episkopos designates a person entrusted with watchful care of a community or, in one verse, of souls.

The term designates a person entrusted with care and accountability: it identifies people connected with a community, describes their responsibility to shepherd a flock, and marks the person whose conduct is specified; 1 Peter 2:25 applies the singular designation to the shepherd of souls.

1. Person entrusted with care of others · dominant

   In Acts 20:28, the plural ἐπισκόπους occurs in the clause where people are made responsible for a flock and are told to shepherd the assembly. In Philippians 1:1, the dative plural ἐπισκόποις identifies a group addressed alongside servants, while 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:7 use the singular ἐπίσκοπον in statements of required conduct. In 1 Peter 2:25, the singular occurs with “the shepherd” in the APB rendering of the one to whom the readers have turned for their souls.

   Acts 20:28Philippians 1:11 Timothy 3:2Titus 1:71 Peter 2:25

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB consistently presents the term with “overseer” or “overseers” across the supplied verses. Its wording confirms the clauses' overall presentation rather than isolating every contribution of the Greek form.