What does ἐπιταγή (epitagḗ) mean in the Bible?
Epitagē means command, injunction, mandate, or authority to give an order. Paul says the gospel mystery is now made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal God.
Greek · G2003
ἐπιταγή
An injunction or decree; by implication, authoritativeness
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ἐπιταγή G2003
Pronunciation epitagḗ
What does ἐπιταγή (epitagḗ) mean in the Bible?
Epitagē means command, injunction, mandate, or authority to give an order. Paul says the gospel mystery is now made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal God.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐπιταγή (G2003) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2003?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [the] command (3), a command (2), authority (1), command (1).
Where does ἐπιταγή (epitagḗ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 16:26. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (2), Titus (2), 1 Timothy (1), 2 Corinthians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Epitagē means command, injunction, mandate, or authority to give an order. Paul says the gospel mystery is now made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal God. He identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's command, says proclamation was entrusted to him by the command of God the Savior, and tells Titus to exhort and rebuke with all authority.
The noun grounds ministry in divine commission rather than personal ambition. It does not grant apostles' or God's unique authority to every later leader, nor does it turn preference, strategy, or private impression into binding command.
How the Bible Uses It
Epitagē identifies authoritative divine mandate behind gospel revelation, apostolic calling, entrusted proclamation, and Titus's teaching responsibility. The messenger remains a steward under the command rather than its owner.
- Rom.16.26
But now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith—
Romans 16:26 says the long-hidden mystery is now revealed through prophetic Scriptures according to the eternal God's command, leading all nations to the obedience of faith.
- 1Tim.1.1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
First Timothy 1:1 identifies Paul as an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope. His office rests on divine commissioning rather than self-appointment.
- Titus.1.3
In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
Titus 1:3 says God manifested His word in proclamation entrusted to Paul by the command of God our Savior. Authority serves public gospel disclosure.
- Titus.2.15
Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Titus 2:15 tells Titus to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority and let no one disregard him. The authority belongs to the sound teaching just expounded and remains bounded by it.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It [the] command 3× Romans 16:26, 1 Timothy 1:1, Titus 1:3
a command 2× 1 Corinthians 7:6, 2 Corinthians 8:8
authority 1× Titus 2:15
command 1× 1 Corinthians 7:25
Show sample aligned rows
Romans 16:26 ἐπιταγὴν to [the] command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 1 Corinthians 7:6 ἐπιταγήν to a command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 1 Corinthians 7:25 ἐπιταγὴν to command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 2 Corinthians 8:8 ἐπιταγὴν to a command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 1 Timothy 1:1 ἐπιταγὴν to [the] command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Titus 1:3 ἐπιταγὴν to [the] command Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Titus 2:15 ἐπιταγῆς to authority Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Romans 16:26
Aligned rows 7
Books represented 5
Romans 1 1 Corinthians 2 2 Corinthians 1 1 Timothy 1 Titus 2
Source forms
ἐπιταγὴν 5x epitagēn Romans 16:26, 1 Corinthians 7:25, 2 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Timothy 1:1
ἐπιταγήν 1x epitagēn 1 Corinthians 7:6
ἐπιταγῆς 1x epitagēs Titus 2:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 6x Romans 16:26, 1 Corinthians 7:6, 1 Corinthians 7:25, 2 Corinthians 8:8
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular 1x Titus 2:15
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not present a leader's preference, strategy, policy, or private impression as a divine command.
- Do not use authority language to demand secrecy, block investigation, retaliate, or bypass congregational and legal accountability.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not present a leader's preference, strategy, policy, or private impression as a divine command.
- Do not use authority language to demand secrecy, block investigation, retaliate, or bypass congregational and legal accountability.
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. Authoritative command carrying weight of official decree; conveys binding force beyond mere request.
Strong's G2003
Lexical occurrences 6 verses Greek text appearances 7 times Word forms 2 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link 1 Timothy 1:1-2 Source Gloss
an injunction or decree; by implication, authoritativeness
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Authoritative command carrying weight of official decree; conveys binding force beyond mere request.
(ἐπιτάσσω), [in LXX: Dan LXX 3:16 (פִּתְגָּם), I Est.1:18, Wis.14:16 18:16 19:6, 3Ma.7:20 * ;] = cl., ἐπίταγμα, a command, Rom.16:26, 1Co.7:6 7:25, 2Co.8:8, 1Ti.1:1, Tit.1:3 (for use in Inscr. of divine commands, see MM, Exp., xiv); μετὰ πάσης ἐ, with all authority: Tit.2:15.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Romans 16:26 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγὴν epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:6 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγήν. epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:25 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγὴν epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse 2 Corinthians 8:8 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγὴν epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse 1 Timothy 1:1 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγὴν epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse Titus 1:3 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγὴν epitaghn
instruction, command, order, authority
Read verse Titus 2:15 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἐπιταγῆς. epitaghv
instruction, command, order, authority
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.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 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.
Form patterns 2 Aligned forms 6 Case pattern Accusative (5) Number pattern Singular (6)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Genitive · Singular · Feminine Titus 2:15 1×
Accusative · Singular · Feminine 1 Cor 7:6 · 1 Cor 7:25 · 2 Cor 8:8 · 1 Tim 1:1 · Titus 1:3 5×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
Meaning not yet curated.
Showing 1 selected witness from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἐπιταγή is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Paul's apostleship arises "by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope" (1:1). This underlines that the pastoral instructions are part of God's saving directive, not Paul's personal ambition. It also anticipates the theme of divine entrustment and stewardship that recurs in 1:11, 1:18, and 6:20. 1 Timothy 1:1-2
Canonical Themes
Messiah
For the Preacher and Teacher
Epitagē places the messenger under authority before it gives authority to speak. Paul did not invent his apostleship, gospel, or audience; God commanded the mission and made the mystery known through prophetic Scripture for the nations' obedience of faith. Titus may exhort and rebuke because he is teaching that entrusted truth, not because his personality is beyond question.
Churches need courage to communicate what God has commanded and equal courage to refuse human additions presented as divine mandates. Modern leaders are not apostles by default. Their authority is derivative, text-governed, morally qualified, transparent, and answerable to the church and lawful process. A command from God serves Christ's gospel and cannot be used to protect ego, secrecy, or abuse.
Anchor passage
Rom.16.26
Doctrinal connections
- Revelation: God's mystery is made known through prophetic Scripture and apostolic gospel.
- Mission: divine command directs the message toward all nations and the obedience of faith.
- Apostleship: Paul's office is commissioned by God and Christ rather than self-generated.
- Proclamation: public gospel speech is entrusted stewardship under God the Savior.
- Church teaching: exhortation and rebuke receive authority from sound doctrine, not personality.
- Accountability: all derivative human authority remains bounded by Scripture, character, and truth.
Epitagē denotes command, injunction, mandate, or authoritative direction and can also emphasize the authority by which something is said. Context identifies the commander and commissioned task.
From Old to New Testament
God commissions prophets with specific words and missions, while false prophets speak from themselves. Covenant authority always belongs first to God and judges the messenger.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain