Word studies · Greek · Strong's G1849
ἐξουσία · exousía · appears 103 times in the New Testament
In one line: The right to act, given by God.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Matthew 28:18
Exousia is authority — the right to act, delegated and legitimate, as distinct from raw force.
The New Testament uses exousia for the authority of Jesus to teach, forgive and command spirits, for the authority given to His followers, and for civil and spiritual powers. Crowds notice it first in His teaching: He spoke “as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Exousia derives from exestin, “it is permitted,” and so names permitted power — the right or license to do something. Greek had other words for sheer strength; this one is about warrant, which is why it also covers freedom, jurisdiction and legal right.
English blurs power and authority, but the Greek keeps them apart: dynamis is the ability, exousia is the right. Jesus has both, which is why He can command demons and forgive sins — the second is the more scandalous claim, since it requires a right rather than a capacity.
Exousia (G1849) appears 103 times in the New Testament, and in Matthew 28:18 Jesus claims “all authority in heaven and on earth” immediately before sending His disciples out.
Christian mission rests on delegated authority rather than institutional force: the church goes because Christ has the right and has sent it. That same framing limits authority in the church, which is given “for building up and not for tearing down.”
Where you hold authority, ask who gave it and what it is for. Use one piece of it this week to build somebody up rather than to protect your position.
privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence
because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 7:29The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 1:22“I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory, he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.
Luke 4:6But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
John 1:12Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
Acts 1:7Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
Romans 9:21Press and hold authority in any chapter and this study opens on the verse you are reading, with the lexicons, every occurrence and the commentaries beside it. The Bible is free to read.
Scripture quoted from the Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Strong's definitions are public domain. Counts come from The Pillar's own tagged text.