adjective
presbuteros
Strong’sG4245
elder
stem presbuter-66 times in the New Testamentin 13 of 27 books0 of 26 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
Elder — someone older, being the comparative form of the word for "elderly" 24. As a noun it denotes a senior person 2.
Used specifically as a title, it refers to an Israelite member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council), and by extension, figuratively, to a member of the heavenly council; it is also used of a Christian "presbyter," an office-holder called an elder in the early congregations 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
πρεσβύτερος, v.s. πρέσβυς.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4245 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpres-boo'-ter-os
older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian "presbyter"
Fromcomparative of πρέσβυς (elderly);
King Jameselder(-est), old.
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
or πρεσβῠ-εῖον, τό, council of elders, presbytery, NT
II honour or privilege of an elder, LXX+2nd 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 | masculine singular | feminine singular | neuter singular | masculine plural | feminine plural | neuter plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | presbuteros | presbuteras | presbuterem | presbuterois | presbuterais | presbutereim |
| object accusative | presbuteron | presbuteran | presbuteroin | presbuterain | ||
| direct address vocative | presbuteror | presbuterar | presbuteroir | presbuterair | ||
| of, belonging to genitive | presbuterou | presbuterau | presbutereu | presbuteroiu | presbuteraiu | presbutereiu |
| to, for dative | presbutero | presbutera | presbutere | presbuteroi | presbuterai | presbuterei |
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
presbuter 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.
66 occurrences, every one of them listed
presbuteroiu22×
Matthew 15:2… mathētois su parabainalō tan paradosian toiu presbuteroiu? ouk gar niptolō tain cheirain autoiu …… disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands …
Matthew 16:21… aperchara kai polleim paschara apo toiu presbuteroiu kai archierevoiu kai grammatevoiu kai apoktenira …… things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that …
Matthew 26:47… kai xuleiu apo toiu archierevoiu kai presbuteroiu tou laou.… sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Matthew 27:12… katēgororō auton hupo toiu archierevoiu kai presbuteroiu oudenem apokrineta.… accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
Matthew 27:41… archierevois empaizarōntois meta toiu grammatevoiu kai presbuteroiu legale;… way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,
Matthew 28:12kai sunagirantois meta toiu presbuteroiu sumbouliem tē labarantois argurieim hikaneim dōala …… chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave …
Mark 7:3… ouk esthialō, kratarōntois tan paradosian toiu presbuteroiu,… holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews …
Mark 7:5… mathētois su kata tan paradosian toiu presbuteroiu, alla koinai cheirai esthialō ton arton?… according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”
Mark 8:31… polleim paschara kai apodokimazira hupo toiu presbuteroiu kai toiu archierevoiu kai toiu grammatevoiu …… things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that …
Mark 14:43… archierevoiu kai toiu grammatevoiu kai toiu presbuteroiu.… from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
Mark 15:1… sumbouliem poiarantois tois archierevois meta toiu presbuteroiu kai grammatevoiu kai holem tem sunedriem …… in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised …
Luke 9:22… polleim paschara kai apodokimazira apo toiu presbuteroiu kai archierevoiu kai grammatevoiu kai apoktenira …… He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He …
Acts 15:4… ekklēsau kai toiu apostoloiu kai toiu presbuteroiu, anangelala tē hoseim tos theos poiata …… by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that …
Acts 16:4… teim krinorēnteim hupo toiu apostoloiu kai presbuteroiu toiu en Hierosolumei.… handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to …
Acts 24:1… hēmerain katabainata tos archierevos Hananios meta presbuteroiu tinoiu kai rētōrou Tertullou tinou, hotinois …… priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who …
Revelation 5:5kai henos ek toiu presbuteroiu legatō mi; Mē klaiasōr; idou nikata …Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep …
Revelation 5:6… tessares zōeiu kai en mese toiu presbuteroiu arniem stēarēntem hōs sfazorēntem, echarōntos kerateim …… the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and …
Revelation 5:11… thronou kai teiu zōeiu kai toiu presbuteroiu, kai ate tos arithmos autoiu muriadais …… and the living creatures and the elders. And their number was myriads of …
Revelation 7:11… stēalelē kuklō tou thronou kai toiu presbuteroiu kai teiu tessares zōeiu, kai piptala …… around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And …
Revelation 7:13Kai apokrinita henos ek toiu presbuteroiu legarōntos mi; Houtois tois peribalorēntois tain …Then one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes …
Revelation 14:3… enōpion teiu tessares zōeiu kai toiu presbuteroiu; kai oudenos dunote mathara tan ōdan …… the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the …
John 8:9… henos kata henos archerantois apo toiu presbuteroiu, kai kataleipita monos, tos Iēsus kai …… one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left …
presbuterois20×
Matthew 21:23… auto didaskarōnto tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois tou laou legarōntois; En poia exousia …… to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to …
Matthew 26:3Tote sunagila tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois tou laou eis tan aulan tou …… that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the …
Matthew 26:57… archierevon, hopou tois grammatevois kai tois presbuterois sunagila.… high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
Matthew 27:1… labala pantois tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois tou laou kata tou Iēsu hōste …… came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus …
Matthew 27:20Tois de archierevois kai tois presbuterois peithala toin ochloin hina aiteleia ton …But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for …
Mark 11:27… archierevois kai tois grammatevois kai tois presbuterois… and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him.
