My Last Name

Tonight I was reading the Bible and I happened to be in the little book of 1 Peter which is tucked in the back of the New Testament. Now, I am not surprised when I see the word "bishop" in the Bible, since there were leaders in the early church that filled that role. Since, my last name is "Bishop" I also happened to know that the word in the Bible is sometimes translated as "overseer". I was surprised to read in the following verse that the word can refer to God himself.

1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

How do you like that? That sort of blows away the modern image of guys in robes in the Anglican and Roman Catholic church!

FURTHER INFO FOR POCKET-PROTECTOR TYPES

[Middle English, from Old English bisceope, from Vulgar Latin *ebiscopus, from Late Latin episcopus, from Late Greek episkopos, from Greek, overseer : epi-, epi- + skopos, watcher.]

The etymology of the word bishop comes from the Greek word episkopos (επισκοπος), which can be generally translated as bishop, overseer, superintendent, supervisor, or foreman. From the word episkopos are derived the English words episcopacy, episcopate and episcopal.