Original Word: ἀκολουθέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: akoloutheó
Pronunciation: ah-ko-loo-THEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-ol-oo-theh'-o)
Definition: To follow, to accompany
Meaning: I accompany, attend, follow.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word "akolouthos," meaning "a follower" or "companion."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in similar contexts is הלך (halak), meaning "to walk" or "to go," which also conveys the idea of following a path or way, as seen in passages like Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with God."

Usage: The verb ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheó) primarily means "to follow" or "to accompany." In the New Testament, it is often used in the context of discipleship, where it signifies following Jesus both physically and spiritually. It implies a commitment to adhere to the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus, often involving sacrifice and a change of direction in life.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the first-century Jewish context, following a rabbi or teacher was a common practice. Disciples would leave their homes and occupations to learn from and emulate their teacher. This cultural backdrop highlights the radical nature of Jesus' call to follow Him, as it demanded total allegiance and often counter-cultural decisions. The term also carried connotations of loyalty and dedication, reflecting the relationship between a master and his disciples.

Word Origin
from alpha (as a cop. prefix) and keleuthos (a road, way)
Definition
to follow
NASB Translation
follow (35), followed (36), following (17), follows (1).

STRONGS NT 190: ἀκολουθέω

ἀκολουθέω, (ῶ; future ἀκολουθήσω; imperfect ἠκολούθουν; 1 aorist ἠκολούθησα; perfect ἠκολούθηκα (Mark 10:28 L T Tr WH); (from ἀκόλουθος, and this from a copulative and κέλευθος road, properly, walking the same road);

1. to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him: Matthew 4:25; Matthew 8:19; Matthew 9:19; Matthew 27:55; Mark 3:7; Mark 5:24 ( Lachmann); (R G); Luke 22:39, 54; Luke 23:27; John 1:37f, 43 (); , etc.; Acts 12:8; Acts 13:43; Acts 21:36; 1 Corinthians 10:4; distinguished from προάγειν in Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9; tropically, τά ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀκολούθει μετ' αὐτῶν, their good deeds will accompany them to the presence of God the judge to be rewarded by him, Revelation 14:13; on the other hand, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Revelation 18:5, but here for ἠκολούθησαν G L T Tr WH have restored ἐκολλήθησαν; (σημεῖα τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἀκολουθήσει ταῦτα, Mark 16:17 Tr WH text (where others παρακολουθέω, which see)). to follow one in time, succeed one: Revelation 14:8f. (Herodian, 1, 14, 12 (6) τά γοῦν ἀκολουθήσαντα, others). Since among the ancients disciples were accustomed to accompany their masters on their walks and journeys — (others derive the usage that follows from the figurative sense of the word directly; cf. e. g. 2 Macc. 8:36 τό ἀκολουθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις; M. Antoninus 1. vii. § 31 ἀκολούθησον θεῷ, and Gataker at the passage), ἀκολουθέω denotes

2. to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple; side with his party, (A. V. follow him): Matthew 4:20, 22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 19:27; Mark 1:18; Mark 8:34; Luke 5:11, 27, etc.; John 8:12 (where Jesus likens himself to a torch which the disciple follows); οὐκ ἀκολούθει ἡμῖν he is not of our band of thy disciples, Mark 9:38 to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in dying also: Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; John 12:26; John 21:22. This verb is not found in the Epistles except in 1 Corinthians 10:4. As in the classics, it is joined mostly with a dative of the object; sometimes with μετά τίνος, Luke 9:49; Revelation 6:8 (Treg. marginal reading dative); ; (so also in Greek writings; cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 353f; (Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 458f)); ὀπίσω τίνος, Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34 (where R L WH Tr marginal reading ἐλθεῖν), Hebrew פְּלֹנִי אַחֲרֵי הָלַך, cf. 1 Kings 19:21; see Winers Grammar, 234 (219); (Buttmann, 172 (150), cf. ἀκολουθέω κατόπιν τίνος, Aristophanes Plutarch, 13. Compare: ἐξακολουθέω, ἐπακολουθέω, κατακολουθέω, παρακολουθέω, συνακολουθέω).

follow, reach.

