Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "principal" can be understood in various contexts, including leadership, authority, and foundational truths. The term itself is not frequently used in the Berean Standard Bible , but the underlying themes are prevalent throughout Scripture.
1.
Leadership and Authority: The idea of principal often relates to those in positions of leadership or authority. In the Old Testament, leaders such as kings, judges, and prophets were considered principal figures who guided the people of Israel. For example, King David is a principal figure in the history of Israel, chosen by God to lead His people (
1 Samuel 16:1-13). His leadership is marked by a heart after God, as noted in
Acts 13:22, "After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will do all My will.’"
2.
Wisdom and Understanding: The Book of Proverbs frequently emphasizes the importance of wisdom as a principal thing.
Proverbs 4:7 states, "Wisdom is supreme; therefore acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding." Here, wisdom is portrayed as a foundational principle that should guide one's life and decisions. The pursuit of wisdom is encouraged as a means to live righteously and in accordance with God's will.
3.
Principalities and Powers: In the New Testament, the term "principalities" is used to describe spiritual forces and authorities.
Ephesians 6:12 highlights the spiritual battle believers face: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This passage underscores the reality of spiritual warfare and the need for believers to be equipped with the armor of God.
4.
Foundational Truths: The concept of principal can also refer to foundational truths or doctrines of the Christian faith.
Hebrews 6:1-2 encourages believers to move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God. These foundational principles are essential for spiritual growth and maturity.
5.
Moral and Ethical Principles: The Bible provides numerous moral and ethical principles that serve as a guide for righteous living. The Ten Commandments (
Exodus 20:1-17) are a prime example of God's principal laws given to His people. Jesus further expounds on these principles in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where He teaches about the heart of the law and the importance of internal righteousness.
In summary, while the specific term "principal" may not be frequently used in the BSB, the concept is woven throughout Scripture in various forms, emphasizing leadership, wisdom, spiritual authority, foundational truths, and moral principles. These elements are integral to understanding the biblical worldview and living a life that honors God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case.
2. (a.) of or pertaining to a prince; princely.
3. (n.) A leader, chief, or head; one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence; as, the principal of a faction, a school, a firm, etc.; -- distinguished from a subordinate, abettor, auxiliary, or assistant.
4. (n.) The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, -- as distinguished from an accessory.
5. (n.) A chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, -- as distinguished from a surety.
6. (n.) One who employs another to act for him, -- as distinguished from an agent.
7. (n.) A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous.
8. (n.) A capital sum of money, placed out at interest, due as a debt or used as a fund; -- so called in distinction from interest or profit.
9. (n.) The construction which gives shape and strength to a roof, -- generally a truss of timber or iron, but there are roofs with stone principals. Also, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.
10. (n.) In English organs the chief open metallic stop, an octave above the open diapason. On the manual it is four feet long, on the pedal eight feet. In Germany this term corresponds to the English open diapason.
11. (n.) A heirloom; a mortuary.
12. (n.) The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.
13. (n.) One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned.
14. (n.) A principal or essential point or rule; a principle.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINCIPALprin'-si-pal: Appears in the King James Version as a translation of nine Hebrew words (fewer in the Revised Version (British and American)), in one case (Isaiah 28:25) being used quite wrongly and in2 Kings 25:19 (Jeremiah 52:25);1 Chronicles 24:31 gives a wrong sense (all corrected in the Revised Version (British and American)). In1 Kings 4:5, "principal officer" (the American Standard Revised Version "chief minister") is an arbitrary translation of kohen to avoid "priest" (so the English Revised Version; compare2 Samuel 8:18).
Greek
1851. exoche -- a projection, eminence...principal. From a compound of ek and echo (meaning to stand out); prominence
(figuratively) --
principal. see GREEK ek. see GREEK echo. (exochen) -- 1 Occurrence
...5056. telos -- an end, a toll
... telos Phonetic Spelling: (tel'-os) Short Definition: an end, purpose, tax Definition:
(a) an end, (b) event or issue, (c) theprincipal end, aim, purpose, (d...
2774. kephalaion -- of the head, the main point
... sum. Neuter of a derivative of kephale; aprincipal thing, ie Main point;
specially, an amount (of money) -- sum. see GREEK kephale....
1936. epithesis -- a laying on, an assault
... It is theprincipal means of "ordaining" someone to ministry, but should also be
a regular practice in the church when helping someone confirm (discover) God's...
3379. mepote -- never, lest ever
... Definition: lest at any time, lest, perhaps Definition: lest at any time, lest;
then weakened: whether perhaps, whether at all; in aprincipal clause: perhaps....
5225. huparcho -- to begin, to be ready or at hand, to be
... at hand); expletively, to exist (as copula or subordinate to an adjective, participle,
adverb or preposition, or as an auxiliary to aprincipal (verb) -- after...
4413. protos -- first, chief
... of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: protos Phonetic Spelling: (pro'-tos) Short
Definition: first, before Definition: first, before,principal, most important...
2532. kai -- and, even, also
... 2532 () is never , ie it never means "however" ("but") -- unlike theprincipal
conjunction () in OT Hebrew (G. Archer).]. Word Origin a prim....
Strong's Hebrew
3383. Yarden -- theprincipal river of Pal.... 3382, 3383. Yarden. 3384 . the
principal river of Pal.
... Word Origin from yarad
Definition the
principal river of Pal. NASB Word Usage Jordan (182). Jordan.
