Greek word · G4317

προσάγω

prosagō

to bring near

'To lead toward, bring near, present, introduce.' It was used for bringing a petitioner into a ruler's presence and, in the Greek Old Testament, for bringing sacrifices to the altar and bringing priests or Levites near to God. The related noun προσαγωγή means 'access'.

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

What it means

προσ-άγω

[in LXX chiefly for = קָרַב hi., also for נָגַשׁ etc. ;]

1. trans., to bring or lead: with accusative and dative, Acts 16:20; metaphorically, τ. θεῷ, 1 Peter 3:18; before ὧδε, Luke 9:41; pass., with dative, Matthew 18:24 (προσηνέχθη, T); in forensic sense, to summon: Acts 12:6 (προαγαγεῖν, T, WH, mg., R).

2. Intrans., to draw near, approach (Joshua 3:9, Jeremiah 26:3 (Jeremiah 46:3), al.): with dative, Acts 27:27 (WH, προσαχεῖν).†

(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 1 Peter 3:18

Range of meaning

'To lead toward, bring near, present, introduce.' It was used for bringing a petitioner into a ruler's presence and, in the Greek Old Testament, for bringing sacrifices to the altar and bringing priests or Levites near to God. The related noun προσαγωγή means 'access'.

Against the English

'Bring you to God' (BSB, NIV, ESV, WEB, KJV) is correct but can sound vague or merely relational. The Greek carries the picture of being personally escorted into the throne room or sanctuary, a privilege normally restricted.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Exodus 29:4, 8 and Numbers 8:9–10 ('bring the Levites before the LORD'); Leviticus 1:2–3 (bringing offerings). In Persian court practice the 'introducer' (προσαγωγεύς, Xenophon, Cyropaedia) controlled who could approach the king. Paul uses the noun for 'access' to God in Romans 5:2, Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 9:41 προσάγαγε do bring

    “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

    Here: Command, singular, spoken to the father alone. The plural lament turns sharply into a personal instruction, and the frustration ends in action, not in abandonment.

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 16:20 προσαγαγόντες having brought up

    They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

  2. Acts 27:27 προσάγειν to be drawing near

    On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea. About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 3:18 προσαγάγῃ He may bring

    For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,

    Here: To usher someone into a presence. In Greek it was used for presenting a person to a king and, in the Greek Old Testament, for bringing priests or offerings before God. Christ leads the outsiders right up to God.

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