ἐπισκοπή, ἐπισκοπῆς, ἡ (ἐπισκοπέω), inspection, visitation (German Besichtigung); a. properly: εἰς ἐπισκοπήν τοῦ παιδός, to visit the boy, Lucian, dial. deor. 20, 6; with this exception no example of the word in secular writings has yet been noted. b. In biblical Greek, after the Hebrew τΐΜχΛγΘΜδ, that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds, character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad; inspection, investigation, visitation (Vulg. usuallyvisitatio): so universally, ἐν ἐπισκοπή ψυχῶν, when he shall search the souls of men, i. e. in the time of divine judgment, Wis_3:13; also ἐν ὥρα ἐπισκοπῆς, Sir_18:20 (19); so perhaps ἐν ἡμέρα ἐπισκοπῆς, 1Pe_2:12 (see below); in a good sense, of God's gracious care: τόν καιρόν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς σου, i. e. τόν καιρόν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεσκέψατο σε ὁ Θεός, in which God showed himself gracious toward thee and offered thee salvation through Christ (see ἐπισκέπτομαι, b.), Luk_19:44; ἐν καιρῷ ἐπισκοπῆς, in the time of divine reward, 1Pe_5:6 Lachmann; also, in the opinion of many commentators, 1Pe_2:12 (others, associate this passage with Luk_19:44 above; cf. DeWette (edited by Brückner) or Huther at the passage); from the O. T. cf. Gen_50:24; Job_34:9; Wis_2:20 Wis_3:7, etc. with a bad reference, of divine punishment: Exo_3:16; Isa_10:3; Jer_10:15; Wis_14:11 Wis_19:14 (15); (etc.; cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word). c. after the analogy of the Hebrew τΐΜχΛγΘΜδ (Num_4:16; 1Ch_24:19 (here the Sept. ἐπίσκεψις), etc.), oversight i. e. overseership, office, charge; Vulg.episcopatus: Act_1:20, from Psa_108:8 (); specifically, the office of a bishop (the overseer or presiding officer of a Christian church): 1Ti_3:1, and in ecclesiastical writings

ἐπισκοπή episkopē 4x inspection, oversight, visitation; of God, visitation, interposition, whether in mercy or judgment, Luk_19:44 ; 1Pe_2:12 ; the office of an ecclesiastical overseer, 1Ti_3:1 ; from the Hebrew, charge, function, Act_1:20

† ἐπι -σκοπή , -ῆς , ἡ , [in LXX chiey for H6485 H6486 ;] 1. a visiting, visitation (εἰς ἐ . τοῦ παιδός , Lucian, dial. deor ., 20, 6); as in LXX (after Heb .), of God's visitation in mercy, or in judgment ( Lev_19:20 Job_10:12 , Jer_6:15 , Wis_2:20 , al. ): Luk_19:44 , 1Pe_2:12 ( v. Hort , in l ). 2. office, charge, esp . office of an ἐπίσκοιος ( q.v. ): Act_1:20 ( LXX ), 1Ti_3:1 ( Cremer , 527 f ., 864; DCG , ii, 809b).†

ἐπισκοπή [page 244] A iv/A.D. Lycaonian inscr. describes a bishop as εἴκοσι πέντε ὅλοις ἔτεσιν τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν μετὰ πολ [λ ]ῆς ἐπιτειμίας διοι [κ ]ήσας ( Exp VII. vi. p. 387 : C. and B. ii. P. 543). The subst. ἐπισκοπεία is found in the Royal Ordinances P Tebt I. 5 .189 (B.C. 118), where reference is made to penalties incurred for making false returns in connexion with the government inspections πρὸς τὰ̣ς̣ βα̣(σιλικὰς ) ἐ̣π̣ι̣σ̣κοπείας .

ἐπισκοπή ἐπισκοπή, ἡ, "a watching over, visitation", NTest. "the office of" ἐπίσκοπος, id=NTest. : generally, "an office", id=NTest.

ἐπι-σκοπή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiey for פָּקַד פְּקֻדָּה ;] __1. a visiting, visitation (εἰς ἐ. τοῦ παιδός, Lucian, dial. deor., 20, 6); as in LXX (after Heb.), of God's visitation in mercy, or in judgment (Lev.19:20 Job.10:12, Jer.6:15, Wis.2:20, al.): Luk.19:44, 1Pe.2:12 (see Hort, in l). __2. office, charge, esp. office of an ἐπίσκοιος (which see): Act.1:20 (LXX), 1Ti.3:1 (Cremer, 527 f., 864; DCG, ii, 809b).† (AS)