Brief Overview of ἀπρόσκοπος (G677: apróskopos)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: apróskopos

Root Words:

• ἀ- (a-): A prefix meaning “without” or “not.”
• πρόσκοπος (próskopos): From προσκόπτω (proskóptō), meaning “to stumble” or “to fall.”

Primary Meanings:

• The term ἀπρόσκοπος means “without stumbling” or “not stumbling.”
• It describes someone who is vigilant, careful, or without cause for stumbling or error.
• Often used to indicate moral or spiritual integrity, meaning free from faults or blameless.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀπρόσκοπος as “without stumbling,” referring to a person who is careful, vigilant, and free from faults. It emphasizes moral and spiritual integrity.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon agrees with BDAG, noting that ἀπρόσκοπος means “without stumbling” or “blameless.” It highlights its use in describing someone who maintains moral or ethical integrity.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary describes ἀπρόσκοπος as “without stumbling” or “blameless,” reinforcing its use in contexts of moral uprightness and vigilance.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): The LSJ lexicon similarly defines ἀπρόσκοπος as “without stumbling” or “not falling,” focusing on the sense of being free from faults or errors.

Strongs Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s Concordance lists ἀπρόσκοπος as “blameless” or “without stumbling,” indicating a state of being free from moral faults.

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Bible Verses:

• 1 Timothy 3:10 (KJV): “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.”
• The term is used here to describe the qualification of being free from fault or reproach in the context of church leadership.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

In classic Greek literature up to 100 AD, ἀπρόσκοπος was used to describe various concepts of moral and physical integrity:

• Plato’s “Republic”: Refers to individuals who are morally vigilant and free from error.
• Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics”: Describes ethical behavior as being free from faults or stumbling, aligned with the notion of ἀπρόσκοπος.
• Demosthenes’ speeches: Uses the term to describe political leaders who are blameless and without reproach.

4. Summary:

The Greek word ἀπρόσκοπος (G677: apróskopos) signifies being “without stumbling” or “blameless.” It is used to describe someone who is morally upright, vigilant, and free from faults or reproach. This term is consistent across various lexicons, reflecting its application to individuals who maintain ethical integrity and avoid moral errors. In classic Greek literature, ἀπρόσκοπος was used to describe both physical and moral integrity, emphasizing a state of being free from faults and errors.