Greek word · G4281

προέρχομαι

proerchomai

to go before

To go forward or onward; to go ahead of someone, in space or time; to precede (BDAG s.v.). It can describe advancing a little (Matt 26:39, Jesus going 'a little farther'), arriving before others (Mark 6:33), or going ahead as an advance party (Luke 1:17; 2 Cor 9:5).

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

προ-έρχομαι

[in LXX: Genesis 33:3, 14 R (עָבַר), Judith 2:19, Sirach 35:10 (Sirach 32:10) al ;]

1. to go forward, go on, advance: before μικρόν, Matthew 26:39 and Mark 14:35 (WH, mg., προσελθών): ῥύμην μίαν (cf. Plat., Rep., i, 328e), Acts 12:10.

2. Of relative position, to go before, precede: with genitive (cl.; Jth, l.with); with accusative of person(s) (not cl.), Luke 22:47 (with genitive, Rec.); before ἐνώπιον, Luke 1:17 (cf. Genesis 33:3).

3. Of time, to go before or in advance: Acts 20:5, 13 (WH, mg., R, mg.), 2 Corinthians 9:5; with accusative of person(s) (= cl. φθάνω), Mark 6:33.†

(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 20:5

Range of meaning

To go forward or onward; to go ahead of someone, in space or time; to precede (BDAG s.v.). It can describe advancing a little (Matt 26:39, Jesus going 'a little farther'), arriving before others (Mark 6:33), or going ahead as an advance party (Luke 1:17; 2 Cor 9:5).

Against the English

English versions agree on 'went ahead / went before.' KJV's 'going before' is literal. WEB's 'had gone ahead' shows clearly that the going came before the waiting.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) and in ordinary Greek for going on ahead of a group. Paul uses it in 2 Cor 9:5 for the brothers sent ahead to Corinth to get the collection ready, which is the same project this journey is connected to.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 26:39 προελθὼν having gone forward

    Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

    Here: "Having gone on ahead": he leaves Peter, James and John behind and goes on alone. He is still close enough that they could hear him, if they stayed awake.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 6:33 προῆλθον went before

    But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.

  2. Mark 14:35 προελθὼν having gone forward

    Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 1:17 προελεύσεται will go forth

    And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

    Here: Future tense: "he will go out ahead". This is the language of a herald or advance party going before a king. It echoes Malachi 3:1, "he will prepare the way before me."

  2. Luke 22:47 προήρχετο was going before

    While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

Acts · 3

  1. Acts 12:10 προῆλθον they went on through

    They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.

  2. Acts 20:5 προελθόντες having gone ahead

    These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.

    Here: 'Having gone on ahead.' The Greek form describes the trip as a finished step that came before the waiting: they made the crossing first, and only then waited. The prefix pro- ('ahead') is what separates their group from Paul's.

  3. Acts 20:13 προελθόντες having gone ahead

    We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had arranged this because he was going there on foot.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:5 προέλθωσιν they may go before

    So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.

    Here: 'Go on ahead': they arrive before Paul and the Macedonians do. This is the first of three 'pro-' (beforehand) words in the verse.

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