ἐπί-σκοπος, -ου, ὁ
(< σκοπός, a watcher), [in LXX for פָּקַד, its parts and derivatives, Nu 4:1631:14, Jg 9:28, IV Ki 11:15, 18, II Ch 34:12, 17, Ne 11:9, 14, 22; אֵל, Jb 20:29; נוֹגַשׂ:, Is 60:17; Wi 1:6, I Mac 1:51 *;]
a superintendent, guardian, overseer (cl.; for exx. v. LS, s.v.): Ac 20:28, I Pe 2:25 (ICC, in l.); as technical term for a religious office (Deiss., BS, 230 f.), in later Paul. epp. of the head of a church (Vg. episcopus), a bishop: Phl 1:1, I Ti 3:2, Tit 1:7 (v. reff. s.v. ἐπισκοπή).†