Lexical Definition

‎ἀρχή‎ archḗ (ar-khay') beginning ^G:N-F
from ‎ἄρχομαι‎

beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.

• (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)

Abbott-Smith

ἀρχή, -ῆς, ἡ, [in LXX for קֶדֶם, רֹאשׁ, רֵאשִׁית, etc.;]
1. beginning, origin;
(a) absol., of the beginning of all things: of God as the Eternal, the First Cause, Re 21:6 (cf. 1:8); similarly, of Christ, Re 22:13; of Christ as the uncreated principle, the active cause of creation, Re 3:14; in his relation to the Church, Col 1:18; ἐν ἀ., Jo 1:1, 2; ἀπ᾽ ἀ. (and ἀπ᾽ ἀ. κτισεως), Mt 19:4, 8 24:21, Mk 10:6 13:19, Jo 8:44, II Th 2:13, II Pe 3:4, I Jo 1:1 2:13, 14 3:8; κατ’ ἀρχάς, He 1:10;
(b) relatively: He 7:3; ἀ. ὠδίνων, Mt 24:8, Mk 13:9; τ. σημείων, Jo 2:11; τ. ὑποστάσεως, He 3:14; τ. λογίων, He 5:12; ὁ τ. ἀρχῆς τ. Χριστοῦ λόγος, the account of the beginning, the elementary view of Christ, He 6:1; ἀρχὴν λαμβάνειν, to begin, He 2:3; ἐξ ἀ., Jo 6:64 16:4; ἀπ’ ἀ., Lk 1:2, Jo 15:27, I Jo 2:7, 24 3:11, II Jo 5, 6; ἐν ἀ., Ac 11:15 26:4, Phl 4:15; τὴν ἀρχήν, adverbially, at all (Hdt., al.; v MM, s.v.): Jo 8:25.
2. an extremity, a corner: Ac 10:11 11:5.
3. sovereignty, principality, rule (cf. DB, i, 616 f.): Lk 12:11 20:20, Ro 8:38, I Co 15:24, Eph 1:21 3:10 6:12, Col 1:16 2:10, 15, Tit 3:1, Ju 6 (Cremer, 113).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἀρχή, ἡ,

(see. ἄρχω) beginning, origin, νείκεος ἀ.[Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to τέλος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to τελευτή, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἀρχὴν ὑποθέσθαι lay a foundation, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (and passive, ἀρχαὶ βέβληνται[Refs 5th c.BC+]; source of action, [ὁ ἄνθρωπος] ἔχει ἀρχὴν ἐλευθέραν[Refs 3rd c.AD+]

__b with Preps. in adverbial usages, ἐξ ἀρχῆς from the beginning, from the first, from of old, [Refs 8th c.BC+]anew, afresh, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ ἐξ ἀ. λόγος the original argument, [Refs]; τὰ ἐξ ἀ. the principal sum, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατ᾽ ἀρχάς in the beginning, at first, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__c accusative ἀρχήν, absolutely, to begin with, at first, [ἀρχήν 5th-6th c.BC: Andocides Orator 3.20: \_plural\_, τὰς ἀρχάς 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 16.22.8">Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently followed by a negative, not at all, ἀρχὴν μηδὲ λαβών[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 first principle, element, first so used by Anaximander, accusative to [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of ὕλη and θεός, opposed to στοιχεῖα, [Refs]; practical principle of conduct, τῶν πράξεων τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ὑποθέσεις[Refs 4th c.BC+]; principles of knowledge, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3 end, corner, of a bandage, rope, sheet, etc., [NT+5th c.BC+]; of a compound pulley, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__4 in Mathematics texts, origin of a curve, τῆς ἕλικος[Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__5 branch of a river, [LXX]
__6 sum, total,[LXX]
__7 vital organs of the body, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II first place or power, sovereignty (not in [Refs 8th c.BC+] of a stroke of fortune, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. τῶν νεῶν, τῆς θαλάσσης, power over them, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; method of government, οὐδὲ τὴν ἄλλην ἀ. ἐπαχθής[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 empire, realm, Κύρου, Περδίκκου ἀ., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 magistracy, office, ἀρχὴν ἄρχειν, παραλαμβάνειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀ. καθίστασθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς τὴν ἀ. εἰσιέναι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀ. λαχεῖν to obtain an office, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. χειροτονητή, κληρωτή, Legal cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; term of office, ἀρχῆς λοιποὶ αὐτῷ δύο μῆνες[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 in plural, αἱ ἀρχαί the authorities, the magistrates, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ταῖς ἀ. εἶναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ ἀρχή collectively, 'the board', [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ἡ ἀ., of a single magistrate, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; κατ᾽ ἀρχῆς γὰρ φιλαίτιος λεώς against authority, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.5 command, i.e. body of troops, [LXX]
__II.6 plural, heavenly powers, [NT+5th c.AD+]; powers of evil, [NT]
__III ={εἶδος μελίσσης ἀκέντρου}, [Refs 5th c.AD+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Acts.10.11 ☩ LXX.Gen.2.10 ☩ LXX.Num.1.2 ☩ LXX.1Kgs.13.17* ☩ Rom.8.38 ☩ Eph.6.12}