# oversee, overseer

## Definition:

The term “overseer” refers to a person who is in charge of the work and welfare of other people.

* In the Old Testament, an overseer had the job of making sure the workers under him did their work well. 
* In the New Testament, this term is used to describe leaders of the early Christian church. Their work was to take care of the spiritual needs of the church, making sure the believers received accurate biblical teaching.
* Paul refers to an overseer as being like a shepherd who takes care of the believers in a local church, who are his “flock.”
* The overseer, like a shepherd, keeps watch over the flock. He guards and protects the believers from false spiritual teaching and other evil influences.
* In the New Testament, the terms “overseers,” “elders,” and “shepherds/pastors” are different ways of referring to the same spiritual leaders.

## Translation Suggestions

* Other ways to translate this term could be “supervisor” or “caretaker” or “manager.”
* When referring to a leader of a local group of God’s people, this term could be translated with a word or phrase that means “spiritual supervisor” or “someone who takes care of the spiritual needs of a group of believers” or “person who oversees the spiritual needs of the Church.”

(See also: [church](../kt/church.md), [elder](../other/elder.md), [pastor](../kt/pastor.md), [shepherd](../other/shepherd.md))

## Bible References:

* [1 Chronicles 26:31-32](rc://en/tn/help/1ch/26/31)
* [1 Timothy 03:02](rc://en/tn/help/1ti/03/02)
* [Acts 20:28](rc://en/tn/help/act/20/28)
* [Genesis 41:33-34](rc://en/tn/help/gen/41/33)
* [Philippians 01:01](rc://en/tn/help/php/01/01)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H5329, H6485, H6496, H7860, H8104, G1983, G1984, G1985
