Greek word · G4843
συμπεριλαμβάνω
symperilambanō
to embrace
Literally 'to take around together'. It means to embrace completely, enfold in one's arms. In other Greek it also means to include or take in alongside something else.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
συν-περι-λαμβάνω (Rec. συμπ-),
1. to enclose (Ezekiel 5:3 (צוּר) *).
2. to embrace: with accusative of person(s), Acts 20:10.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Literally 'to take around together'. It means to embrace completely, enfold in one's arms. In other Greek it also means to include or take in alongside something else.
- Against the English
'Embraced' is accurate. The double prefix (with + around) suggests a full, close wrap of the arms.
- Used elsewhere in the period
It occurs only here in the New Testament. The everyday Greek word for embrace is periplekō or periballō. The rare compound may reflect the vivid detail of an eyewitness: this falls within one of the passages where the narrator says 'we' (Acts 20:5–15).
Where it appears
Acts · 1
-
Acts 20:10 συμπεριλαβὼν having embraced [him]
But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”
Here: Literally 'taking around together', wrapping his arms all the way round the body. This is the only place the word occurs in the New Testament, and it gives a vivid eyewitness picture of Paul holding the boy close.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.