Greek word · G582

ἀπογραφή

apographē

census

A written registration or listing: an entry in an official register, a declaration of persons and property, and so a census taken for taxation. In the Roman East it meant a declaration of household members and assets (land, livestock) used to set the tribute owed.

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

What it means

ἀπο-γραφή, -ῆς, ἡ (ἀπογράφω)

[in LXX: Daniel 10:21 (כָּתָב), I Est.8:30, AB, 2Ma.2:1, 3Ma.2:32 3Mac 4:15 3Mac 4:17 3Mac 7:22 * ;]

1. a written copy.

2. As law term, a deposition (Demos.).

3. In late writers, a register, enrolment, census (MM, see word; Deiss., LAE, 160, 268 f.): Luke 2:2, Acts 5:37.†

(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 5:37

Range of meaning

A written registration or listing: an entry in an official register, a declaration of persons and property, and so a census taken for taxation. In the Roman East it meant a declaration of household members and assets (land, livestock) used to set the tribute owed.

Against the English

BSB, ESV and NIV have 'census', the KJV 'taxing', the WEB and YLT 'enrollment/enrolment'. 'Census' is accurate as a word, but to modern ears it suggests a neutral headcount. The KJV's 'taxing' gets the purpose right but loses the idea of registration. 'Enrollment' is closest to the form of the word.

How it drifted

Modern censuses count people for statistics and planning. The ancient apographē was the paperwork of empire: being registered meant being assessed for tribute.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke uses the same noun in Luke 2:2 ('this was the first registration, when Quirinius was governing Syria'). Josephus (Antiquities 17.355; 18.1–3) describes Quirinius coming to Judea in AD 6 to assess property after Archelaus was removed, and the noun appears in his account. Egyptian papyri preserve many household census declarations (kat' oikian apographai).

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 2:2 ἀπογραφὴ registration

    This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 5:37 ἀπογραφῆς registration

    After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

    Here: The Roman registration of persons and property for tax assessment, carried out when Judea came under direct Roman rule in AD 6. The definite article shows that everyone knew which one was meant.

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