προχειρίζω

From the study of Acts 26:16

Range of meaning

Literally 'to take into one's hand beforehand' or 'put forward'. In use it means to choose, select or designate someone for a task or office. In Hellenistic Greek it is common for appointing officials, envoys or military officers.

Against the English

'Appoint' (BSB, WEB, YLT) is right. KJV's 'make thee a minister' loses the sense of formal designation. The prefix 'pro-' here means 'forward' or 'at hand' more than 'before in time', so the word does not by itself carry the idea of predestination.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Exodus 4:13: Moses begs, 'Appoint [procheirisai] someone else who is able, whom you will send.' LXX Joshua 3:12 (choosing twelve men). In Acts it appears three times only: 3:20 (the Messiah 'appointed for you'), 22:14 (Ananias: 'the God of our fathers appointed you to know his will'), and here. Polybius and other Hellenistic writers use it for appointing commanders and officials.

From the study of Acts 22:14

Range of meaning

Built from pro (before, forward) and cheir (hand). The basic idea is 'to put something ready at hand', and from there 'to select, designate, appoint someone for a task'. In ordinary Greek it is used for picking officials, envoys or soldiers for a particular job. BDAG gives 'choose for oneself, select, appoint'.

Against the English

BSB, WEB and ESV have 'appointed'. KJV and NIV have 'chosen'. YLT has 'did choose thee beforehand', which presses the pro- into a time sense ('ahead of time'). In normal usage the pro- does not reliably carry that meaning. 'Appoint/designate' is the safest reading.

How it drifted

Readers who see 'beforehand' (YLT) or come to the verse with a doctrine of eternal predestination may hear a statement about a decree before creation. The word itself speaks of designation for a job, not of an eternal decree. Whether God planned it long before is a separate question the word does not settle.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), Moses at the burning bush says to God, 'appoint (procheirisai) someone else who is able, whom you will send' (Exod 4:13). That is also a calling scene and also uses 'God of the fathers' language. Compare Josh 3:12 (choose twelve men) and 2 Macc 3:7 and 8:9 (choosing an official or commander). In the New Testament it appears only in Luke's writings: Acts 3:20 (the Messiah 'appointed' for you), 22:14, and 26:16, where the risen Jesus says 'to appoint you as a servant and witness'.