Strong's Lexicon
akoloutheó: To follow, to accompany
Original Word:ἀκολουθέω
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:akoloutheó
Pronunciation:ah-ko-loo-THEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling:(ak-ol-oo-theh'-o)
Definition:To follow, to accompany
Meaning:I accompany, attend, follow.
Word Origin:Derived from the Greek word "akolouthos," meaning "a follower" or "companion."
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries:The Hebrew equivalent often used in similar contexts is הלך (halak), meaning "to walk" or "to go," which also conveys the idea of following a path or way, as seen in passages like Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with God."
Usage:The verb ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheó) primarily means "to follow" or "to accompany." In the New Testament, it is often used in the context of discipleship, where it signifies following Jesus both physically and spiritually. It implies a commitment to adhere to the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus, often involving sacrifice and a change of direction in life.
Cultural and Historical Background:In the first-century Jewish context, following a rabbi or teacher was a common practice. Disciples would leave their homes and occupations to learn from and emulate their teacher. This cultural backdrop highlights the radical nature of Jesus' call to follow Him, as it demanded total allegiance and often counter-cultural decisions. The term also carried connotations of loyalty and dedication, reflecting the relationship between a master and his disciples.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
alpha (as a cop. prefix) and keleuthos (a road, way)
Definitionto follow
NASB Translationfollow (35), followed (36), following (17), follows (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 190: ἀκολουθέωἀκολουθέω,
(ῶ; future
ἀκολουθήσω; imperfect
ἠκολούθουν; 1 aorist
ἠκολούθησα; perfect
ἠκολούθηκα (
Mark 10:28LTTrWH); (from
ἀκόλουθος, and this from a copulative and
κέλευθος road, properly, walking the same road);
1.to follow one who precedes,join him as his attendant, accompany him:Matthew 4:25;Matthew 8:19;Matthew 9:19;Matthew 27:55;Mark 3:7;Mark 5:24 ( Lachmann); (RG);Luke 22:39, 54;Luke 23:27;John 1:37f, 43 ();, etc.;Acts 12:8;Acts 13:43;Acts 21:36;1 Corinthians 10:4; distinguished fromπροάγειν inMatthew 21:9;Mark 11:9; tropically,τάἔργααὐτῶνἀκολούθειμετ'αὐτῶν, their good deeds will accompany them to the presence of God the judge to be rewarded by him,Revelation 14:13; on the other hand,ἠκολούθησαναὐτῆςαἱἁμαρτίαιἄχριτοῦοὐρανοῦ,Revelation 18:5, but here forἠκολούθησανGLTTrWH have restoredἐκολλήθησαν; (σημεῖατοῖςπιστεύσασινἀκολουθήσειταῦτα,Mark 16:17TrWH text (where othersπαρακολουθέω, which see)). to follow onein time, succeed one:Revelation 14:8f. (Herodian, 1, 14, 12 (6)τάγοῦνἀκολουθήσαντα, others). Since among the ancients disciples were accustomed to accompany their masters on their walks and journeys — (others derive the usage that follows from the figurative sense of the word directly; cf. e. g. 2 Macc. 8:36τόἀκολουθεῖντοῖςνόμοις; M.Antoninus 1. vii. § 31ἀκολούθησονθεῷ, and Gataker at the passage),ἀκολουθέω denotes2.to join one as a disciple, become orbe his disciple; side with his party, (A. V.follow him):Matthew 4:20, 22;Matthew 9:9;Matthew 19:27;Mark 1:18;Mark 8:34;Luke 5:11, 27, etc.;John 8:12 (where Jesus likens himself to a torch which the disciple follows);οὐκἀκολούθειἡμῖν he is not of our band of thy disciples,Mark 9:38to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in dying also:Matthew 10:38;Matthew 16:24;John 12:26;John 21:22. This verb is not found in the Epistles except in1 Corinthians 10:4. As in the classics, it is joined mostly with a dative of the object; sometimes withμετάτίνος,Luke 9:49;Revelation 6:8 (Treg. marginal reading dative);; (so also in Greek writings; cf.Lob. ad Phryn., p. 353f; (Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 458f));ὀπίσωτίνος,Matthew 10:38;Mark 8:34 (whereRLWHTr marginal readingἐλθεῖν), Hebrewפְּלֹנִיאַחֲרֵיהָלַך, cf.1 Kings 19:21; seeWiners Grammar, 234 (219); (Buttmann, 172 (150), cf.ἀκολουθέωκατόπιντίνος,AristophanesPlutarch, 13. Compare:ἐξακολουθέω,ἐπακολουθέω,κατακολουθέω,παρακολουθέω,συνακολουθέω).
