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Let’s go back to the basics (you know, like how I proved that you need to learn that the English word Priest is derived from Presbuteros — btw, you never acknowledge each time you are so utterly wrong?

The key word is "derived" as it cannot be said that it literally means the same thing, and while it can be said that the English word priest is etymologically derived from presbyteros, yet that this is a misleading and invalid argument for justifying making "priest" the formal title for NT pastors.

The fact is that out of 150 times in which hiereus (priest) occurs in the NT, not one time does the Holy Spirit ever use hiereus to refer to a or the pastors of the NT church (except by way of inclusion as part of the "royal priesthood" of all believers in 1Pt. 2:19), much less for their formal title.

Technically "presbyteros" could not be semantically translated into the English words senior or elder without losing the meaning Rome assigns them in support of their sacramental function as sacerdotal Eucharistic minsters.

And as a Catholic source (R. J. Grigaitis O.F.S.) - while trying to defend the use of priest - states:

"The Greek word for this office is ‘ιερευς (hiereus), which can be literally translated into Latin as sacerdos. First century Christians [such as the inspired writers] felt that their special type of hiereus (sacerdos) was so removed from the original that they gave it a new name, presbuteros (presbyter). Unfortunately, sacerdos didn't evolve into an English word, but the word priest took on its definition." http://grigaitis.net/weekly/2007/2007-04-27.html

The KJV has it right in using "elder" in such places as Titus 1:5. But Rome used presbuteros for the Latin sacerdos (sacred), which, as even on a Catholic forum it is acknowledged,

is the semantical equivalent of the Greek word "hiereus," but which has no semantical equivalent in a number of modern languages, such as German, French, and English. The reason for this is that the word presbyteros TOOK ON THE MEANING [caps mine] of sacerdos by the very nature of Christ's explication of the presbyterate, to preside at the celebration of the Eucharist." ...This is the case with the English word priest, which is derived from the Latin word presbyter, and has no lingual or morphological relationship with the Latin word sacerdos, but only an inherited semantical relationship.- http://catholicforum.fisheaters.com/index.php?topic=744379.0;wap2

Thus priest etymologically became (though Rome's use based on imposed functional equivalence) derived from presbyter, though literally it means elder/senior, and is used that way in neutral and non-religious contexts as well.

And all believers offer sacrifices, and while ordination is a specific function of presbyters, the restriction observed by the absolute absence of any distinctive use of hiereus to refer to the presbyters testifies to the distinction being made btwn covenants, and unique sacerdotal function, contra Rome.

Finally, that "priest" being derived from presbuteros (senior) refers to a derivation based on functional equivalence as a consequence of Rome's developing Eucharistic theology has been established: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2966953/posts?page=603#603 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2966953/posts?page=4809#4809 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2966953/posts?page=4756#4756 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2966953/posts?page=4779#4779

Which should be read first to prevent redundancy.