1203. despotés

Lexical Summary

despotés: Master, Lord, Sovereign

Original Word: δεσπότης
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: despotés
Pronunciation: des-pot'-ace
Phonetic Spelling: (des-pot'-ace)
KJV: Lord, master
NASB: masters, Lord, Master
Word Origin: [perhaps from G1210 (δέω - bound) and posis (a husband)]

1. an absolute ruler ("despot")

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Lord, master.

Perhaps from deo and posis (a husband); an absolute ruler ("despot") -- Lord, master.

see GREEK deo

HELPS Word-studies

1203 despótēs (from posis, "husband") – properly, an authority figure ("master") who exercises complete jurisdiction (wields unrestricted power).

[1203 (despótēs) implies someone exercising "unrestricted power and absolute domination, confessing no limitations or restraints" (R. Trench, 96).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
lord, master
NASB Translation
Lord (3), Master (3), masters (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1203: δεσπότης

δεσπότης, δεσπότου, ὁ (from Pindar down), a master, lord (as of δοῦλοι, οἰκέται): 1 Timothy 6:1,(2); 2 Timothy 2:21; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18; God is thus addressed by one who calls himself his δοῦλος: Luke 2:29, cf. Acts 4:24, 29 (δεσπότης τῶν πάντων, Job 5:8; Wis. 6:8); Christ is so called, as one who has bought his servants, 2 Peter 2:1; rules over his church, Jude 1:4 (some take δεσπότης here as designating God; cf. R. V. marginal reading); and whose prerogative it is to take vengeance on those who persecute his followers, Revelation 6:10. [SYNONYMS: δεσπότης, κύριος: δεσπότης was strictly the correlative of slave, δοῦλος, and hence, denoted absolute ownership and uncontrolled power; κύριος had a wider meaning, applicable to the various ranks and relations of life, and not suggestive either of property or of absolutism. Ammonius under the word δεσπότης says δεδσποτης ὁ τῶν ἀργυρωνητων. κύριος δέ καί πατήρ υἱοῦ καί αὐτός τίς ἑαυτοῦ. So Philo, quis rer. div. heres § 6 ὥστε τόν δεσπότην κύριον εἶναι καί ἔτι ὡσανεί φοβερόν κύριον, οὐ μόνον τό κῦρος καί τό κράτος ἁπάντων ἀνημμενον, ἀλλά καί δέος καί φόβον ἱκανόν ἐμποιησαι. Cf. Trench, § xxviii.; Woolsey, in Bib. Sacr. for 1861, p. 599f; Schmidt, chapter 161, 5.]

Topical Lexicon

Summary of Usage

The term appears ten times in the Greek New Testament and is consistently employed to underscore absolute authority—whether divine or human. In half of its occurrences the reference is to God (Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2 Peter 2:1; Jude 1:4; Revelation 6:10); the remaining five passages apply the word to human slave-owners or household heads (Titus 2:9; 1 Timothy 6:1; 1 Timothy 6:2; 1 Peter 2:18; 2 Timothy 2:21). The range reveals a single idea: an unquestioned right to command.

Divine Sovereignty

1. Luke 2:29 records Simeon’s benediction: “Sovereign Lord, now dismiss Your servant in peace, according to Your word.” Here the title magnifies God’s freedom to fulfill His covenant promises.
2. In Acts 4:24 the praying church addresses God as “Sovereign Lord,” immediately recalling His creation of “the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” The title legitimizes their confidence in divine control despite hostile rulers (Acts 4:25–31).
3. Both 2 Peter 2:1 and Jude 1:4 warn about false teachers who “deny the Sovereign Lord who bought them.” The use of this term intensifies the seriousness of their rebellion; they reject not merely a teacher but the absolute Owner who redeemed them.
4. The martyrs beneath the altar cry, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long until You judge…” (Revelation 6:10). In suffering, believers appeal to the unassailable justice of their Master.

Human Masters

1. Titus 2:9 directs bond-servants to “submit to their masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative.”
2. 1 Peter 2:18 expands the principle: “Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but even to the unreasonable.” The word choice underscores the reality of first-century household authority structures.
3. Paul twice addresses the Ephesian situation (1 Timothy 6:1–2). Honor toward masters protects “the name of God and our teaching,” while believing masters are to be served all the more because they are “beloved brothers and recipients of good service.”
4. 2 Timothy 2:21 moves from the domestic sphere to the ministerial: “If anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” The imagery likens the Lord to the householder who assigns tasks to chosen vessels.

