"a beginning, Mt. 24:8; an extremity, corner, or, an attached cord, Acts 10:11; 11:5; first place, headship; high estate, eminence, Jude 6; authority, Lk. 20:20; an authority, magistrate, Lk. 12:11; a principality, prince, of spiritual existence, Eph. 3:10; 6:12; ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ἐξ ἀρχ..."
Definition and meaning
a beginning, Mt. 24:8; an extremity, corner, or, an attached cord, Acts 10:11; 11:5; first place, headship; high estate, eminence, Jude 6; authority, Lk. 20:20; an authority, magistrate, Lk. 12:11; a principality, prince, of spiritual existence, Eph. 3:10; 6:12; ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ἐξ ἀρχῆς, from the first, originally, Mt. 19:4, 8; Lk. 1:2; Jn. 6:64; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Jn. 1:1; 2:7; ἐν ἀρχῇ, κατ’ ἀρχάς, in the beginning of things, Jn. 1:1, 2; Heb. 1:10; ἐν ἀρχῇ, at the first, Acts 11:15; τὴν ἀρχήν, used adverbially, wholly, altogether, Jn. 8:25
In the original Greek the word is written: ἀρχή
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of arche (G746) across the King James Bible.
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
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Common questions
Strong's G746 (arche) is a Greek word that means: a beginning, Mt. 24:8; an extremity, corner, or, an attached cord, Acts 10:11; 11:5; first place, headship; high estate, eminence, Jude 6; authority, Lk. 20:20; an authority, magistrate, Lk. 12:11; a ... It appears 56 times in the King James Bible.
The word arche (G746) appears 56 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G746 is arche, a Greek word defined as: a beginning, Mt. 24:8; an extremity, corner, or, an attached cord, Acts 10:11; 11:5; first place, headship; high estate, eminence, Jude 6; authority, . James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
arche is a Greek word found in the New Testament.