"a leader or commander of an army, general; a Roman praetor, provincial magistrate, Acts 16:20, 22, 35, 36, 38; στρατηγός τοῦ ἱεροῦ, the captain or prefect of the temple, the chief of the Levites who kept guard in and around the temple, Lk. 22:4, 52; Acts 4:1; 5:24, 26*"
Definition and meaning
a leader or commander of an army, general; a Roman praetor, provincial magistrate, Acts 16:20, 22, 35, 36, 38; στρατηγός τοῦ ἱεροῦ, the captain or prefect of the temple, the chief of the Levites who kept guard in and around the temple, Lk. 22:4, 52; Acts 4:1; 5:24, 26*
In the original Greek the word is written: στρατηγός
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
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 strategos (G4755) across the King James Bible.
And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
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 G4755 (strategos) is a Greek word that means: a leader or commander of an army, general; a Roman praetor, provincial magistrate, Acts 16:20, 22, 35, 36, 38; στρατηγός τοῦ ἱεροῦ, the captain or prefect of the temple, the chief of the Levites who k... It appears 10 times in the King James Bible.
The word strategos (G4755) appears 10 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4755 is strategos, a Greek word defined as: a leader or commander of an army, general; a Roman praetor, provincial magistrate, Acts 16:20, 22, 35, 36, 38; στρατηγός τοῦ ἱεροῦ, the captain or pre. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
strategos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.