What Does Philippians 4:21 Mean in the King James?
Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
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 same Greek greeting is sent outward and returned, showing that being set apart in Christ means being held in a people who reach toward one another.
THE MEANING
The greeting reaches you as a present sign of belonging: you are recognized among those set apart in Christ Jesus. The ones called brethren carry that recognition across the space between them, so kinship is something spoken and received.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Being set apart does not mean being set alone; the verse holds each saint within a web of kinship, with recognition flowing both ways.
THE ROOT
Ἀσπάζονται
aspazontai
GROWS FROM
ἀσπάζ
greet, welcome
“greet” in this verse is aspazontai. The verse uses this Greek word family twice: first in the call to salute every saint, then in the greeting sent back. The repeated root makes welcome a shared act that moves in both directions.
ALSO GROWS
aspazomai: to greet, welcome
ἀσπάζομαι
This is the verb’s dictionary form and the root behind both greetings in the verse.
aspasasthe: greet, salute
Ἀσπάσασθε
This is the first greeting in the verse; it shares the verb family and sends welcome toward every saint.
ἅγιον
hagion
GROWS FROM
ἁγ
set apart; belonging to what is sacred
“Saint” carries the sense of being set apart, and the verse places that identity in Christ Jesus. The same word family describes a shared identity, not a private rank.
ALSO GROWS
hagiazō: set apart, sanctify
ἁγιάζω
The verb shows the same root as an action of setting apart, illuminating the identity named by “saint.”
hagiasmos: setting apart, sanctification
ἁγιασμός
This noun carries the same root into the condition of being set apart.
ἀδελφοί
adelphoi
GROWS FROM
δελφ
womb; the kinship image of siblings from one womb
“Brethren” carries more than the sense of companions: its Greek word family preserves an image of sibling kinship. The greeting comes from people named as family, making the reader’s belonging tangible.
ALSO GROWS
delphys: womb
δελφύς
The shared consonants reveal the womb image beneath the Greek word for sibling.
adelphē: sister
ἀδελφή
This related family word uses the same kinship root, showing that the bond named by “brethren” is familial.
THE PATTERN
Life set apart in God becomes visible in a people who recognize one another as kin and carry their welcome across distance.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.THE THREAD
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.The Greek verb ἀσπάζομαι (aspazomai, “greet” or “welcome”) appears in both verses, carrying the same act of welcome in each. Romans repeats it within the verse too: greeting moves among people and then reaches them from the churches.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us