Greek word · G2945

κύκλῳ

kyklō

surrounding

The dative case of kyklos, 'circle', used as an adverb: 'in a circle', 'round about', 'in the surrounding area'.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κύκλος, -ου, ὁ

[in LXX chiefly for סָבִיב ;]

a ring, circle. Dat., κύκλῳ, as adverb., round about, around: Mark 3:34 6:6, 36, Luke 9:12, Romans 15:19; with genitive, Revelation 4:6 5:11 7:11†

(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 Romans 15:19

Range of meaning

The dative case of kyklos, 'circle', used as an adverb: 'in a circle', 'round about', 'in the surrounding area'.

Against the English

KJV 'round about'; YLT 'in a circle'; BSB and NIV 'all the way around'. The first two keep the circle picture. 'All the way around' leans towards the route interpretation.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint kyklō often means 'the surrounding area' (for example, nations 'round about' Israel). In Mark 3:34 and 6:6 it means 'around'. Ancient Jewish geography put Jerusalem at the centre of the nations (Ezekiel 5:5; 38:12; the table of nations in Genesis 10; Jubilees 8–9).

From the study of Mark 3:34

Range of meaning

Kuklō: "in a circle, all around." It is an old form of the noun for "circle" that came to be used as an adverb. Kathēmai: "to be seated, sit," and also the posture of a judge, a king, or a teacher with pupils.

Against the English

Most versions bring out the circle. NLT's "those around him" drops both the circle and the seated posture, and with them the contrast with the relatives "standing outside."

Used elsewhere in the period

Sitting at a teacher's feet was the recognized posture of a pupil: Luke 10:39 (Mary at Jesus' feet), Acts 22:3 (Paul "at the feet of Gamaliel"), and the saying of Yose ben Yoezer in Mishnah Avot 1:4, "sit in the dust of their feet" (of the sages). The Mishnah is a Jewish law collection written down about AD 200, but it preserves older sayings.

Where it appears

Mark · 3

  1. Mark 3:34 κύκλῳ surrounding

    Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!

    Here: An adverb meaning "in a ring." It repeats the "around" idea of the preposition and the verb, so the circle is described three times over. Mark wants the reader to see a closed ring of people with Jesus in the middle and his kin outside it.

  2. Mark 6:6 κύκλῳ around

    And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.

    Here: Literally 'in a circle'. It means either 'the surrounding villages' (those around Nazareth) or that he went 'in a circuit' among them. In practice both come to the same thing: a tour of the local area.

  3. Mark 6:36 κύκλῳ surrounding

    Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 9:12 κύκλῳ surrounding

    As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 15:19 κύκλῳ around

    by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

    Here: A word formed from 'circle'. It means either 'and its surroundings' or, more likely here, 'in an arc': a curved route sweeping from Jerusalem through Syria and Asia Minor round to the Adriatic.

Revelation · 3

  1. Revelation 4:6 κύκλῳ around

    And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.

    Here: Literally "in a ring". The four creatures surround the throne, much as the elders' thrones ring it in v. 4 and the rainbow encircles it in v. 3.

  2. Revelation 5:11 κύκλῳ surrounding

    Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.

    Here: Literally "in a circle". Used as a preposition with the three following nouns: the angels stand in a ring around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, the outermost circle so far.

  3. Revelation 7:11 κύκλῳ around

    And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God,

    Here: Literally 'in a ring'. Used with the genitive it means 'encircling'. The angels form the outermost ring around the throne and around the beings closest to it.

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