Ruler
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G2232 is a Greek noun for one who leads or governs, including a commander, provincial governor, or ruler. Matthew uses it for the promised shepherd-ruler, for Pilate's civil office, and for authorities before whom disciples will testify; 1 Peter describes a delegated public function of restraining wrongdoing and commending good.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἡγεμών (G2232) · Open the biblical lexicon
G2232 is a Greek noun for one who leads or governs, including a commander, provincial governor, or ruler. Matthew uses it for the promised shepherd-ruler, for Pilate's civil office, and for authorities before whom disciples will testify; 1 Peter describes a delegated public function of restraining wrongdoing and commending good.
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include governor (11), governor’s (3), governors (3), - (1), rulers (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (10), Acts (6), Luke (2), 1 Peter (1).
G2232 is a Greek noun for one who leads or governs, including a commander, provincial governor, or ruler. Matthew uses it for the promised shepherd-ruler, for Pilate's civil office, and for authorities before whom disciples will testify; 1 Peter describes a delegated public function of restraining wrongdoing and commending good. The title identifies role and responsibility, not automatic righteousness.
It does not canonize every state action, prohibit lawful appeal or prophetic criticism, or make resistance to an abusive command sinful. G2232 helps teachers address civil authority, delegated power, shepherd-like leadership, public witness, legal process, and conscience while rejecting blanket endorsement, partisan sanctification, retaliation against critics, unlawful obedience, and the claim that vulnerable people must remain in danger to prove submission.
G2232 names leaders and governors across messianic promise, imperial administration, and public hearings. Context distinguishes shepherding rule, delegated civil function, coercive misuse, and the believer's witness before authority.
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
Matthew cites the promise that a ruler will come from Bethlehem to shepherd Israel, joining leadership with covenant care rather than domination.
They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
Jesus is bound and handed over to Pilate the governor, placing the title within a coercive imperial proceeding.
Or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
Governors are described as sent to punish wrongdoing and commend good conduct within Peter's counsel to vulnerable believers.
On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
Jesus warns disciples that they will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses, showing that authorities may become settings of pressure and testimony.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. A provincial governor with delegated imperial authority, not a king or local ruler, distinctly Roman administrative.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 22 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read versea governor
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 7 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
ἡγεμών is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
G2232 keeps authority concrete and delegated. Matthew 2 uses ruler language for the promised shepherd from Bethlehem, binding leadership to care for God's people. The same Gospel calls Pilate governor while narrating a proceeding shaped by pressure, injustice, and the handing over of Jesus. A valid title therefore does not make every judgment just. Matthew 10 prepares disciples to testify before governors and kings, not to treat those forums as incapable of wrongdoing.
First Peter recognizes a public purpose in punishing wrongdoing and commending good, yet the letter addresses believers who may suffer unjustly and entrust final judgment to God. Churches can honor lawful office, cooperate in public good, and pray for officials while also documenting harm, using appeals, reporting crimes, protecting conscience, and refusing commands that violate God's purposes.
Political leaders are not saviors, and church leaders are not governors with coercive jurisdiction over private life. G2232 calls officeholders toward justice and communities toward truthful witness, neither anarchic disdain nor idolatrous allegiance.
Matt.2.6
G2232 is a Greek noun for a leader, ruler, commander, or governor. The surrounding institution and action identify whether it denotes a provincial official, military leader, general ruler, or the promised shepherd-ruler, and the title alone supplies no moral verdict.
Old Testament rulers are commanded to judge justly and shepherd rather than exploit, while prophets confront corrupt power. New Testament G2232 applies leadership language to messianic promise, civil officials, and authorities who may either serve public good or become settings of unjust pressure.