qui bene praesunt presbyteri duplici honore digni habeantur maxime qui laborant in verbo et doctrina
οι καλως προεστωτες πρεσβυτεροι διπλης τιμης αξιουσθωσαν μαλιστα οι κοπιωντες εν λογω και διδασκαλια
or Acts 15:6 συνηχθησαν δε οι αποστολοι και οι πρεσβυτεροι ιδειν περι του λογου τουτου
conveneruntque apostoli et seniores videre de verbo hoc
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
The English word "priest" is derived from the Greek word presbuteros, which is commonly rendered into Bible English as "elder" or "presbyter.
take Acts 20:17-38
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church./ a Mileto autem mittens Ephesum vocavit maiores natu ecclesiae
And 28: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. / adtendite vobis et universo gregi in quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei quam adquisivit sanguine suo
So, the presbuteros (priest in English) were made overseers of the flock, to feed the Church of God..
Not this again. So its commonly rendered into Bible English as elder or presbyter but the Catholics would prefer the word priest so they just use that right? Lets look at the interpretation of presbuteros.
Presbuteros
Definition: elder, usually used as subst.; an elder, a member of the Sanhedrin, an elder of a Christian assembly.
Now lets look at the word used in the New Testament for priest.
Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest (archierea only used for Christ in the New Testament) who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood (hierateuma used for all believers), offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I cant seem to find any reference in the New Testament of any Church leader being referred to as a priest. They are referred to as elders/presbuteros (an elder is the older of two people). The term presbuteros is used 67 times in the New Testament.
Matthew 13
Mark 7
Luke 5
John 1
Acts 18
1 Timothy 4
Titus 1
Hebrews 1
James 1
1 Peter 2
2 John 1
3 John 1
Revelation 12
Now, the Greek word for priest are:
Kaiaphas used for an Israelite High Priest
Hiereus - a priest, one who offers sacrifice to a god (in Jewish and pagan religions; of Christians only met.).
I still havent found a Greek word that means priest applied to the leadership in the New Testament church. I can find the leadership of the Jews and Pagans referred to as priests but not the leadership of the New Testament church.
So, once again, without using entomology could you please find from the New Testament where leadership in the church is called a priest.
Only through entomology which would make all early 1900s people homosexuals. I think not.
Absolutely is not...
ἱερεύς
hiereus
hee-er-yooce'
From G2413; a priest (literally or figuratively): - (high) priest.
πρεσβύτερος
presbuteros
pres-boo'-ter-os
Comparative of πρέσβυς presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specifically an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian presbyter: - elder (-est), old.
hiereus is priest as in Matt. 8:4...
presbuteros is an old man or an elder as in Luke 15:25 and Acts 15:4...
And of course 1Tim. 4:14 shows us what presbytery is...
πρεσβυτέριον
presbuterion
pres-boo-ter'-ee-on
Neuter of a presumed derivative of G4245; the order of elders, that is, (specifically) Israelite Sanhedrim or Christian presbytery: - (estate of) elder (-s), presbytery.
More old men...
At least you are consistant...Consistantly wrong...