan autaiu, …“I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all …
Luke 5:24… oidaveiē hoti tos huios tou anthrōpou exousian echatō epi tau gēau afiēkarō hamartain …… that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins …
Luke 7:8kai gar mis anthrōpos amō hupo exousian tassorōntos, echarōntos hupo miauton stratiōtoin, kai …… I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell …
Luke 9:1… toin dōdeka dōata autoi dunamian kai exousian epi panteim teim daimoneim kai nosain …… together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to …
Luke 10:19idou dōamē vi tan exousian teu patarō epanō ofioiu kai skorpioiu, …Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions …
Luke 12:5… fobivar ton meta tem apoktenara echarōnton exousian embalara eis tan geennan; nai, legamō …… after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes …
Luke 19:17… hoti en elachiste pistos genesa, asōr exousian echarōntos epanō deka polaiu.… very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
Luke 20:2… tinos atō tos dōarantos si tan exousian houtan?… things, and who gave You this authority?”
John 1:12hosois de labala auton, dōata autoi exousian tekneim theou genera, toi pisteuarōntoi eis …… in His name, He gave the right to become children of God —
John 5:27kai exousian dōata auto krisian poiarō, hoti huios …And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is …
John 10:18… alla mis tithamō autan apo miautou. exousian echamō tithara autan, kai exousian echamō …… of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority …
John 10:18… miautou. exousian echamō tithara autan, kai exousian echamō palin labara autan; houtan tan …… authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This …
John 17:2kathōs dōasa auto exousian pantau sarkau, hina pantem hem dōasē …For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He …
John 19:10… Mi ouk lalasō? ouk oidasē hoti exousian echamō apoluara sin kai exousian echamō …… You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to …
John 19:10… hoti exousian echamō apoluara sin kai exousian echamō staurara sin?… have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
John 19:11apokrinita auto Iēsus; Ouk echase exousian kata mu oudenan ei mē ate …Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not …
Acts 8:19legarōntos; Dōavar kami tan exousian houtan hina ho ean epitithameia tain …“Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that …
Acts 9:14kai hōde echatō exousian para toiu archierevoiu dara pantoin toin …And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest …
Acts 26:10… fulakai katakleiama tan para toiu archierevoiu exousian labarantos, anairorōntoiu tē autoiu kataferama psēfan,… what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put …
Romans 9:21ē ouk echatō exousian tos keramevos tou pēlou ek teu …Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump …
Romans 13:3… kakose. thelasō de mē foborō tan exousian? tem agathem poiasōr, kai echasi epainon …… be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and …
1 Corinthians 7:37… kardia autou hedraios mē echarōntos anankan, exousian de echatō peri teu idieu thelēmeu, …… heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in …
1 Corinthians 9:4mē ouk echanō exousian esthiara kai pinara?Have we no right to food and to drink?
1 Corinthians 9:5mē ouk echanō exousian adelfan gunaikan periagarō, hōs kai tois …Have we no right to take along a believing wife …
1 Corinthians 9:6“right”… monos mis kai Barnabos ouk echanō exousian mē ergazorō?Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who …
1 Corinthians 11:10dia houtem ofeilatō tas gunaikas exousian echarō epi tau kefalau dia toin …… ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the …
1 Corinthians 15:24… hotan katargateia pantan archan kai pantan exousian kai dunamian,… after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.
2 Corinthians 13:10… pareiarōntos mē apotomōs chremeia kata tan exousian han tos kurios dōata mi, eis …… severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for …
2 Thessalonians 3:9ouk hoti ouk echanō exousian, alla hina heautoin tupon dōaneia vi …Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves …
Hebrews 13:10… thusiastēriem ek heu esthiara ouk echalō exousian tois ta skēna latreuarōntois.… serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Revelation 2:26… teleu teim ergeim mu, dōami auto exousian epi teiu ethneiu,… until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
Revelation 9:3“power”… kai dōita autai exousias hōs echalō exousian tois skorpiois tau gēau.… the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.
Revelation 11:6houtois echalō tan exousian kleiara ton ouranon, hina mē huetos …These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that …
Revelation 11:6… tain hēmerain tau profēteiau autoiu, kai exousian echalō epi teiu hudeiu strefarō auteim …… the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood …
Revelation 13:2… auteu kai ton thronon auteu kai exousian megan.… power and his throne and great authority.
Revelation 13:4… proskunala to drakonto hoti dōata tan exousian te thēre, kai proskunala te thēre …… worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped …
Revelation 13:12kai tan exousian teu prōteu thēreu pantan poiatō enōpion …And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused …
Revelation 14:18… angelos ek teu thusiastērieu, tos echarōntos exousian epi teu pureu, kai fōnata fōna …Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the …
Revelation 16:9“power”… onomem tou theou tou echarōntou tan exousian epi tain plēgain houtain, kai ouk …And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues. Yet they did not repent and give Him …
Revelation 17:12… alō, hotinois basileian oupō labala, alla exousian hōs basilevois henan hōran labalō meta …… but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast.
