GREEK · G828
Αὔγουστος
Augoustos — Augustus
Αὔγουστος, -ου, ὁ (Lat.), Augustus, the Roman Emperor: Luk.2:1 (cf. Σεβαστός; and see MM, see word).† (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
Augustus
Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
GREEK · G4575
σεβαστός
sebastos — Augustan
σεβαστός, -ή, -όν (σεβάζομαι) 1. reverend, august. 2. In late writers, with reference to the Roman Imperial name; (a) ὁ Σ., Augustus, i.e. the Roman Emperor: Act.25:21, 25; (b) Augustan: σπείρα σ., Act.27:1 (See further, Deiss., BS, 218.) † (AS)
3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →Historical dictionary entry
The cognomen of the first Roman emperor, C. Julius Caesar Octavianus, during whose reign Christ was born (Luke 2:1). His decree that “all the world should be taxed” was the divinely ordered occasion of Jesus’ being born, according to prophecy (Micah 5:2), in Bethlehem. This name being simply a title meaning “majesty” or “venerable,” first given to him by the senate (B.C. 27), was borne by succeeding emperors. Before his death (A.D. 14) he associated Tiberius with him in the empire (Luke 3:1), by whom he was succeeded.
Scripture references
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.