Greek word · G1219

δημόσιος

dēmosios

public

From dēmosios, 'belonging to the people, public'. The feminine dative is used as an adverb ('by the public way'): 'publicly, openly, in front of everyone'.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δημόσιος, -α, -ον

(δῆμος), [in LXX: 2Ma.6:10, 3Ma.2:27 4:7 * ;]

belonging to the people, public: Acts 5:18; dative fem. used adverbially (cl.);

(a) at the public expense, by public consent;

(b) publicly: Acts 16:37 18:28 20:20.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 16:37

Range of meaning

From dēmosios, 'belonging to the people, public'. The feminine dative is used as an adverb ('by the public way'): 'publicly, openly, in front of everyone'.

Against the English

KJV says 'openly', and modern versions say 'publicly'. The renderings are accurate. Paired with lathra ('secretly'), the word carries the weight of a matter of honour.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is used as an adverb in Acts 18:28 (Apollos refuting opponents 'publicly') and 20:20 (Paul teaching 'publicly and from house to house'). In Acts 5:18 the same adjective describes the 'public' jail. In Greek and Roman cities, public punishment was a deliberate act of degradation.

From the study of Acts 20:20

Range of meaning

Belonging to the people or the state; public. The dative feminine δημοσίᾳ works as an adverb: 'publicly, in public, openly'.

Against the English

'Publicly' is accurate across translations.

Used elsewhere in the period

Acts 5:18 ('the public jail'), 16:37 ('beaten publicly'), 18:28 (Apollos refuting Jews 'publicly'). It is common in papyri and inscriptions for civic matters.

From the study of Acts 18:28

Range of meaning

As an adjective: belonging to the people or the state, public (e.g. 'the public prison', Acts 5:18). The dative feminine δημοσίᾳ became a fixed adverb: publicly, in public, openly.

Against the English

BSB expands to 'in public debate', which reads the setting into the word, though the setting does support it. KJV '[and that] publickly' and WEB 'publicly' are closer to the single Greek word.

Used elsewhere in the period

Acts 16:37 (Paul and Silas 'beaten publicly'); Acts 20:20 (Paul taught 'publicly and from house to house'). It is common in papyri and literary Greek for things done openly or at public expense.

Where it appears

Acts · 4

  1. Acts 5:18 δημοσίᾳ.¶ public.

    and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

  2. Acts 16:37 δημοσίᾳ publicly

    But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

    Here: In the open, in the forum before the crowd (v.19–22). The public shaming is the first count in Paul's complaint, and it sets up the contrast with 'secretly'.

  3. Acts 18:28 δημοσίᾳ publicly

    For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

    Here: In the open, before others, not privately. It contrasts with the private instruction Apollos himself had just received from Priscilla and Aquila (18:26).

  4. Acts 20:20 δημοσίᾳ publicly

    I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,

    Here: In open, public places. Acts 19:8–10 names them: the synagogue for three months, then the lecture hall of Tyrannus daily for two years.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.