Authority This word, which occurs much more frequently in RV [Note: V Revised Version.] than in AV [Note: V Authorized Version.], in most cases represents the Gr. ἐ ξουσία . It is used of delegated authority in Acts 9:14; Acts 26:10, Acts 26:12; of the authority of an apostle in 2 Corinthians 10:8 and 13:10 (RV [Note: V Revised Version.]); of earthly rulers (‘authorities’) in Titus 3:1 (RV [Note: V Revised Version.]), cf. Luke 12:11; and in RV [Note: V Revised Version.] of Apocalypse is substituted frequently for AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] ‘power’; cf. Revelation 6:8; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 13:4-12; Revelation 17:12 (in 17:13 it replaces AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] ‘strength’). Yet in many places RV [Note: V Revised Version.] still retains ‘power’ as the translation of ἐ ξουσία; cf. Acts 8:19, Colossians 1:13, Romans 13:1-3, Revelation 9:10; Revelation 11:6 etc. In 1 Corinthians 11:10 ἐ ξουσία is used in a peculiar sense (‘for this cause ought the woman to have ἐ ξουσίαν on her head, because of the angels’), where a veil appears to be meant. Here AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] gives ‘power,’ RV [Note: V Revised Version.] ‘ a sign of authority,’ with ‘have authority over’ in the margin.
In several passages ἐ ξουσία is used to designate a created being superior to man, a spiritual potentate, viz. 1 Corinthians 15:24, Ephesians 1:21, Colossians 2:10, and, in the plural, Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 1:16; Colossians 2:15, Colossians 2:1 P 3:22. In 1 Corinthians 15:24 and 1 P 3:22, AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] and RV [Note: V Revised Version.] render ‘authority’ and RV [Note: V Revised Version.] also in Ephesians 1:21, the reason probably being that δύναμις also occurs in these verses for which the word ‘power’ was needed. In the other references the translation is ‘power’ or ‘powers.’ Seeing that ἐ ξουσίαι appear to be a class of angelic beings distinct from δυνάμεις, it would have been conducive to clearness if the word ‘authority’ had been used in all these passages. In Ephesians 6:12 evil principles are obviously referred to (cf. 2:2); in 1 Corinthians 15:24 both good and evil angels may be included (Lightfoot, Col . 3 1879, p. 154). See, further, under Principality, and cf. the preceding article.
In a few places ‘authority’ in AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] represents other Gr. words, viz. Acts 8:27 AV [Note: V Authorized Version.], RV [Note: V Revised Version.], ‘a eunuch of great authority ’ (δυνάστης); 1 Timothy 2:2 AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] ‘for kings and for all that are in authority ’ (ἐ ν ὑ περοχ ῇ), RV [Note: V Revised Version.] ‘in high place’; 1 Timothy 2:12 AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] ‘I suffer not a woman … to usurp authority over the man’ (α ὐ θεντε ῖ ν ἀ νδρός), RV [Note: V Revised Version.] ‘to have dominion over’; Titus 2:15 ‘rebuke (AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] reprove) with all authority ’ (ἐ πιταγ ῆ ς).
W. H. Dundas.