ἐπισκοπή

From the study of 1 Peter 2:12

Range of meaning

Visitation, inspection or oversight. In the Septuagint it often translates Hebrew pequddah, God's 'visiting', meaning his intervention to inspect and act. This can be gracious (Gen 50:24–25; Exod 3:16, rescue from Egypt) or punitive (Isa 10:3; Jer 6:15; 10:15). It can also mean the office of overseer (Acts 1:20; 1 Tim 3:1).

Against the English

KJV, ESV, NASB and WEB keep 'day of visitation'. YLT has 'day of inspection'. NIV and BSB interpret it as 'the day he visits us', adding 'us', which is not in the Greek. NLT interprets it as 'when he judges the world'. Each interpretive rendering settles a question the Greek leaves open.

How it drifted

In modern English 'visitation' suggests a social call, a church visit or a ghostly appearance, not the biblical idea of God coming to inspect and act.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 10:3 in the Septuagint has the exact phrase en tē hēmera tēs episkopēs ('in the day of visitation') for God's judgment. Wisdom of Solomon 3:7 uses 'in the time of their visitation' for the vindication of the righteous. Luke 19:44 uses 'the time of your visitation' for Jerusalem's missed moment of grace. First Peter 2:25 calls Christ 'the shepherd and overseer (episkopos) of your souls'.

From the study of 1 Timothy 3:1

Range of meaning

From epi ('over') and skopeō ('look, watch'). It means (1) a visit or inspection, especially God 'visiting' to judge or rescue ('the day of visitation', Luke 19:44; 1 Pet 2:12); (2) oversight, a position of responsibility or supervision. The person who does it is an episkopos, 'overseer, guardian, superintendent.'

Against the English

KJV 'the office of a bishop'. 'Office' is not in the Greek, and 'bishop' (which comes, through Old English biscop, from Latin episcopus) now suggests a senior cleric over many congregations. BSB, WEB and most modern versions say 'overseer', which keeps the plain sense of the word.

How it drifted

In the early second century Ignatius of Antioch treats one episkopos per city as standing above a group of presbyters (elders). That pattern became the norm, and 'bishop' took on the meaning of a ruler over a diocese. The Pastoral Letters come before that development is complete. In Titus 1:5-7 'elders' and 'overseer' describe the same people, as they do in Acts 20:17, 28, and Phil 1:1 speaks of 'overseers' in the plural in one city.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX: Num 4:16 (Eleazar's 'oversight' of the tabernacle); Ps 108:8 LXX [109:8] 'let another take his episkopē', quoted in Acts 1:20 for the place Judas left. Episkopos in the LXX names officers and supervisors (Num 31:14; Judg 9:28; Neh 11:9). In ordinary Greek, episkopoi were officials such as Athenian inspectors sent to allied cities, managers of public funds, and guardians; the gods were called 'overseers' of oaths. The Dead Sea Scrolls describe a mebaqqer ('examiner, overseer') of each camp who taught, admitted members and kept order (Damascus Document 13). Scholars debate whether that is a real parallel.

From the study of Acts 1:20

Range of meaning

From episkopeō, 'to look upon, watch over, attend to'. In the biblical period it covers: (1) visitation, God 'coming to look in on' people to rescue or to punish (Luke 19:44, 'the time of your visitation'; 1 Pet 2:12; often in the Greek Old Testament); (2) oversight, the act of supervising or caring for something; (3) a post or charge of oversight, an assigned responsibility (1 Tim 3:1, the role of an episkopos, 'overseer'). BDAG puts Acts 1:20 under the sense 'position of responsibility, office'.

Against the English

KJV 'bishoprick' (following Wycliffe and Tyndale, and the Latin episcopatum). YLT 'oversight'. WEB, ESV, NASB 'office'. BSB, NLT 'position'. NIV 'place of leadership'. 'Office' and 'position' are fair. 'Bishoprick' brings in a later church institution.

How it drifted

The Greek episkopos ('overseer') came into English as 'bishop' through Latin episcopus. By the 2nd century (Ignatius) a single bishop led each city church, and medieval and Reformation English used 'bishopric' for a bishop's office and diocese. When the KJV was made in 1611, 'bishoprick' was simply the office-word available. To a modern reader it sounds like church hierarchy, mitres and dioceses, none of which the psalm or Peter had in view.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Old Testament: Num 4:16 uses episkopē for Eleazar's assigned charge over the tabernacle; Ps 108:8 (= Hebrew Ps 109:8) translates Hebrew pequddah ('charge, appointed post', from paqad, 'to attend to, appoint, muster'). Elsewhere in the Greek Old Testament the word usually means God's 'visitation' (e.g. Gen 50:24–25 for paqad; Wis 3:7). In secular Greek it can mean inspection or supervision.