Mark 14:53… sunercholō pantois tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois kai tois grammatevois.… priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes assembled.
Acts 2:17… neaniskois vu horasiain horeli, kai tois presbuterois vu enupniei enupniazili;… young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Acts 4:23… pros autoin tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois legala.… everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
Acts 15:6Sunagila tē tois apostolois kai tois presbuterois horara peri tou logou houtou.So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
Acts 15:23… cheirau autoiu; Tois apostolois kai tois presbuterois adelfois toi kata tan Antiocheian kai …… this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among …
Acts 21:18… pros Iakōbon, pantois tē paragenela tois presbuterois.… to see James, and all the elders were present.
Acts 25:15… Hierosolumeim emfanizala tois archierevois kai tois presbuterois toiu Ioudaioiu, aitorōntois kata autou katadikan;… in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case …
1 Timothy 5:17Tois kalōs prostēarēntois presbuterois diplouau timau axiolōr, malista tois kopiarōntois …Elders who lead effectively are worthy of …
Hebrews 11:2“ancestors”en houta gar marturila tois presbuterois.… is why the ancients were …
Revelation 4:10pipteli tois eikosi tessares presbuterois enōpion tou kathorōntou epi tou thronou, …the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated …
Revelation 5:8… tessares zōeim kai tois eikosi tessares presbuterois piptala enōpion teu arnieu, echarōntois hekastos …… four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each …
Revelation 5:14… tessares zōeim legale; Amēn. kai tois presbuterois piptala kai proskunala.… living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 11:16Kai tois eikosi tessares presbuterois tois enōpion tou theou kathorōntois epi …And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before …
Revelation 19:4kai piptala tois presbuterois tois eikosi tessares kai teim tessares …And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell …
presbuteroin11×
Luke 7:3… peri tou Iēsu apostelata pros auton presbuteroin toiu Ioudaioiu, erōtarōntos auton hopōs ercharantos …… about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and …
Luke 22:52… archierevoin kai stratēgoin teu hiereu kai presbuteroin; Hōs epi lēston exerchava meta machairaiu …… the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have …
Acts 4:5… sunagira autoiu toin archontoin kai toin presbuteroin kai toin grammatevoin en IerousalēmThe next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,
Acts 6:12sunkinala tē ton laon kai toin presbuteroin kai toin grammatevoin, kai epistēarantois sunarpazala …So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They …
Acts 11:30hem kai poiala apostelarantois pros toin presbuteroin dia cheirau Barnabou kai Saulou.… did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 14:23cheirotonarantois de autoi kata ekklēsan presbuteroin proseucherantois meta nēsteiaiu paratithela autoin to …Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying …
Acts 15:2… ek autoiu pros toin apostoloin kai presbuteroin eis Ierousalēm peri teu zētēmeu houteu.… Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
Acts 20:17… Milētau pemparantos eis Efesan metakaleta toin presbuteroin tau ekklēsau.… Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Titus 1:5… leiparōnteim epidiortheseia, kai katastēaseia kata polan presbuteroin, hōs mis si diatassema,… order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed …
James 5:14asthenatō tinos en vi? proskaletar toin presbuteroin tau ekklēsau, kai proseuchelar epi auton …… you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over …
Revelation 4:4… kai epi toin thronoin eikosi tessares presbuteroin kathorōntoin peribalorēntoin en himatiei leukei, kai …… and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns …
presbuteroi5×
Matthew 27:3… teim triakonta argurieim toi archierevoi kai presbuteroi… silver to the chief priests and elders.
Luke 20:1… archierevois kai tois grammatevois sun toi presbuteroi,… priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.
Acts 15:22Tote dokata toi apostoloi kai toi presbuteroi sun hola ta ekklēsa eklegerantoin androin …Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to …
Acts 23:14hotinois prosercharantois toi archierevoi kai toi presbuteroi legala; Anatheme anathematizana heautoin mēdeneu geuera …… went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves …
1 Peter 5:5homoiōs, neoteroir, hupotassivar presbuteroi. pantoir de allēloi tan tapeinofrosunan enkombevar, …… same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves …
presbuteros3×
Luke 15:25Ate de tos huios autou tos presbuteros en agro; kai hōs erchorōntos engizata …Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and …
2 John 1:1Tos presbuteros eklekta kuria kai tei teknei autau, …The elder, To the chosen lady and her …
3 John 1:1Tos presbuteros Gaio to agapēto, hon mis agapamō …The elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I …
Presbuteroin1×
1 Peter 5:1Presbuteroin oun en vi parakalamō tos sumpresbuteros …… be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:
presbuteroir1×
Acts 4:8… pros autoin; Archontoir tou laou kai presbuteroir,… Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!
Presbutero1×
1 Timothy 5:1Presbutero mē epiplēssaseia, alla parakalasōr hōs patron, …Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as …
presbuterain1×
1 Timothy 5:2presbuterain hōs mētērain, neoterain hōs adelfain en …older women as mothers, and younger women …
presbuterou1×
1 Timothy 5:19kata presbuterou katēgorian mē paradechosōr, ektos ei mē …… not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two …