"a senate, assembly of elders; the elders of Israel collectively, Acts 5:21*"
Definition and meaning
a senate, assembly of elders; the elders of Israel collectively, Acts 5:21*
In the original Greek the word is written: γερουσία
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
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 gerousia (G1087) across the King James Bible.
And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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Common questions
Strong's G1087 (gerousia) is a Greek word that means: a senate, assembly of elders; the elders of Israel collectively, Acts 5:21* It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word gerousia (G1087) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G1087 is gerousia, a Greek word defined as: a senate, assembly of elders; the elders of Israel collectively, Acts 5:21*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
gerousia is a Greek word found in the New Testament.