Greek word · G1885

ἐπαρχία

eparchia

province

The office or rule of a governor (an eparchos), and the territory under that rule. In Roman times it was the regular Greek word for the Latin provincia. The Latin word first meant a magistrate's assigned area of command and later came to mean the territory itself.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπαρχεία (Rec. -χία, see Bl., § 3, 5), -ας, ἡ

(ἔπαρχος, a prefect), [in LXX: Esther 4:11 (מְדִינָה), Judith 3:6 A* ;]

the jurisdiction of a prefect, a province: Acts 23:3, 34 25:1.†

*†ἐπάρχεισς, -ον,

of a prefect: ἡ ἐ. (sc. ἐξουσία) = ἐπαρχεια, which see, Acts 25:1 (WH, mg.).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 23:34

Range of meaning

The office or rule of a governor (an eparchos), and the territory under that rule. In Roman times it was the regular Greek word for the Latin provincia. The Latin word first meant a magistrate's assigned area of command and later came to mean the territory itself. In the NT it appears only in Acts 23:34 and 25:1 (Festus "having entered the province").

Against the English

"Province" is the right word. But modern readers think of a province as a fixed administrative region, like a province of Canada. In Roman usage the word kept the sense of a jurisdiction: the area where a named governor had power to judge, punish and execute (imperium).

How it drifted

Over time the English word lost its link to a governor's personal authority and came to mean simply a region.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in Greek inscriptions and in historians of the Roman period (Polybius, Dio Cassius), and in Josephus for Roman provinces (e.g. Jewish War 2.117 for Judea being made a province). Greek official documents use eparcheia as the standard equivalent of provincia. (BDAG s.v. ἐπαρχεία.)

From the study of Acts 25:1

Range of meaning

A territory ruled by an ἔπαρχος (governor). It was the usual Greek word for a Roman provincia. The New Testament uses it only here and in Acts 23:34, where Felix asks Paul which province he comes from.

Against the English

'Province' is correct. Modern readers may picture a large self-governing state, like a Canadian province. Judea was a fairly small district run by a governor of equestrian rank (Rome's second tier of aristocracy, below senators). He answered to the emperor, and the governor of Syria could step in if needed.

How it drifted

The English word 'province' has taken on modern meanings, such as a federal state or 'the provinces' as opposed to the capital.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek inscriptions and Roman-period writers use it for Roman provinces in general. Josephus describes Judea after 44 CE as governed by procurators sent from Rome.

Where it appears

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 23:34 ἐπαρχείας province

    The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,

    Here: The Greek word for the Latin provincia, the territory where a particular Roman governor held authority. The question is about which governor has legal authority over Paul.

  2. Acts 25:1 ἐπαρχείᾳ province

    Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

    Here: The Roman administrative territory of Judea, which Festus now governs. It is the area he is responsible for, not a region in the modern sense.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.