Bible Dictionaries
Common, Commonly

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

denotes (a) "common, belonging to several" (Lat., communis), said of things had in common, Acts 2:44; 4:32; of faith, Titus 1:4; of salvation, Jude 1:3; it stands in contrast to idios, "one's own;" (b) "ordinary, belonging to the generality, as distinct from what is peculiar to the few;" hence the application to religious practices of Gentiles in contrast with those of Jews; or of the ordinary people in contrast with those of the Pharisees; hence the meaning "unhallowed, profane," Levitically unclean (Lat., profanus), said of hands, Mark 7:2 (AV, "defiled,") RV marg., "common;" of animals, ceremonially unclean, Acts 10:14; 11:8; of a man, Acts 10:28; of meats, Romans 14:14 , "unclean;" of the blood of the covenant, as viewed by an apostate, Hebrews 10:29 , "unholy" (RV, marg., "common"); of everything unfit for the holy city, Revelation 21:27 , RV, "unclean" (marg., "common"). Some mss. have the verb here. See DEFILED, UNCLEAN UNHOLY.

"to make, or count, common," has this meaning in Acts 10:15; 11:9 . See DEFILE , POLLUTE , UNCLEAN.

Notes: (1) Polus, used of number, signifies "many, numerous;" used of space, it signifies "wide, far reaching;" hence, with the article it is said of a multitude as being numerous; it is translated "common" (people) in Mark 12:37 (see the RV , marg.). It does not, however, mean the ordinary folk, but the many folk. See ABUNDANT , GREAT , LONG , MANY , MUCH , PLENTY.

(2) Ochlos denotes "a crowd, a great multitude;" with the article it is translated "the common people," in John 12:9,12 (RV, marg.). See COMPANY , CROWD , MULTITUDE , NUMBER , PEOPLE , PRESS.

(3) Tunchano, "to happen," is used as an adjective in Acts 28:2 , of the kindness shown by the people of Melita to the shipwrecked company; AV, "(no) little;" RV, "(no) common;" the idea suggested by the verb is that which might happen anywhere or at all times; hence, "little, ordinary, or casual." See CHANCE , ENJOY , OBTAIN.

(4) In Matthew 27:27 , what the AV describes as "the common hall," is the praetorium, RV, "palace," the official residence of the Governor of a Province (marg., "praetorium").

(5) In Acts 5:18 , demosios (AV, "common," with reference to the prison) signifies "public," belonging to the people, demos, (RV, "public").

(6) In 1 Corinthians 5:1 , holos, "altogether" (AV, "commonly") means "actually" (RV).

(7) In Matthew 28:15 , diaphemizo, "to spread abroad" (as in the RV), is rendered in the AV, "is commonly reported. See SPREAD , Note (5).