From a (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. To accompany (specially, as a disciple) -- follow, reach.

see GREEK a

ακολουθει ακολουθεί ακολούθει ἀκολουθεῖ Ἀκολούθει ακολουθειτω ακολουθείτω ἀκολουθείτω ακολουθησαι ακολουθήσαι ἀκολουθῆσαι ακολουθησαντες ακολουθήσαντές ἀκολουθήσαντές ακολουθησαντων ακολουθησάντων ἀκολουθησάντων ακολουθησατε ακολουθήσατε ἀκολουθήσατε ακολουθησεις ακολουθήσεις ἀκολουθήσεις ακολούθησον ακολουθήσουσι ακολουθησουσιν ἀκολουθήσουσιν ακολουθησω ακολουθήσω ἀκολουθήσω ακολουθήσωσιν ακολουθουντα ακολουθούντα ἀκολουθοῦντα ακολουθουντας ακολουθούντας ἀκολουθοῦντας ακολουθουντες ακολουθούντες ἀκολουθοῦντες ακολουθουντι ακολουθούντι ἀκολουθοῦντι ακολουθουσης ακολουθούσης ἀκολουθούσης ακολουθούσί ακολουθουσιν ακολουθούσιν ἀκολουθοῦσιν ἀκολουθοῦσίν ακολουθων ακολουθών ἀκολουθῶν ακοντίζω ακοντίζων ακοντισταί άκοσμον ακουσιασθείσης ακούσιον ακούσιόν ακουσίων ακουσιως ακουσίως ακουστά ακουστάς ακουστή ακουστήν ακουστόν ακουτιείς ακουτίσαι ακουτίσατε ακούτισόν ακουτιώ ηκολουθει ηκολούθει ἠκολούθει ηκολουθηκαμεν ἠκολουθήκαμέν ηκολουθησαμεν ηκολουθήσαμέν ἠκολουθήσαμέν ηκολουθησαν ηκολούθησαν ἠκολούθησαν ηκολούθησε ηκολουθησεν ηκολούθησεν ἠκολούθησεν ηκολουθουν ηκολούθουν ἠκολούθουν ηκονημένα ηκονημένον ηκόνησαν ηκόντιζε ηκόντιζεν ηκούτισας παρακολουθησει παρακολουθήσει παρἀκολουθήσει akolouthei akoloutheî Akoloúthei akoloutheito akoloutheitō akoloutheíto akoloutheítō akolouthesai akolouthêsai akolouthēsai akolouthē̂sai akolouthesantes akolouthēsantes akolouthḗsantés akolouthesanton akolouthesánton akolouthēsantōn akolouthēsántōn akolouthesate akolouthēsate akolouthḗsate akoloutheseis akolouthēseis akolouthḗseis akoloutheso akolouthēsō akolouthḗso akolouthḗsō akolouthesousin akolouthēsousin akolouthḗsousin akolouthon akolouthôn akolouthōn akolouthō̂n akolouthounta akolouthoûnta akolouthountas akolouthoûntas akolouthountes akolouthoûntes akolouthounti akolouthoûnti akolouthouses akolouthousēs akolouthoúses akolouthoúsēs akolouthousin akolouthoûsin akolouthoûsín ekolouthei ekoloúthei ēkolouthei ēkoloúthei ekolouthekamen ekolouthḗkamén ēkolouthēkamen ēkolouthḗkamén ekolouthesamen ekolouthḗsamén ēkolouthēsamen ēkolouthḗsamén ekolouthesan ekoloúthesan ēkolouthēsan ēkoloúthēsan ekolouthesen ekoloúthesen ēkolouthēsen ēkoloúthēsen ekolouthoun ekoloúthoun ēkolouthoun ēkoloúthoun parakolouthesei parakolouthēsei parakolouthḗseiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts