G2003 — ἐπιταγή (epitagē)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G2003
Original: ἐπιταγή
Transliteration: epitagē
Pronunciation: ep-ee-tag-ay
Part of Speech: Feminine noun
Root: ἐπί (epi, "upon") + τάσσω (tassō, "to arrange/order") — cognate verb ἐπιτάσσω (G2004, "to command")
Occurrences: 7 unique verses in NT (7 tokens)
First Occurrence: Rom 16:26 — "according to the commandment (epitagē) of the everlasting God"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

An injunction or decree; by implication, authoritativeness. From ἐπί (G1909) + τάσσω (G5021). Denotes a command issued from a position of authority — a formal directive that carries binding force.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain 33.032: Command, Order
Other words: διαταγή (G1296), διάταγμα (G1297), διατάσσω (G1299), δόγμα (G1378), ἔνταλμα (G1778), ἐντέλλομαι (G1781), ἐντολή (G1785), ἐπιτάσσω (G2004)
Domain 37.003: Exercise Authority
Other words: δέω (G1210), ἐξουσία (G1849), ἐπιτροπή (G2011), κτίσις (G2937), λύω (G3089), οἰκονόμος (G3623)

Domain Neighbors (37.003 — Exercise Authority)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G1210	δέω	27	bound, bind
G1849	ἐξουσία	85	power, authority
G2011	ἐπιτροπή	1	commission
G2937	κτίσις	15	creature, creation
G3089	λύω	9	loose
G3623	οἰκονόμος	7	steward

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
commandment	3	42.9%
the commandment	2	28.6%
authority	1	14.3%
to the commandment	1	14.3%

KJV renders epitagē as "commandment" in 6 of 7 occurrences (85.7%), with "authority" only at Tit 2:15.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Titus	2	4.3
1 Timothy	1	0.9
1 Corinthians	2	0.5
2 Corinthians	1	0.4
Romans	1	0.2

Exclusively Pauline. Concentrated in the Pastoral Epistles (3 of 7 uses), with the remainder in the major epistles. Absent from the Gospels, Acts, General Epistles, and Revelation.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Divine Authoritative Decree (commissioning the gospel)¶

Rom 16:26 — "according to the commandment (epitagē) of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith"
1 Tim 1:1 — "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment (epitagē) of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ"
Tit 1:3 — "manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment (epitagē) of God our Saviour"

In these three uses, epitagē designates a formal divine decree — God's authoritative order commissioning the apostolic mission. The word consistently appears with "God our Saviour" and in connection with Paul's apostleship or the manifestation of the gospel.

2. Apostolic Authority in Teaching¶

Tit 2:15 — "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority (epitagē). Let no man despise thee."

The sole occurrence translated "authority." Here epitagē denotes the force and weight behind apostolic instruction — the right to command obedience in doctrinal and ethical matters.

3. Disclaimer of Apostolic Command (permission vs. command)¶

1 Cor 7:6 — "But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment (epitagē)."
1 Cor 7:25 — "Now concerning virgins I have no commandment (epitagē) of the Lord: yet I give my judgment"
2 Cor 8:8 — "I speak not by commandment (epitagē), but by occasion of the forwardness of others"

Paul explicitly distinguishes his personal counsel (gnōmē, permission) from a binding divine epitagē. The word's authority-weight is so strong that Paul must disclaim it when offering advice rather than issuing commands.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θεός (theos)	G2316	3x (43%)	"commandment of God" — divine source of the decree
κύριος (kyrios)	G2962	2x (29%)	"commandment of the Lord" — authority source
σωτήρ (sōtēr)	G4990	2x (29%)	"God our Saviour" — epitagē tied to the saving mission
φανερόω (phaneroō)	G5319	2x (29%)	"made manifest" — the decree reveals what was hidden
λέγω (legō)	G3004	2x (29%)	"I speak not by commandment" — disclaimer formula

Word Family / Cognates¶

G2004 ἐπιτάσσω (epitassō) — cognate verb: to command, charge, order (10 occurrences; used of Jesus commanding demons and nature — Mark 1:27, 9:25, Luke 4:36, 8:25)
G1909 ἐπί (epi) — preposition "upon" (prefix element)
G5021 τάσσω (tassō) — root verb: to arrange, appoint, order

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
ἐντολή (entolē)	G1785	"commandment" (33v)	entolē = a standing commandment or precept (moral law, code); epitagē = a specific authoritative decree or injunction
מִצְוָה (mitsvah)	H4687	"commandment" (10v)	Hebrew law-commandment; epitagē is its Greek near-equivalent only for the "authoritative decree" sense
דָּבָר (dabar)	H1697	"commandment" (8v)	dabar = word/matter used broadly; epitagē is narrowly "authoritative injunction"
ἐντέλλομαι (entellomai)	G1781	"commandment" (1v)	entellomai = verb "to enjoin"; epitagē = noun denoting the decree itself
διάταγμα (diatagma)	G1297	"commandment" (1v)	diatagma = official edict/ordinance (Heb 11:23); epitagē = personal authoritative command

Semantic Domain (from search_relationships.py)¶

Communication (033): Part of the broad domain of speech acts
Control, Rule (037): Part of the authority-exercise domain

Hebrew Source¶

No Hebrew source words found via LXX mapping. This word is exclusively NT vocabulary with no established OT Hebrew equivalent through the Septuagint.