Greek word · G750

ἀρχιποίμην

archipoimēn

chief shepherd

"Chief shepherd" or "head herdsman": the senior herdsman on an estate who oversees the other shepherds and answers for the flock. This was an ordinary job title, not a religious one.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 22, 2026

What it means

ἀρχι-ποίμην, -ενος, ὁ

[in Sm.: 2 Kings 3:4 * ;]

found on an Egyptian mummy label (Deiss., LAE, 97 ff.; cf. MM, see word); used by modem Greeks of tribal chiefs; chief shepherd. of Christ, 1 Peter 5:4.†

(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 1 Peter 5:4

Range of meaning: "Chief shepherd" or "head herdsman": the senior herdsman on an estate who oversees the other shepherds and answers for the flock. This was an ordinary job title, not a religious one.
Against the English: Most versions say "Chief Shepherd", which is accurate. The NLT has "Great Shepherd", which echoes Hebrews 13:20 but loses the idea of rank: a chief shepherd stands over other shepherds.
Used elsewhere in the period: The word appears only here in the New Testament. Adolf Deissmann reported it on a wooden mummy label from Roman Egypt, where it describes a man's occupation as head herdsman (Light from the Ancient East). The Testament of Judah (8:1), a Jewish writing, uses it for Judah's chief herdsman. The idea of God as the true shepherd over failed human shepherds runs through Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23, and Psalm 23 calls God the shepherd. Hebrews 13:20 calls Jesus "the great shepherd of the sheep", and 1 Peter 2:25 calls him "the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls".

Where it appears

1 Peter · 1

1 Peter 5:4 ἀρχιποίμενος Chief Shepherd

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Here: The senior herdsman who oversees the other shepherds. Verse 2 has just told the elders to "shepherd the flock". This word makes them under-shepherds who answer to Christ, the owner's head herdsman.

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