What Does Acts 1:26 Mean in the King James?
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The lot selects Matthias, but the deeper change is that he is counted together with the eleven.
THE MEANING
The verse shows a place becoming clear through both selection and recognition: the lot falls on Matthias, and he is numbered among the apostles. Belonging here has a place in the shared number; it is made visible in the whole.
THE ROOT
συγκατεψηφίσθη
synkatepsēphisthē
GROWS FROM
ψηφ-
psēph-
Pebble; the stem is associated with counting or reckoning by pebbles.
The Greek verb means to count someone together with others. English can make “numbered” sound like a roster entry, while the Greek carries the image of counting Matthias into the group.
ALSO GROWS
psēphos: Pebble; ballot
ψῆφος
This noun shares the pebble stem behind the counting image in “numbered.”
psēphizō: Count, calculate, reckon
ψηφίζω
This related verb uses the same stem for the act of counting.
κλῆρος
klēros
GROWS FROM
κληρ-
klēr-
Lot; an allotted share or portion.
The same Greek noun can mean a lot and an assigned portion, while its word family also names inheritance and heirship. The verse therefore carries both the selection by lot and the image of a place allotted within the larger company.
ALSO GROWS
klēronomia: Inheritance
κληρονομία
This related word names a portion received as an inheritance.
klēronomos: Heir
κληρονόμος
This word names the person who receives an allotted inheritance.
THE PATTERN
A shared whole takes shape as people are assigned or recognized within it.
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.THE THREAD
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?The verb translated “counteth” is ψηφίζω (psēphizō), from the same ψηφ- stem found in Acts’ “was numbered.” Luke uses counting to assess what a building requires; Acts uses the same word family as Matthias is counted into the apostolic company.
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