← G2940 G2942 →

κυβέρνησις

kybérnēsis

G2941 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The act, process, or function of steering, directing, or governing; specifically, the capacity or office of leadership, administration, or management. In certain contexts, particularly within early Christ movement gatherings, refers to the exercise of guidance or administrative oversight among groups. The primary sense is 'piloting' or 'steering,' applied metaphorically to guidance and governance.

Semantic Range

steering, piloting (literal), guidance, direction, leadership, administration, oversight, management (figurative)

Root / Etymology

From Greek κυβερνάω (kybernào, 'to steer, to pilot') plus the abstract noun suffix -σις (-sis), forming 'the act or process of steering.' The term is not a direct borrowing from Latin but shares roots through the ancient maritime and administrative vocabulary of the Mediterranean world.

Historical & Contextual Notes

κυβέρνησις is rare in extant Greek literature, with usage attested mainly in later Hellenistic and Roman-period texts. Initially rooted in maritime vocabulary—the act of piloting a ship—it developed metaphorically, especially in Hellenistic and post-classical Greek, to describe forms of leadership, management, or administration across civic, philosophical, and organizational contexts. In 1 Corinthians 12:28 (LXX/NT), the term appears in a list of roles or functions within assemblies, pointing to individuals exercising guidance, oversight, or practical direction, rather than formal governmental office. Unlike terms such as ἄρχων ('ruler'), κυβέρνησις emphasizes the functional, guiding, or coordinating aspect rather than official status. Standard English translations ('government', 'administration') do not fully capture the original metaphor of piloting or the fluidity of the concept in Greek contexts, which could include any practical direction of a collective. There is little evidence that the term exclusively referred to religious or synagogue roles in the first century; rather, it draws from common civic and maritime metaphors for leadership.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (of Latin origin, to steer); pilotage, i.e. (figuratively) directorship (in the church):--government.

Root Family

κυβέρνησις (kybernēsis) — steering, directing, guiding, governing

Root κυβερν- to steer, to direct, to guide

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2941-01 κυβερνήσεις kuberneseis N ACC F PL administrations acts of steering acts of steering 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2941-01 1 Corinthians 12:28 κυβερνήσεις kuberneseis N ACC F PL administrations acts of steering acts of steering
← G2940 Greek Lexicon G2942 →