Military officer
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Chiliarchos names a military commander or officer, often a Roman commander in narrative settings. The word is not a theological title for spiritual leadership, and it should not be inflated beyond its narrative role.
Reader summary
Full entry for χιλίαρχος (G5506) · Open the biblical lexicon
Chiliarchos names a military commander or officer, often a Roman commander in narrative settings. The word is not a theological title for spiritual leadership, and it should not be inflated beyond its narrative role.
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include commander (17), commanders (2), [the] commanders (1), military commanders (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 6:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (17), Revelation (2), John (1), Mark (1).
Chiliarchos names a military commander or officer, often a Roman commander in narrative settings. The word is not a theological title for spiritual leadership, and it should not be inflated beyond its narrative role. In John 18, a commander stands among the forces that arrest Jesus. In Acts, the commander becomes a repeated figure in Paul's trials, rescues, interrogations, transfers, and hearings.
The officer does not become the hero of the story, but his authority often restrains mob violence and moves Paul into settings where he bears witness. Revelation uses commanders among the great ones of the earth who cannot hide from divine wrath. The word therefore helps readers notice how imperial order, public danger, civil procedure, and God's providence intersect without making Rome the source of salvation.
Chiliarchos appears in John, Acts, and Revelation. John uses the word in the arrest of Jesus. Acts uses it repeatedly for the Roman commander involved in Paul's protection and legal process. Revelation includes commanders among earthly powers exposed before the judgment of God.
Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.
The commander appears with soldiers and officers as Jesus is arrested and bound. The word places imperial force inside the passion narrative without making it ultimate.
While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.
The Roman commander receives news that Jerusalem is in turmoil while people try to kill Paul. Civil authority interrupts mob violence in the narrative.
The commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
The commander orders interrogation by flogging to learn the cause of the outcry. The scene shows authority acting with limited understanding and real danger.
The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
The commander removes Paul by force when the dispute becomes violent. Luke shows official power preserving Paul's life amid religious conflict.
Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.”
Felix delays the case until Lysias the commander comes. The word remains tied to Roman procedure and the public handling of Paul's case.
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
Commanders are listed among the powerful who hide from the wrath of the Lamb. Military rank cannot shield anyone from divine judgment.
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. Roman military tribune commanding a cohort of roughly one thousand soldiers; used more broadly for high-ranking officers.
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 military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
Read versea military tribune
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 6 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 21 lexical occurrence verses.
χιλίαρχος is built from these roots:
Identifies the Roman authority intervening in the riot.Acts 21:27-36
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Chiliarchos is a small word with useful narrative weight. It reminds readers that the gospel advances in a real world of soldiers, public unrest, legal procedure, prisons, and political calculation. In Acts, the commander does not understand everything and does not act with pure motives at every moment, yet his office can restrain violence and preserve Paul for further witness.
In John, a commander stands among those who arrest Jesus, while Jesus remains the one who gives Himself according to the Father's will. In Revelation, commanders hide with every other earthly rank before the Lamb. The word helps teachers handle authority and providence without confusing human order with the kingdom of God.
Acts.21.31
Chiliarchos is a role noun for a commander, historically linked to command over a large military unit. In the New Testament, context matters more than technical rank precision; the word functions as an official military title in narrative scenes.
Scripture often shows rulers, officers, soldiers, and officials acting within God's providence without becoming the source of salvation. The New Testament continues that pattern: military authority may restrain violence or carry out injustice, but every commander remains accountable beneath the Lord who rules history and judges the earth.