Bible Lexicons

* ἀλλοτρι -επίσκοπος

(Rec. ἀλλοτριοεπ -), -ου , ὁ ,

one who meddles in things alien to his calling: 1 Peter 4:15 (v. ICC, in l; Deiss., BS, 224-4; MM, VGT, s.v.).†

For the formation of this rare word (in NT only 1 Peter 4:15) cf. μελλοέφηβος P Oxy IX. 1202.17 (A.D. 217), δειγματοάρτ (ην ) and χωματοεπιμ (ελητής ) P Lond 1159.37 and .39 (A.D. 145–7) ( = III. p. 113), the former also P Oxy I. 63.8 (ii/iii A.D.) τοὺς δειγματοάρτας καθ᾽ αὑτὸν ἀναπέμψαι πρὸς ζυγοστα [σ ]ίαν , ";send up the inspectors yourself to the examination"; (Edd.). For the meaning of ἀ . Deissmann (BS p. 224) cites a synonymous phrase from BGU II. 531ii. 22 (ii/A.D.) οὔτε εἰμὶ ἄδικος οὔτε ἀ [λ ]λοτρίων ἐπιθυμητής , and see further Zeller Sitzungsberichte der Berliner Akademie, 1893, p. 129 ff., where the word is explained from parallels out of the popular philosophy of the day, e.g. Epict. iii. 22, 97 οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἀλλότρια πολυπραγμονεῖ , ὅταν τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ἐπισκοπῇ , ἀλλὰ τὰ ἴδια . See also ZNTW vii. p. 271 ff., ix. p. 171. On the bearing of the word on the date of 1 Pet, see Jülicher Intr. to the NT, p. 213.