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κουστωδία

koustōdía

G2892 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A guard or detachment of soldiers assigned to keep watch, especially in the sense of a group tasked with securing a location or person; in Roman administrative and military practice, a unit detailed to maintain custody over something or someone. The term may refer specifically to a Roman military guard party set on a particular duty.

Semantic Range

guard, group of guards, watch (Roman military context), custody, sentry duty

Root / Etymology

From Latin 'custodia' meaning guard, protection, custody, which entered Greek as a loanword reflecting contact with Roman administrative and military systems.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The word κουστωδία is a borrowing from the Latin 'custodia,' reflecting Roman presence and influence in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In the New Testament, particularly in the Gospel narratives (e.g., Matthew 27:65-66; 28:11), it refers to an official Roman guard assigned by the authorities, often to secure the tomb of Jesus. Unlike Greek-derived words for watch or guard (such as φυλακή or φρουρά), κουστωδία uniquely denotes a formal Roman detachment or unit attached to a specific protective assignment. In standard English translations, it is often rendered simply as 'guard' or 'watch,' but this can obscure its specific Roman administrative and military nuance. The term is rare in Greek literature outside of New Testament and related texts, underscoring its specialized and context-driven usage prompted by Roman occupation and governance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Latin origin; "custody", i.e. a Roman sentry:--watch.

Root Family

κουστωδ- (koustōdía) — to guard, to keep watch, to maintain custody

Root κουστωδ- to guard, to keep watch, to maintain custody

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2892-02 κουστωδίας koustodias N GEN F SG guard of the guard unit guard unit 2
G2892-01 κουστωδίαν koustodian N ACC F SG a guard a guard detachment a guard detachment 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2892-01 Matthew 27:65 κουστωδίαν koustodian N ACC F SG a guard a guard detachment a guard detachment
G2892-02 Matthew 27:66 κουστωδίας koustodias N GEN F SG guard of the guard unit guard unit
G2892-02 Matthew 28:11 κουστωδίας koustodias N GEN F SG guard of the guard unit of the guard unit
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