Quick Definition
ἐπισκοπή, ῆς, ἡ n.f. visitation of judgment, oversight
Strong's Definition
from 1980; inspection (for relief); by implication, superintendence; specially, the Christian "episcopate"
KJV Usage: the office of a "bishop", bishoprick, visitation
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ῆς | σκοπή (look-out place) · σκοπέω
34.51 · Association · Visit
coming, visitation the coming of divine power, either for benefit or judgment In 1PE 2:12 the reference may be to God’s coming to rule or his coming in judgment.
53.69 · Religious Activities · Roles and Functions
office, position, ministry as church leader a religious role involving both service and leadership See discussion at 53.71. For a more probable interpretation of ἐπισκοπή in ACT 1:20, see 35.40.
35.40 · Help, Care For · Care For, Take Care Of
position of responsibility, position of oversight (derivative of ἐπισκοπέω[a] ‘to take care of,’ 35.39) the position of one who has responsibility for the care of someone Though in some contexts ἐπισκοπή has been regarded traditionally as a position of authority, in reality the focus is upon the responsibility for caring for others, and in the context of ACT 1:20 the reference is clearly to the responsibility for caring for the church (see 53.69).
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-σκοπή, -7s, ἡ, (ἐπισκοπέω), inspection, visitation, (Germ. Besichtigung) ; a. prop.: εἰς ἐπισκ. τοῦ παιδός to visit the boy, Leian. dial. deor. 20, 6; with this exception no example of the word in prof. writ. has yet been noted. b. In biblical Grk., after the Hebr. 17p2, that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds, character, of men, in order to adjudge thein their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad; inspection, investigation, visitation, (Vulg. usually visitatio): so univ. ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ Ψυχῶν, when he shall search the souls of men, i. 6. in the time of divine judgment, Sap. iii. 13; also ἐν ὥρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς, Sir. xviii. 20 (19); so perhaps ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς, 1 Pet. ii. 12 [see below]; in a good sense, of God’s gracious care: τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς σου. i. 6. τὸν καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεσκέψατο σε ὁ θεός, in which God showed himself gracious toward thee and offered thee salvation through Christ (see ἐπισκέπτομαι, b.), Lk. xix. 44; ἐν καιρῷ ἐπισκοπῆς, in the time of divine reward, 1 Pet. v. 6 Lchm.; also, in the opinion of many commentators, 1 Pet. ii. 12 [al. associate this pass. with Lk. xix. 44 above; cf. De Wette (ed. Briickner) οἱ Huther ad loc.]; fr. the O. T. cf. Gen. 1. 24 sq.; Job xxxiv. 9; Sap. ii. 20; iii. 7, ete. with a bad reference. of divine punishment: Ex. iii. 16; Is.x.3; Jer. x.15 Sap. xiv. 11; xix. 14 (15); [ete.; cf. Soph. Lex. 8. ν.} Ὁ. after the analogy of the Hebr. Mp2 (Num. iv. 16; 1 Chr. xxiv. 19 [here Sept. ἐπίσκεψις], etc.), oversight i. 6. overseership, office, charge; Vulz. episcopatus: Acts i. 20, fr. Ps. eviii. (cix.) 8; spec. the office of a bishop (the overseer or presiding officer of a Christian church): 1 Tim. iii. 1, and in 600]. writ.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπισκοπή episkopē 4x
inspection, oversight, visitation; of God, visitation, interposition, whether in mercy or judgment, Lk. 19:44; 1 Pet. 2:12; the office of an ecclesiastical overseer, 1 Tim. 3:1; from the Hebrew, charge, function, Acts 1:20*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
† ἐπι-σκοπή, -ῆς, ἡ
[in LXX chiey for פָּקַד פְּקֻדָּה ;]
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 (Le 19:20 Jb 10:12, Je 6:15, Wi 2:20, al.): Lk 19:44, I Pe 2:12 (v. Hort, in l.).
office, charge, esp. office of an ἐπίσκοιος (q.v.): Ac 1:20 (LXX), I Ti 3:1 (Cremer, 527 f., 864; DCG, ii, 809 b).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπισκοπή. A iv/a.D. Lycaonian inser, describes a bishop 85---εἴἴκοσι πέντε ὅλοις ἔτεσιν τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν μετὰ πολ[λ]ῆς ἐπιτειμίας διοι[κἸήσας (Zxf VII. vi. p. 387: C. and B. ii. p. 543). The subst. ἐπισκοπεία is found in the Royal Ordinances P Tebt I. 5159 (b.c. 118), where reference is made to penalties incurred for making false returns ‘Sin connexion with the government inspections ’’—mpbs τὰς βα(σιλικὰς) ἐπισκοπείας.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπισκοπή (episkopē) — oversight. ἐπισκοπ-ή, ἡ, watching over, visitation, of God, [LXX+NT]
II. office of ἐπίσκοπος, [NT]: generally, office, [LXX]
II.2. ={ἐπίσκεψις}[LXX]