"august, reverent," the masculine gender of an adjective (from sebas, "reverential awe"), became used as the title of the Roman emperor, Act 25:21, Act 25:25, RV, for AV, "Augustus;" then, taking its name from the emperor, it became a title of honor applied to certain legions or cohorts or battalions, marked for their valor, Act 27:1. Cp. sebazomai, "to worship," Rom 1:25; sebasma, "an object of worship," Act 17:23, 2Th 2:4.