βασίλειος
basíleios
G934 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to a king, royal; having to do with or characteristic of a king, kingdom, or monarchy. Used to describe things associated with, belonging to, or deriving from a king or the institution of kingship, whether places (such as a royal palace), persons (of royal descent or office), or attributes (regal, kingly qualities).
Semantic Range
royal, kingly, of or belonging to a king, pertaining to a king or kingdom, characterized by kingly quality; sometimes substantivally—royal house, royal authority
Root / Etymology
From βασιλεύς (king) with the adjectival suffix -ιος, forming an adjective denoting 'of or pertaining to a king.' Cognate with Latin regius and related adjectives in other Indo-European languages for royalty.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, βασίλειος appears from the 5th century BCE (e.g., in Herodotus) meaning 'royal' or 'pertaining to a king,' referring to palaces, lineages, or kingly authority. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, the sense remained primarily descriptive of royal status or affiliation, such as βασίλειος οἶκος ('royal house'), βασίλειον (royal palace), or βασίλειος φυλή (royal family/lineage). In the Septuagint, it commonly translates Hebrew terms for 'royal' (e.g., מַלְכוּתִי), often in connection with the kings of Israel, Judah, or foreign dynasties. In the New Testament (e.g., 1 Pet. 2:9), βασίλειος is used substantivally in the phrase 'royal priesthood,' denoting a group possessing the dignity or status of those belonging to a king. English translations like 'royal' or 'kingly' generally capture the word’s sense, but may obscure its technical usage in contexts of royal administration or genetic descent. Distinct from βασιλικός (G937), which frequently describes a person belonging to or serving the royal family or court, whereas βασίλειος more broadly attributes kingly character or possession.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βασιλεύς; kingly (in nature):--royal.
Root Family
βασίλειος (basileios) — royal, kingly, pertaining to a king, of kingship
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G934-02 |
βασίλειον | basileion | ADJ.A NOM N SG |
royal | royal | royal | 1 |
G934-01 |
βασιλείοις | basileiois | ADJ.S DAT N PL |
palaces | to the royal things | palaces | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G934-01 |
Luke 7:25 | βασιλείοις | basileiois | ADJ.S DAT N PL |
palaces | to the royal things | palaces |
G934-02 |
1 Peter 2:9 | βασίλειον | basileion | ADJ.A NOM N SG |
royal | royal | royal |