1. universally, one who passes, or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything: with the genitive of the object, James 4:11; with the genitive of quality (see διαλογισμός, 1), James 2:4; in a forensic sense, of the one who tries and decides a case (cf. δικαστής, at the end): Matthew 5:25; Luke 12:14 L T Tr WH, 58; (xviii. 2); with the genitive of quality (cf. Buttmann, § 132, 10; Winer's Grammar, § 34, 3b.), τῆς ἀδικίας, Luke 18:6; with the genitive of the object (a thing), an arbiter, Acts 18:15; of a Roman procurator administering justice, Acts 24:10; of God passing judgment on the character and deeds of men, and rewarding accordingly, Hebrews 12:23; James 4:12; also of Christ returning to sit in judgment, Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 5:9; in a peculiar sense, of a person whose conduct is made the standard for judging another and convicting him of wrong: with the genitive of the object (a person), Matthew 12:27; Luke 11:19.

2. like the Hebrew שֹׁפֵט, of the leaders or rulers of the Israelites: Acts 13:20 (Judges 2:16, 18; Ruth 1:1; Sir. 10:1f, 24, etc.).