Greek word · G4365

προσπορεύομαι

prosporeuomai

to approach

To come toward or approach someone. In the Septuagint it is also used for drawing near to a superior or to God.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

προσ-πορεύομαι

[in LXX for קָרַב, נָגַשׁ, etc. ;]

to come near, approach: with dative of person(s), Mark 10:35.†

(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 Mark 10:35

Range of meaning

To come toward or approach someone. In the Septuagint it is also used for drawing near to a superior or to God.

Against the English

'Came to' / 'came near to' / 'come up'. All are adequate. The present tense of the Greek ('up come James and John') is usually turned into past tense.

Used elsewhere in the period

Found only here in the New Testament. It is reasonably common in the Septuagint (e.g. Exodus 24:14; Leviticus 21:21 of approaching the altar).

Where it appears

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 10:35 προσπορεύονται come up

    Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

    Here: Present tense used for a past event, which makes the scene vivid ('and up come James and John'). This verb appears only here in the New Testament. Its form suggests a deliberate approach, as if the two had drawn Jesus aside from the group.

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