...7795. sowrah -- perhaps a row
... 7794, 7795. sowrah. 7795a . perhaps a row. Transliteration: sowrah Phonetic
Spelling: (so-raw') Short Definition:principal.principal...
7225. reshith -- beginning, chief
... 16), first fruits (7), foremost (2). beginning, chiefest, firstfruits, part,
time,principal thing. From the same as ro'sh; the first...
8291. saruq -- vine tendrils or clusters
...principal plant. Passive participle from the same as soreq; a grapevine --principal
plant. See saruq, soreq. see HEBREW soreq. see HEBREW saruq. see HEBREW soreq...
3548. kohen -- priest
... priests (301), priests' (5). chief ruler, own, priest, prince,principal officer.
Active participle of kahan; literally, one officiating...
1. ab -- father
... chief,principal. A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application) -- chief, (fore-)father...
8269. sar -- chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
... 1), rulers (10), taskmasters* (1). chief captain, general, governor, keeper,
lord, taskmaster,principal,. From sarar; a head person...
117. addir -- majestic
... adar; wide or (generally) large; figuratively, powerful -- excellent, famous, gallant,
glorious, goodly, lordly, mighty(- ier one), noble,principal, worthy....
7218. rosh -- head
... things), company, end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,
height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,principal, ruler, sum...
8636. tarbith -- increment, interest, usury
... increase, unjust gain. From rabah; multiplication, ie Percentage or bonus in addition
toprincipal -- increase, unjust gain. see HEBREW rabah. 8635, 8636....
Library
ThePrincipal Works of St. Jerome
ThePrincipal Works of St. Jerome. <. ThePrincipal Works of St. Jerome St.
Jerome. Schaff, Philip (Editor) Table of Contents. Title Page....
Whether These are the FourPrincipal Passions: Joy, Sadness, Hope...
... OF THE ORDER OF THE PASSIONS TO ONE ANOTHER (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether these are
the fourprincipal passions: joy, sadness, hope and fear?...
List of thePrincipal Bishops
... The ECCLESIASTICAL HistorY of Theodoret. Book I. Chapter II."List of the
Principal Bishops. Of the church of Rome at this period...
Of the Sacraments'Principal Effect, which is Grace (Six Articles)
... OF THE SACRAMENTS'PRINCIPAL EFFECT, WHICH IS GRACE (SIX ARTICLES). We have
now to consider the effect of the sacraments. First of...
Of the Third andPrincipal Way by which God Teaches Internal...
... CHAPTER IV. Of the third andprincipal way by which God teaches internal livers?...
1. Of the third andprincipal way by which God teaches internal livers, viz....
Question Twenty-Seven of thePrincipal Act of Charity, which is to...
... Question Twenty-Seven OF THEPRINCIPAL ACT OF CHARITY, WHICH IS TO LOVE.
OF THEPRINCIPAL ACT OF CHARITY, WHICH IS TO LOVE There...
The Matter ofPrincipal Importance
... Chapter XLI. The matter ofprincipal importance. But the matter ofprincipal
importance is to endeavour with all accuracy to make...
Whether any Other virtues Should be CalledPrincipal Rather than...
... OF THE CARDINAL VIRTUES (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether any other virtues should
be calledprincipal rather than these? Objection 1: It...
ThePrincipal Bishops who Flourished at that Time.
... Book V. Chapter III."ThePrincipal Bishops who flourished at that Time.
Now at this time Damasus who had succeeded Liberius then...
Translations. ThePrincipal Latin Versions have Been Referred to...
... Theprincipal Latin versions have been referred to in 1. Of those in foreign
languages it is not easy to procure adequate information. Fialon....
Thesaurus
Principal (28 Occurrences)... 1. (a.) Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable
or important; chief; main; as, the
principal officers of a Government
...Chief (696 Occurrences)
... of men; a commander, as of an army; a head man, as of a tribe, clan, or family;
a person in authority who directs the work of others; theprincipal actor or...
Main (17 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) The chief orprincipal part; the main or most important thing.... 10. (v.)
principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp....
Leader (183 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A performer who leads a band or choir in music; also, in an orchestra, the
principal violinist; the one who plays at the head of the first violins....
Beam (17 Occurrences)
... In 1 Samuel 17:7, it means a weaver's frame orprincipal beam; in Habakkuk 2:11,
a crossbeam or girder; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, a cross-piece or rafter of a house; 1...
Ashtoreth (3 Occurrences)
... The moon goddess of the Phoenicians, representing the passive principle in nature,
theirprincipal female deity; frequently associated with the name of Baal...
Elamites (2 Occurrences)
... The exact position of Saul's forces may be a matter of speculation, but the late
Principal Miller of Madras, who made a special study of the locality (Least of...
Ezranehemiah
... 1. Name: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, by whomsoever written, are properly so
named according to analogy from theprincipal persons mentioned in them....
Ezra-nehemiah
... 1. Name: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, by whomsoever written, are properly so
named according to analogy from theprincipal persons mentioned in them....
Clean (298 Occurrences)
... make shining"; zakh, etc., "bright," "clean" "pure"; naqi, "free from," "exempt";
Taher, "clean," "pure," "empty," "bright" (?) theprincipal root, rendered...
Resources
Summary of the Book of Proverbs - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.orgHow many wives did Abraham have? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Moses in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgPrincipal: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
