"the bearer of a wand of office; a lictor, sergeant, a public servant who bore a bundle or rods before the magistrates as insignia of their office, and carried into execution the sentences they pronounced, Acts 16:35, 38*"
Definition and meaning
the bearer of a wand of office; a lictor, sergeant, a public servant who bore a bundle or rods before the magistrates as insignia of their office, and carried into execution the sentences they pronounced, Acts 16:35, 38*
In the original Greek the word is written: ῥαβδοῦχος
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 rhabdouchos (G4465) across the King James Bible.
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
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Common questions
Strong's G4465 (rhabdouchos) is a Greek word that means: the bearer of a wand of office; a lictor, sergeant, a public servant who bore a bundle or rods before the magistrates as insignia of their office, and carried into execution the sentences they pronoun... It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word rhabdouchos (G4465) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4465 is rhabdouchos, a Greek word defined as: the bearer of a wand of office; a lictor, sergeant, a public servant who bore a bundle or rods before the magistrates as insignia of their office, and. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
rhabdouchos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.