πέριξ
round about
Definition
The Greek particle πέριξ means 'round about' or 'in the surrounding area.' It denotes a spatial relationship, indicating that something is located all around a central point or person. In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 5:16, it describes the crowds from the towns surrounding Jerusalem bringing their sick to be healed by the apostles. The word emphasizes a comprehensive, encircling proximity, not just a vague 'nearby' location.
Biblical Usage
Πέριξ is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 5:16. It appears in a narrative context describing the geographical scope of the apostles' healing ministry. The verse states that people from the cities 'round about' (πέριξ) Jerusalem gathered, bringing the sick. This usage highlights the widespread fame of the apostolic signs and the drawing power of the gospel message from the immediate region encircling the holy city.
Etymology
Πέριξ is derived from the Greek preposition περί (peri, G4012), which means 'around,' 'concerning,' or 'about.' The adverbial suffix -ξ intensifies the sense of 'round about' in a spatial sense. It is an adverb or particle that functions similarly to its root, but with a more specific focus on physical surroundings. Cognates include the adjective περικύκλῳ (perikyklō, G4033), meaning 'in a circle around.'
Semantic Range
In the 1st-century context, Jerusalem was the central religious and cultural hub for Jews. The phrase 'cities round about Jerusalem' (Acts 5:16) would have been understood as referring to the towns and villages in Judea within a day's journey of the city. These surrounding communities were intimately connected to Jerusalem for festivals, commerce, and religious life. The term underscores Jerusalem's centrality, from which the news of the apostles' works radiated outward to the immediately neighboring regions.
κύκλῳ (kyklō, G2945) — means 'in a circle' or 'around,' often with a stronger sense of circular motion or encirclement. πανταχόθεν (pantachothen, G3840) — means 'from all sides' or 'from every quarter,' emphasizing multiple points of origin rather than just the surrounding area.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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