Elder — Meaning in the Bible
An older, respected leader. Israel's towns had elders; the early church appointed elders to lead and care for congregations.
Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
What it means
Moses gathered seventy elders of Israel to share his load. Elders sat at the town gate to settle matters, as in Ruth 4. Numbers 11:16–17Ruth 4:2
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church, and the letters describe what elders should be like. Acts 14:23Titus 1:5–91 Peter 5:1–4
Key passages
- Numbers 11:16–17 — Seventy elders.
- Ruth 4:1–2 — Elders at the gate.
- Acts 14:23 — Elders appointed.
- Titus 1:5–9 — Qualities of elders.
- 1 Peter 5:1–4 — Shepherd the flock.
Original language
πρεσβύτερος presbuteros
Greek · Strong’s G4245 · gloss: “elder: Elder”
The Greek word presbuteros, older man or elder. Acts 14:23
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Study further
- Acts 20:17–35 Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders.
- 1 Peter 5:1–4 Caring for the flock.