Greek word · G4345

προσκληρόω

prosklēroō

to join

Built from pros ('to, toward') and klēroō ('assign by lot'), which comes from klēros ('lot, allotted portion, inheritance'). In the active it means 'to allot or assign someone to'. In the passive it means 'to be allotted to', which in practice is 'to attach oneself to, join, side with'.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

προσ-κληρόω, -ῶ

to allot to, assign to by lot; pass. (but perh. as nid., EV, consorted with, so Syr.): Acts 17:4 (for exx., v, Cremer, 749).†

(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 17:4

Range of meaning: Built from pros ('to, toward') and klēroō ('assign by lot'), which comes from klēros ('lot, allotted portion, inheritance'). In the active it means 'to allot or assign someone to'. In the passive it means 'to be allotted to', which in practice is 'to attach oneself to, join, side with'.
Against the English: BSB and WEB have 'joined'. KJV has 'consorted with', which in 1611 meant 'kept company with, associated with'. YLT has 'attached themselves to'. None of these keeps the 'lot' picture. 'Cast in their lot with' or 'threw in their lot with' captures it best.
How it drifted: The KJV's 'consorted' has drifted in modern English. It now usually suggests keeping bad company ('consorting with criminals') or a sexual association, neither of which the Greek implies.
Used elsewhere in the period: This is its only New Testament occurrence. BDAG cites the word in Philo and Plutarch with the sense 'be attached to, become a follower or adherent of'. The root klēros is familiar from the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), where it is used for Israel's allotted inheritance and for the casting of lots.

Where it appears

Acts · 1

Acts 17:4 προσεκληρώθησαν they joined themselves

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

Here: This word appears only here in the New Testament. It is built on klēros, 'lot' or 'allotted share', so it means 'they cast in their lot with' or 'they attached themselves to' Paul and Silas. It describes taking a public side and joining a group, not only holding a private opinion.

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