ἀρχιερατικός (archieratikos)
archieratikos
high-priestly
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective archieratikos means "high-priestly" or "pertaining to the high priest." It is a rare word in the New Testament, appearing only once in Acts 4:6. In this context, it describes the group of priests present when Peter and John were questioned by the Jewish leadership.
The term derives from archiereus (high priest) and serves as an attributive descriptor. Its singular usage highlights the specific authority structure of the Jerusalem temple system during the early Christian movement. Translators typically render it simply as "high-priestly" to maintain this precise technical distinction from general priestly duties.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word archieratikos appears just once in the New Testament, in Acts 4:6. It describes those who held high-priestly status or were closely related to the high priest. In this scene, Peter and John stand before a powerful religious establishment that includes Annas, Caiaphas, and other elite priests.
This gathering shows the tension between the early church and the established religious order. The apostles faced authority figures who controlled the temple system. Yet, they spoke with boldness, relying on the power of Jesus rather than their own social standing.
For your faith, this reminds us that God’s truth often stands in contrast to human power structures. You may encounter situations where you feel outnumbered or outmatched by established systems. This passage encourages trust in Christ’s authority over any earthly hierarchy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- high-priestly,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀρχιερατικοῦ,1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 4:6
Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.
This occurrence identifies the specific group of elite priests and their relatives who questioned Peter and John, highlighting the official religious opposition to the early apostles.