Quick Definition
προΐστημι v. I rule
Strong's Definition
from 4253 and 2476; to stand before, i.e. (in rank) to preside, or (by implication) to practise
KJV Usage: maintain, be over, rule
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἵστημι
36.1 · (προΐσταμαι[a]) · Guide, Discipline, Follow · Guide, Lead
to guide, to direct, to lead to so influence others as to cause them to follow a recommended course of action In some languages it is difficult to distinguish readily between expressions for ‘leading’ and those which refer to ‘ruling’ or ‘governing,’ but it is important to try to distinguish clearly between these two different sets of interpersonal relations. In some languages, the concept of ‘leading’ can be expressed by ‘showing how to’ or ‘demonstrating how one ought to.’ In other languages it is possible to speak of ‘leading’ as simply ‘going ahead of,’ but too often such an expression may designate only ‘a scout’ who goes ahead to see whether things are safe, or it may refer only to a person who insists on his prerogative as the most distinguished person in a group.
The phrase ‘in the Lord’ in 1TH 5:12 probably refers to matters concerning the Christian life.
35.12 · (προΐσταμαι[b]) · Help, Care For · Help
to be active in helping, to be involved in giving aid to be engaged in helping or aiding
1 TIT 3:14 It is possible to analyze the use of προΐστημι in TIT 3:14 as being a matter of case relations (Domain 90).
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
προίστημι proistēmi 8x
to set before; met. to set over, appoint with authority; intrans. 2 aor. προὔστην, perf. προέστηκα, part. προεστώς, and mid. προίσταμαι, to preside, govern, superintend, Rom. 12:8; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Tim. 3:4, 5, 12; 5:17; mid. to undertake resolutely, to practise diligently, to maintain the practice of, Tit. 3:8, 14*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
προ-ΐστημι,
[in LXX: II Ki 13:17, Pr 23:5 26:17, Is 43:24, Am 6:10 (no proper Heb. equiv.), Da LXX Bel 7, I Mac 5:19, IV Mac 11:27*;]
trans. in fut., 1 aor., and mid. 1 aor., to put before, set over (Plat., al.).
Intrans., in pf., plpf., 2 aor. and mid. pres. and impf.; to preside, rule, govern: Ro 12:8, I Ti 5:17; c. gen., I Th 5:12, I Ti 3:4, 5, 12;
to direct, maintain: c. gen. rei, καλῶν ἔργων, Tit 3:8, 14 (on R, mg., profess honest occupations, v. CGT, in l.; Field, Notes, 223 f.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
προΐστημι which may also be cited along with Xen. Oecon, xvii. 4 in support of the application of Jas /.c. to early ‘‘crop’’ rather than to early ‘‘rain.’’ The comp. πρωιμώτερον = “‘ more punctually ᾿ occurs in P Tebt I. 272578 (B.c. 113). "᾿ προΐστημι, “‘put before,” ““βεῖ over,’’ and intrans. ‘‘ preside,” ‘‘ rule,” “govern.” The position of προϊσταμένους in 1 Thess 512 between κοπιῶντας and νουθετοῦντας (cf. Rom 128), combined with the general usage of the verb in the NT, makes it practically certain that the word cannot be a technical term of office, even if the persons referred to are officebearers of the Church (cf. Hort Zeclesta, p. 126 f.). This is further borne out by the wide and varied applications of the verb in the ordinary language of the time. For a more or less official use cf. P Tebt I. 558 (B.c. 118) where it is applied—rots προεστηκόσι τῶν ἱερῶν προσόδωϊν, and Chrest. 1. 706 (B.c. 57-6) διεδώκαμεν τὴν περὶ τούτων ἐπιτροπὴν Σωκράτῃ TO μάλιστα τοῦ ἱεροῦ διὰ παντὸς προϊσταμένῳ. In P Oxy VI. 8917? (a.p. 294) an exegetes is informed that he has been appointed to act in his official capacity on a date mentioned—éSokev ὥστε σὲ μὲν προστῆναι, “it was decided that you should preside ’’ (Edd.), and in BGU IV. 1028%-8.25 (ii/A.D.) we hear of the superintendents or heads of certain guilds—mpoecra@tt χαλκέων and Mapelv[w] καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ προεστ(ῶσι). Similarly the word is applied to estate agents—P Ἀγ] II. 1323 (a.p. 32) a petition from τοῦ προεστῶτος τῶν Hvav8(pov), ‘the estate-agent of Evander,”’ and to the heads of villages—P Oxy IT. 239! (a.D. 66) ὀμνύω «+. μηδὲ μὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν προστήσε[σ]θί(αι) κώμης, ‘I swear that henceforward I shall not become headman of a village,” P Ryl Il. 122° (A.D. 127) ἀξιῶ, ἐάν σοι δόξῃ, κελεῦσαι τοῖς προεστῶσει τῆς κώμης, “1 beg you, if you think fit, to give orders to the chief men of the village,” and P Hamb I. 35 (c. A.D. 169) ots ἐκέλευσας προσταθῆναι κώμης Φιλαδελφεία[ς], τῶι κυρίωι χαίρειν. In P Tebt II. 32610 (c. a.p. 266) a woman petitions that her brother be appointed guardian of her daughter on the ground that προ[στ]ήσεσθαι γνησίως τοῦ παιδίου, “he will honourably protect the child.” Other exx. of the verb are PSI IV. 341% (B.c. 256-5) ἀκούοντες yap τὸ κλέος τῆς πόλεως Kal σὲ τὸν προεστηκότα χρηστὸν καὶ δίκαιον εἶναι, ἐδοκιμάσαμεν... ., P Lille I. το" (mid. iii/B.c.) π]αρὰ Σαραπίωνος τοῦ προεστηκότος τῆς αλλιξέ[νους] δωρεᾶς, P Petr II. 30(¢)4 (iii/B.c.) ὃ προεστηκὼς τοῦ Hiphyns ἀμ[πελῶνος, 20. III. 73% (iii/B.c.) τοῦ πίρο]εστηκότος τῆς λεγομένης ᾿Αρτεμιδώρου συνοικίας, ‘‘ the landlord of the lodging-house of Artemidorus, as it was called,” and P Oxy X. 12758 (iii/aA.p.) ὃ προεστὼς συμφωνίας αὐλητῶν kal μουσικῶν, ‘‘chief of a company of flute-players and musicians.” Cf. also for still wider uses P Fay 13° (B.C. 170?) καλῶς ποιήσετε προστάντες ΙΠετήσιος, “please support Petesis ”’ (Edd.), P Par 634° (B.c. 164) (= P Petr III. p. 20) ὑπὲρ τοῦ προστήσεσθαι τῶν κατὰ τὸν σπόρον μετὰ τῆς ἐνδεχομένης προσοχῆς, “‘ that you should attend to the seed-sowing with fitting care” (Mahaffy), and P Oxy XII. 14915 (early iv/a.p.) θαρρῶ... ὅτι ὄχλησις ἐὰν ἢ προίστασαι ἡμῶν, “1 am confident that if there is any trouble you are supporting me” (Edd.). Inthe early Christian letter P Amh I. 2(α) 111. 