What Does Matthew 10:7 Mean?
And as you go, proclaim, saying, The governance of the heavens has drawn near.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.THE KEY
As you go, heaven’s governance is already drawing near, and announcing that nearness is itself the message.
THE MEANING
This speaks into your movement now: heaven’s governance has drawn near and remains within reach. Its nearness goes with you into the places you enter.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the belief that God’s reign can only be near in a distant spiritual place or future moment.
THE ROOT
βασιλεία
basileia
GROWS FROM
βασιλευ-
basileu-
to reign; kingly rule
“governance of the heavens” in this verse is basileia. This word names kingly rule, so the phrase opens as heaven’s governance drawing near. Its sense includes the reign itself and the realm shaped by that reign.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: king
βασιλεύς
The king is the one who exercises the rule named by βασιλεία.
basileuō: to reign
βασιλεύω
This verb makes the active ruling within “kingdom” visible.
basilikos: royal; kingly
βασιλικός
It describes what belongs to the king’s rule and clarifies the character of heaven’s governance.
ἤγγικεν
ēngiken
GROWS FROM
ἐγγίζω
engizō
to draw near; approach
“has drawn near” in this verse is ēngiken. The verb is in the perfect tense: the approach has happened, and its result continues. “At hand” holds arrival and present nearness together, heaven’s governance is already within reach.
ALSO GROWS
engys: near
ἐγγύς
This adjective carries the closeness already present in the announcement.
engizei: draws near
ἐγγίζει
This present form shows the movement toward nearness that the verse presents as having taken place.
κηρύσσετε
kēryssete
GROWS FROM
κηρύσσω
kēryssō
to proclaim as a herald
“proclaim” in this verse is kēryssete. The verb belongs to the language of heralding: the message is publicly declared. The announcement gives voice to the reign’s nearness as you go.
ALSO GROWS
kēryx: herald
κῆρυξ
The herald is the public messenger at the heart of the verb’s image.
kērygma: proclamation
κήρυγμα
This noun names the announced message, here the nearness of heaven’s governance.
THE PATTERN
God’s active governance reaches people through a message that names its rule as present and near.
The LORD sets his throne firm in the heavens, and his governance rules over all.And heal those without strength who are there, and say to them, The governance of God has drawn near to you.And saying, Turn, for the governance of the heavens has drawn near.THE THREAD
And heal those without strength who are there, and say to them, The governance of God has drawn near to you.Luke uses the same Greek verb for “is come nigh” as Matthew uses for “is at hand”: ἤγγικεν, “has drawn near.” Here that nearness is spoken to people where they are, alongside healing.
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