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
follow, reach.Froma (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. To accompany (specially, as a disciple) -- follow, reach.
see GREEKa
Forms and Transliterations
ακολουθει ακολουθεί ακολούθει ἀκολουθεῖ Ἀκολούθει ακολουθειτω ακολουθείτω ἀκολουθείτω ακολουθησαι ακολουθήσαι ἀκολουθῆσαι ακολουθησαντες ακολουθήσαντές ἀκολουθήσαντές ακολουθησαντων ακολουθησάντων ἀκολουθησάντων ακολουθησατε ακολουθήσατε ἀκολουθήσατε ακολουθησεις ακολουθήσεις ἀκολουθήσεις ακολούθησον ακολουθήσουσι ακολουθησουσιν ἀκολουθήσουσιν ακολουθησω ακολουθήσω ἀκολουθήσω ακολουθήσωσιν ακολουθουντα ακολουθούντα ἀκολουθοῦντα ακολουθουντας ακολουθούντας ἀκολουθοῦντας ακολουθουντες ακολουθούντες ἀκολουθοῦντες ακολουθουντι ακολουθούντι ἀκολουθοῦντι ακολουθουσης ακολουθούσης ἀκολουθούσης ακολουθούσί ακολουθουσιν ακολουθούσιν ἀκολουθοῦσιν ἀκολουθοῦσίν ακολουθων ακολουθών ἀκολουθῶν ακοντίζω ακοντίζων ακοντισταί άκοσμον ακουσιασθείσης ακούσιον ακούσιόν ακουσίων ακουσιως ακουσίως ακουστά ακουστάς ακουστή ακουστήν ακουστόν ακουτιείς ακουτίσαι ακουτίσατε ακούτισόν ακουτιώ ηκολουθει ηκολούθει ἠκολούθει ηκολουθηκαμεν ἠκολουθήκαμέν ηκολουθησαμεν ηκολουθήσαμέν ἠκολουθήσαμέν ηκολουθησαν ηκολούθησαν ἠκολούθησαν ηκολούθησε ηκολουθησεν ηκολούθησεν ἠκολούθησεν ηκολουθουν ηκολούθουν ἠκολούθουν ηκονημένα ηκονημένον ηκόνησαν ηκόντιζε ηκόντιζεν ηκούτισας παρακολουθησει παρακολουθήσει παρἀκολουθήσει akolouthei akoloutheî Akoloúthei akoloutheito akoloutheitō akoloutheíto akoloutheítō akolouthesai akolouthêsai akolouthēsai akolouthē̂sai akolouthesantes akolouthēsantes akolouthḗsantés akolouthesanton akolouthesánton akolouthēsantōn akolouthēsántōn akolouthesate akolouthēsate akolouthḗsate akoloutheseis akolouthēseis akolouthḗseis akoloutheso akolouthēsō akolouthḗso akolouthḗsō akolouthesousin akolouthēsousin akolouthḗsousin akolouthon akolouthôn akolouthōn akolouthō̂n akolouthounta akolouthoûnta akolouthountas akolouthoûntas akolouthountes akolouthoûntes akolouthounti akolouthoûnti akolouthouses akolouthousēs akolouthoúses akolouthoúsēs akolouthousin akolouthoûsin akolouthoûsín ekolouthei ekoloúthei ēkolouthei ēkoloúthei ekolouthekamen ekolouthḗkamén ēkolouthēkamen ēkolouthḗkamén ekolouthesamen ekolouthḗsamén ēkolouthēsamen ēkolouthḗsamén ekolouthesan ekoloúthesan ēkolouthēsan ēkoloúthēsan ekolouthesen ekoloúthesen ēkolouthēsen ēkoloúthēsen ekolouthoun ekoloúthoun ēkolouthoun ēkoloúthoun parakolouthesei parakolouthēsei parakolouthḗseiLinks
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