Revelation 17:13… gnōman echalō, kai tan dunamian kai exousian autoiu te thēre dōalō.… purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
exousiau“authority”of, belonging togenitive singular9×
Luke 23:7kai epignōskarantos hoti ek tau exousiau Hērōdou atō anapempata auton pros Hērōdon, …… learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who …
Acts 26:12… hei poreuorōntos eis tan Damaskan meta exousiau kai epitropau tau toiu archierevoiu… my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
Acts 26:18… apo skoteu eis fōtem kai tau exousiau tou Satanou epi ton theon, teu …… darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they …
1 Corinthians 9:12ei allosois tau vu exousiau metechalō, ouk mallon nis? Alla ouk …If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have …
2 Corinthians 10:8… gar perissoterem tinem kauchemeia peri tau exousiau nu, hau dōata tos kurios eis …… I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building …
Ephesians 1:21huperanō pantau archau kai exousiau kai dunamiau kai kuriotau kai panteu …far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name …
Ephesians 2:2… kosmou houtou, kata ton archonton tau exousiau tou aerou, teu pneumeu teu nun …… and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who …
Colossians 1:13“domain”hos rueta nin ek tau exousiau teu skoteu kai metastēata eis tan …He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of …
Colossians 2:10… atō tas kefalas pantau archau kai exousiau,… the head over every ruler and authority.
exousia“authority”to, fordative singular16×
Matthew 21:23… presbuterois tou laou legarōntois; En poia exousia houteim poiasō? kai tinos si dōata …… came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they …
Matthew 21:24… mi kamis vi legami en poia exousia houteim poiamō;… I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Matthew 21:27… Oude mis legamō vi en poia exousia houteim poiamō.… will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Mark 11:28kai legale auto; En poia exousia houteim poiasō? ē tinos si dōata …“By what authority are You doing these things?” they …
Mark 11:29… mi, kai legami vi en poia exousia houteim poiamō;… I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Mark 11:33… Oude mis legamō vi en poia exousia houteim poiamō.… will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Luke 4:32… epi ta didacha autou, hoti en exousia ate tos logos autou.… His teaching, because His message had authority.
Luke 4:36… Tinos tos logos houtos hoti en exousia kai dunamia epitassatō tei akathartei pneumei, …… another, “What is this message? With authority and power He commands the unclean …
Luke 20:2… pros auton; Legasar ni en poia exousia houteim poiasō, ē tinos atō tos …“Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and …
Luke 20:8… Oude mis legamō vi en poia exousia houteim poiamō.… will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Luke 20:20… paradōara auton ta archa kai ta exousia tou hēgemonou.… Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
Acts 1:7… tos patros titheta en ta idia exousia,… Father has fixed by His own authority.
Acts 5:4… menate kai pipraskirantem en ta sa exousia huparchate? tinem hoti tithesa en ta …… sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a …
Romans 13:2hōste tos antitassorōntos ta exousia ta tou theou diataga antistēatē, tois …Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set …
1 Corinthians 9:12… mallon nis? Alla ouk chrena ta exousia houta, alla panteim steganō hina mē …… But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything …
1 Corinthians 9:18“right”… euangeliem, eis tem mē katachrera ta exousia mu en te euangelie.… preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.
exousiais“authorities”subjectnominative plural1×
Colossians 1:16… thronois eite kuriotais eite archais eite exousiais; teim panteim dia autou kai eis …… thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him …
exousiain“authorities”objectaccusative plural3×
Luke 12:11… sunagōgain kai tain archain kai tain exousiain, mē merimnaveia pōs ē tinem apologeveia …… are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to …
Ephesians 6:12… alla pros tain archain, pros tain exousiain, pros toin kosmokratōroin teu skoteu houteu, …… but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s …
Colossians 2:15apekduerantos tain archain kai tain exousiain deigmatizata en parrēsia, thriambeuarantos autoin en …And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of …
exousiaiu“authorities”of, belonging togenitive plural1×
1 Peter 3:22… eis ouranon hupotassirantoiu auto angeloiu kai exousiaiu kai dunamiaiu.… right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
exousiai“authorities”to, fordative plural3×
Romans 13:1Pantas psuchas exousiai huperecharōntai hupotassotōr, ouk gar atō exousias …… must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except …
Ephesians 3:10… gnōriziteia nun tai archai kai tai exousiai en tei epouranei dia tau ekklēsau …… made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Titus 3:1Hupomimnēskasōr autoin archai exousiai hupotassorō peitharcharō, pros pantem ergem agathem …… believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for …