"pr. one stationed in the first rank of an army; a leader; a chief, ringleader, Acts 24:5*"
Definition and meaning
pr. one stationed in the first rank of an army; a leader; a chief, ringleader, Acts 24:5*
In the original Greek the word is written: πρωτοστάτης
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 protostates (G4414) across the King James Bible.
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
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Common questions
Strong's G4414 (protostates) is a Greek word that means: pr. one stationed in the first rank of an army; a leader; a chief, ringleader, Acts 24:5* It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word protostates (G4414) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4414 is protostates, a Greek word defined as: pr. one stationed in the first rank of an army; a leader; a chief, ringleader, Acts 24:5*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
protostates is a Greek word found in the New Testament.