Relationship to Other New Testament Titles

Unlike the more common kurios (“Lord”), which can vary from polite respect to divine lordship, this term is reserved for contexts where ownership, control, and power cannot be challenged. When applied to God, it accentuates His unilateral authority; when applied to humans, it marks their complete control over the servant’s circumstances.

Theological Significance

1. Redemption: In 2 Peter 2:1 the Sovereign Lord “bought” the very people who later deny Him, affirming particular redemption while highlighting accountability.
2. Providence: Acts 4:24–28 links the title with God’s orchestration of historical events, including the crucifixion, thereby strengthening the doctrine of providence.
3. Judgment: Revelation 6:10 presents the Sovereign Lord as the final arbiter of justice, assuring believers that vindication is certain.

Historical and Cultural Background

First-century households and estates could be vast enterprises, and a despotes owned both property and people. The absolute nature of that ownership supplied an everyday analogy for divine sovereignty. Yet Scripture reorients the analogy: earthly masters are accountable to the heavenly Master (Ephesians 6:9), and ultimate allegiance belongs to God alone (Acts 5:29).

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Prayer: Addressing God as Sovereign Lord fosters humble confidence in intercession (Acts 4:24).
• Service: Recognizing believers as vessels of a Master calls for purity and availability (2 Timothy 2:21).
• Submission and Witness: Respectful service under human authority commends the Gospel (Titus 2:9–10).
• Warning: False teaching that diminishes Christ’s absolute ownership is a denial of the faith (2 Peter 2:1; Jude 1:4).

Conclusion

Across its ten appearances the word consistently magnifies absolute, personal ownership. Whether highlighting God’s unchallenged rule or the authority structures within first-century households, the term calls every reader to acknowledge the One “who works out everything according to the counsel of His will” and to live honorably under earthly authorities for the sake of His name.

Forms and Transliterations

δεσποτα δεσποτά δέσποτα δεσποταις δεσπόταις δεσποτας δεσπότας δεσποτη δεσπότη δεσπότῃ δεσποτην δεσπότην δεσποτης δεσπότης δεσπότου δεσποτών despota déspota despotais despótais despotas despótas despote despotē despótei despótēi despoten despotēn despóten despótēn despotes despotēs despótes despótēs

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 2:29 N-VMS
GRK: δοῦλόν σου δέσποτα κατὰ τὸ
NAS: Now Lord, You are releasing
KJV: Lord, now lettest thou
INT: servant of you Master according to the

Acts 4:24 N-VMS
GRK: καὶ εἶπαν Δέσποτα σὺ ὁ
NAS: and said, O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN
KJV: and said, Lord, thou [art] God,
INT: and said Sovereign Lord you who

1 Timothy 6:1 N-AMP
GRK: τοὺς ἰδίους δεσπότας πάσης τιμῆς
NAS: their own masters as worthy
KJV: count their own masters worthy of all
INT: the own masters of all honor

1 Timothy 6:2 N-AMP
GRK: πιστοὺς ἔχοντες δεσπότας μὴ καταφρονείτωσαν
NAS: believers as their masters must not be disrespectful
KJV: believing masters, let them
INT: believing having masters not let them despise [them]

2 Timothy 2:21 N-DMS
GRK: εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ εἰς πᾶν
NAS: useful to the Master, prepared
KJV: meet for the master's use, [and] prepared
INT: useful to the master for every

Titus 2:9 N-DMP
GRK: δούλους ἰδίοις δεσπόταις ὑποτάσσεσθαι ἐν
NAS: to their own masters in everything,
KJV: unto their own masters, [and] to
INT: Servants to their own masters to be subject in

1 Peter 2:18 N-DMP
GRK: φόβῳ τοῖς δεσπόταις οὐ μόνον
NAS: be submissive to your masters with all
KJV: [be] subject to [your] masters with
INT: fear to masters not only

2 Peter 2:1 N-AMS
GRK: ἀγοράσαντα αὐτοὺς δεσπότην ἀρνούμενοι ἐπάγοντες
NAS: denying the Master who bought
KJV: denying the Lord that bought
INT: having bought them Master denying bringing upon

Jude 1:4 N-AMS
GRK: τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ κύριον
NAS: our only Master and Lord,
KJV: denying the only Lord God, and
INT: the only master and Lord

Revelation 6:10 N-NMS
GRK: πότε ὁ δεσπότης ὁ ἅγιος
NAS: How long, O Lord, holy
KJV: How long, O Lord, holy and
INT: when O Lord holy

Strong's Greek 1203
10 Occurrences

δέσποτα — 2 Occ.
δεσπόταις — 2 Occ.
δεσπότας — 2 Occ.
δεσπότῃ — 1 Occ.
δεσπότην — 2 Occ.
δεσπότης — 1 Occ.