Greek word · G1923

ἐπιγραφή

epigraphē

inscription

Writing put on something: an inscription on a coin, monument or building; a label or title; the notice of the charge fixed to a cross.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπι-γραφή, -ῆς, ἡ

(ἐπιγράφω),

an inscription: Matthew 22:20, Mark 12:16 15:26, Luke 20:24 23:33.†

(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 Matthew 22:20

Range of meaning

Writing put on something: an inscription on a coin, monument or building; a label or title; the notice of the charge fixed to a cross.

Against the English

'Inscription' (BSB, WEB, YLT, NIV, ESV, NASB) is exact. KJV's 'superscription' comes from the Latin superscriptio and earlier English Bibles. Today it sounds like writing placed 'above' something. NLT's 'title' gets the content (the emperor's titles) but not the object.

How it drifted

KJV 'superscription' was ordinary English in 1611 for an inscription on a coin or a heading. It has become rare and now suggests a heading written above something.

Used elsewhere in the period

Standard in Greek inscriptions and papyri (the everyday documents preserved in Egypt) for writing on objects. In the Gospels, Mark 15:26 and Luke 23:38 use the same word for the notice on Jesus' cross, 'The King of the Jews'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 22:20 ἐπιγραφή; inscription?

    “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”

    Here: The Latin legend stamped around the portrait, which named the ruler and his titles. On a Tiberius denarius it read 'Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus.' That is a claim of ownership, authority and a kind of divinity, stamped in metal.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 12:16 ἐπιγραφή; inscription?

    So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

  2. Mark 15:26 ἐπιγραφὴ inscription

    And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 20:24 ἐπιγραφήν; inscription?

    “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

  2. Luke 23:38 ἐπιγραφὴ an inscription

    Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

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