Bible Lexicons

In P Petr III. 73.9 we hear of a shop—οὗ [ἐ ]πίσημον Ν ̄, ";on which is the number 50"; (Edd.) : cf. BGU IV. 1132.10 (B.C. 16) γύου ς ̄ ἐπισήμου, ";a district with the number 6, "; and Syll 588.3 (c. B.C. 180) δακτύλιον. . ἔχοντα ἐπίσημον Ἀπόλλωνα. The adj. is common in connexion with money, e.g. P Ryl II. 160(c)ii. 18 (A.D. 32) ἔχο (l. ἔχω) τὰς τοῦ ἀργυρίου ἐπισήμου καιφαλέον (l.—αίου) νομίσματο ̣ς ̣ δραχμὰς ἑκατόν, ";I have received the capital sum of 100 drachmae of coined silver"; (Edd.), ib. 154.5 (A.D. 66), P Hamb I. 2.14 (A.D. 59) ἀργύριον ἐπίσημον δόκιμον ἀρεστὸν ἀνυπόλογον παντὸς ὑπ [ο ]λόγου, P Tebt II. 392.23 (A.D. 134–5). For the metaphorical use, which alone is found in the NT, cf. Michel 544.25 (B.C. 114) ἐπίσημον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ [ἀρετ ]ὴν κατέστησεν, BGU IV. 1086 ii. 4 (A.D. 160 or 183 or 215) ταύτης μου [τῆς ἐπιστ ]ολῆς τὸ ἀντίγραφον δημοσίᾳ ἔν τε [ταῖς μητροπόλεσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ] ἐπισήμοις τ [ῶν νο ]μῶν τόποις προθεῖναι φροντίσατε, and P Ryl II. 153.5 (A.D. 138–61), a will in which the testator makes provision for a ceremony to be performed at his grave—ἐ ̣ν ̣ ταῖς ἐπ ̣[ισ ]η ̣μοις τοῦ ὄρους ἡμέραις, ";on the high days of the cemeteries"; (Edd.); similarly the Will of Abraham, Bishop of Hermonthis, about the end of vi/A.D., P Lond 77.58 (= I. p. 234, Chrest. II. p. 372), where reference is made to τὰς τοῦ θανάτου ἐπισήμους ἡμέρας in connexion with the rites accompanying mummification and interment, see P Lips I. 30 Intr., and cf. LXX Esther 5:4, Est. 8:18 [MT. Esther 8:17]. In MGr ἐπίσημος = ";official.";