Lexical Summary perichóros: Surrounding region, neighboring area Original Word: περιχωρος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance neighboringFrom peri and chora; around the region, i.e. Circumjacent (as noun, with ge implied vicinity) -- country (round) about, region (that lieth) round about. see GREEK peri see GREEK chora see GREEK ge NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom peri and chóra Definition neighboring NASB Translation country (1), district around (2), surrounding district (6), surrounding region (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4066: περίχωροςπερίχωρος, περίχωρον (περί and χῶρος), lying round about, neighboring (Plutarch, Aelian, Dio Cassius); in the Scriptures ἡ περίχωρος, namely, γῆ, the region round about (which see in B. D.): Matthew 14:35; Mark 1:28; Mark 6:55 (R G L text); Luke 3:3; Luke 4:14, 37; Luke 7:17; Luke 8:37; Acts 14:6 (Genesis 19:17; Deuteronomy 3:13, etc.; τῆς γῆς τῆς περιχώρου, Genesis 19:28, the Alex. manuscript); ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ιορδάνου, Luke 3:3 (Genesis 13:10f; for הַיַּרְדֵּן כִּכַּר, the region of the Jordan (cf. B. D. as above)); by metonymy, for its inhabitants: Matthew 3:5. (τό περίχωρον and τά περίχωρα, Deuteronomy 3:4; 1 Chronicles 5:16; 2 Chronicles 4:17, etc.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope Strong’s Greek 4066 depicts the surrounding district—the belt of villages, fields, and lesser towns encircling a principal locality. In every New Testament appearance the term draws attention to what happens outside the urban center, underscoring how the gospel radiates into the wider neighborhood. Occurrences in Scripture • Matthew 3:5 – Crowds from “Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan” gather to John. Geographical and Cultural Background In first-century Palestine and Asia Minor, a polis stood at the center of commerce, worship, and governance, but most people lived in the agrarian perichōros. Roads and market days allowed news to travel quickly. The term therefore evokes both physical space and social networks: farms, fishing villages, caravan stops, synagogues, and open fields where itinerant preachers could gather large audiences. Role in the Public Ministry of Jesus The Evangelists repeatedly use 4066 to show how Jesus’ words and works overflow municipal boundaries: Relation to the Ministry of John the Baptist John deliberately leaves the religious center and preaches in the wilderness “region around the Jordan” (Luke 3:3). By positioning repentance in the periphery, Scripture spotlights the need for heart change not confined to temple precincts. Those who respond include urban and rural alike, previewing the inclusive reach of the kingdom. Echoes in Apostolic Mission Acts 14:6 extends the pattern. Threatened apostles retreat to Lystra, Derbe, “and the surrounding region,” yet the gospel does not retreat; it advances. Luke thus portrays a centrifugal mission dynamic: persecution in a hub propels witness throughout the hinterlands, fulfilling Acts 1:8. Historical Significance Early Christian writers note flourishing village churches by the late first and early second centuries. The geographic breadth implied by 4066 helps explain how congregations quickly dotted Galilee, Syria, and Asia Minor, providing strategic bases for later evangelistic thrusts and for the collection and preservation of the New Testament writings themselves. Theological Implications 1. Universality: Salvation history never remains cloistered. From the Jordan’s banks to Gentile Lycaonia, God’s redemptive activity targets the nearby and the overlooked. Practical and Pastoral Reflections • Ministry strategy: Local churches should view surrounding neighborhoods—not merely their own address—as their biblical field. Summary Strong’s 4066 traces the outward ripple of gospel activity. Whether heralding repentance, healing the afflicted, or establishing new congregations, the term reminds readers that divine mission naturally moves from the center to the circumference until “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Forms and Transliterations περίχωρα περιχώραν περιχωρον περίχωρον περιχωρος περίχωρος περιχωρου περιχώρου περιχώρους περιχωρω περιχώρω περιχώρῳ perichoro perichōrō perichṓroi perichṓrōi perichoron perichōron períchoron períchōron perichoros perichōros períchoros períchōros perichorou perichōrou perichṓrouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 3:5 Adj-NMSGRK: πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου NAS: and all the district around the Jordan; KJV: and all the region round about Jordan, INT: all the region around of Jordan Matthew 14:35 Adj-AFS Mark 1:28 Adj-AFS Luke 3:3 Adj-AFS Luke 4:14 Adj-GFS Luke 4:37 Adj-GFS Luke 7:17 Adj-DFS Luke 8:37 Adj-GFS Acts 14:6 Adj-AFS Strong's Greek 4066 |
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