What Does Acts 21:18 Mean in the King James?

And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

Acts 21:18 · KJV

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 elders are not merely present: the Greek pictures them arriving alongside the others, making presence a movement into shared company.

THE MEANING

The scene shows shared presence taking shape as Paul comes with his companions to James and the elders arrive there. A gathering comes into being through people entering the same space.

THE ROOT

παρεγένοντο

paregenonto

GROWS FROM

γίνομαι

⁨γίνομαι⁩ (ginomai) means “to become, happen, or come to be.” In ⁨παρεγένοντο⁩, the prefix ⁨παρά⁩ adds the sense of coming alongside or arriving.

The English “were present” sounds static, while the Greek verb carries arrival: the elders have come alongside into the gathering. Presence here is something that comes to be through people arriving together.

ALSO GROWS

genesis: birth, origin, or coming into being

γένεσις

This related ⁨γ-ν⁩ consonantal family makes arrival resonate with coming into being: the gathering takes shape as people come together.

gegonen: has come to be, has happened

γέγονεν

This form shares the ⁨γίνομαι⁩ family and shows becoming as a completed arrival into a state or event.

THE PATTERN

Shared presence takes shape when people gather into one place.

And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

Genesis 49:1 · KJVThe gathering begins with Jacob calling his sons into shared presence.

A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psalm 133:1 · KJVThe verse names the goodness of people dwelling together as one company.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:1 · KJVPeople gathered in one place, and their shared presence forms the scene.

THE THREAD

Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

Acts 10:33 · KJV

“Thou art come” renders ⁨παρεγένου⁩ (paregenou, “you arrived”), from the same ⁨παραγίνομαι⁩ (paraginomai, “come alongside, arrive”) family as this verse’s ⁨παρεγένοντο⁩ (paregenonto, “they arrived”). In both verses, presence emerges through people coming into company.

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