23 , προκειμαι (between A.D. 264 and 282) (=ZAZ, p. 195, Ghedini, p- 68) reference is made to certain business transactions carried through πάπᾳ Kal τοῖς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἁγιωτάτοις προ[εστῶσι, ‘with the Papas and the most holy rulers who are before him,” and in P Oxy I. 148! (a.p. 556) a/. the word is used of the head of a monastery. From the inscrr. cf. OG/S 7284 (B.C. 238-7) προέστη τῶν κα[θ᾽ αὑτὸν] ἀξίως τῆς πόλεως, and Sy// 318 (= 700)? (B.c. 118-7) where a certain Maapkos is described as προϊστάμενος τῶν τε κατὰ κοινὸν πᾶσιν Μακεδόσιν συνφερόντων. ἱ We may add that while Field (Votes, p. 223 f.) is able to cite exx. from late Greek of προΐστημι with the meaning ““manage some matter of business,” he rejects the RV mg rendering of Tit 3° ‘‘ profess honest occupations’ on the ground that καλῶν ἔργων must be taken in the usual sense of “good works,’’ Field’s objection may, ‘however, be met so far by some such rendering as ‘‘ make it their business to do good ’’ (Goodspeed).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
προΐστημι (proistēmi) — to set before. προΐστημι, future -στήσω: aorist 1 προὔστησα, participle προστήσας, infinitive προστῆσαι. Causal in these tenses, as also in present and aorist 1 middle, set before, once in [Refs 8th c.BC+] put his body in the way, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. set over, ὃν ἡ πόλις ἀξιοῖ αὑτῆς προϊστάναι, variant for{-εστάναι}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. exhibit publicly, prostitute, π. ἐπ᾽ οἰκημάτων [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II. middle, mostly aorist 1, put another before oneself, choose as one's leader, [Refs 5th c.BC+]take as one's guardian, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. put before one, put in front, σκίπωνα προστήσασθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὴν χεῖρα, so as to shade the eyes, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.3. metaphorically, put forward as an excuse or pretence, use as a screen, τί τάδε προὐστήσω λόγ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. προστησώμεθα Τύρταιον put him forward, cite him as an authority, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.5. prefer, value above, ὦτα τοῦ νοῦ προστησάμενοι [Refs]
II.6. establish a thing before another, τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτῶν (i.e. τῶν ὄντων) [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
II.7. manifest, [Refs] __B passive, with aorist 2 active προὔστην: perfect προέστηκα, 2nd pers. plural προέστατε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive προεστάναι, participle προεστώς (see. below): future perfect προεστήξομαι, see below [Refs]:—aorist passive προεστάθην, see below[Refs]:—come forward, variant for{προσ-} in [Refs 4th c.BC+] __B.2 c.accusative, approach as a suppliant, ἥ σε.. λιπαρεῖ προὔστην χερί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; προστῆναι μέσην τράπεζαν uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.3 with dative, stand so as to face another, σοὶ γὰρ αἴας πολέμιος προὔστη ποτέ [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.4 stand in public, be a prostitute, [Refs 4th c.BC+] __B.II with genitive, to be set over, be at the head of, τῆς Ἑλλάδος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially to be chief or leader of a party, τῶν παράλων, τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. αὐτῶν to be their ringleader, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. χοροῦ, στρατεύματος, [Refs]; π. τῶν πολιτειῶν head the respective parties in the state, [Refs 5th c.BC+] absolutely, οἱ προεστῶτες, _Ionic dialect_ -εῶτες, the leading men, τῶν σκυθέων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι προστάντες [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2 in various relations, govern, direct, οὐκ ὀρθῶς σεωυτοῦ προέστηκας you do not manage yourself well, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐργασίας, τέχνης, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] __B.II.3 stand before so as to guard, οἱ δορυφόροι Μασίστεω προέστησαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, support, succour, πρόστητ᾽ ἀναγκαίας τύχης [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ προστὰς τῆς εἰρήνης the champion of peace, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πάντων προστᾶσα [δύναμις] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τινός to be his protector, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τῆς ἐναντίας π. γνώμης [Refs 2nd c.BC+]were the authors of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. [νόσου] [Refs 5th c.BC+]