Bible Dictionaries
Follow, Follow After

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

to be an akolouthos, "a follower," or "companion" (from the prefix a, here expressing "union, likeness," and keleuthos, "a way;" hence, "one going in the same way"), is used (a) frequently in the literal sense, e.g., Matthew 4:25; (b) metaphorically, of "discipleship," e.g., Mark 8:34; 9:38; 10:21 . It is used 77 times in the Gospels, of "following" Christ, and only once otherwise, Mark 14:13 .

"to follow up, or out to the end" (ek, "out," used intensively, and No. 1), is used metaphorically, and only by the Apostle Peter in his Second Epistle: in 2 Peter 1:16 , of cunningly devised fables; 2 Peter 2:2 , of lascivious doings; 2 Peter 2:15 , of the way of Balaam. In the Sept., Job 31:9; Is. 56:11; Jeremiah 2:2; Amos 2:4 .

"to follow after, close upon" (epi, "upon," and No. 1). is used of signs "following" the preaching of the Gospel. Mark 16:20; of "following" good works, 1 Timothy 5:10; of sins "following" after those who are guilty of them, 1 Timothy 5:24; of "following" the steps of Christ, 1 Peter 2:21 .

"to follow behind or intently after" (kata, "after," used intensively, and No. 1), is used of the women on their way to Christ's tomb, Luke 23:55; of the demon-possessed maid in Philippi in "following" the missionaries, Acts 16:17 .

lit. signifying "to follow close up, or side by side," hence, "to accompany, to conform to" (para, "beside," and No. 1), is used of signs accompanying "them that believe," Mark 16:17; of tracing the course of facts, Luke 1:3 , RV; of "following" the good doctrine, 1 Timothy 4:6 , RV (AV, "attained"); similarly of "following" teaching so as to practice it, 2 Timothy 3:10 , RV, "didst follow" (AV, "hast fully known"). See ATTAIN , KNOW , TRACE , UNDERSTAND.

"to follow along with, to accompany a leader" (sun, "with," and No. 1), is given its true rendering in the RV of Mark 5:37 , "He suffered no man to follow with Him;" in Mark 14:51 , of the young man who "followed with" Christ (inferior mss. have No. 1 here); Luke 23:49 , of the women who "followed with" Christ from Galilee.

denotes (a) "to drive away," Matthew 23:34; (b) "to pursue without hostility, to follow, follow after," said of righteousness, Romans 9:30; the Law, Romans 9:31; 12:13 , hospitality ("given to") lit., "pursuing" (as one would a calling); the things which make for peace, Romans 14:19; love, 1 Corinthians 14:1; that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:15; righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, 1 Timothy 6:11; righteousness, faith, love, peace, 2 Timothy 2:22; peace and sanctification, Hebrews 12:14; peace, 1 Peter 3:11; (c) "to follow on" (used intransitively), Philippians 3:12,14 , RV, "I press on;" "follow after," is an inadequate meaning. See GIVE , PERSECUTE , PRESS , PURSUE.

"to follow up or closely," with the determination to find (kata, "down," intensive, giving the idea of a hard, persistent search, and No. 7), Mark 1:36 , "followed after (Him)," is said of the disciples in going to find the Lord who had gone into a desert place to pray. The verb is found, e.g., in 1 Samuel 30:22; Psalm 23:6 , and with hostile intent in Genesis 31:36 .

"to become, to come into existence," is used in Revelation 8:17; 11:15,19 , in the sense of taking place after, translated "there followed." See BECOME.

"to come upon," or, of time, "to come on or after" (epi, "upon," and eimi, "to go"), is used in the present participle as an adjective, in reference to a day, in Acts 7:26; 16:11; 20:15; 21:18; a night, Acts 23:11 , RV, "following," in each place (AV, "next").

Notes: (1) In Luke 13:33 , the present participle, Middle Voice, of the verb echo, "to have, to be next," is used with the article, the word hemera, "a day," being understood, signifying "the day following." (2) In John 1:43; 6:22 the adverb epaurion with the article, "on the morrow," is translated "the day following" in the AV. See MORROW. (3) In Acts 21:1 the adverb hexes, in order, next, is translated "the day following" (AV). (4) Mimeomai, "to imitate, be an imitator," is so translated always in the RV, where the AV uses the verb "to follow;" it is always used in a good sense, 2 Thessalonians 3:7,9; Hebrews 13:7; 3 John 1:11 . So with the nouns mimetes, "an imitator," and summimetes, "an imitator together." See IMITATE , IMITATOR. (5) In Matthew 4:19 , deute, "come hither," with opiso, "after," is translated "come ye after," RV (AV, "follow"). (6) In Matthew 27:62 , RV, the phrase eimi meta, "to be after," is translated "(which) is (the day) after" (AV, "that followed"). (7) In 1 Peter 1:11 , the phrase meta tauta, lit., "after these things," is translated "that should follow," said of glories after the sufferings of Christ. (8) In Luke 22:49 , the phrase to esomenon, lit. "the (thing) about to be" (from eimi, "to be"), is translated "what would follow." (9) In Acts 3:24 , the adverb kathexes, "successively, in order," is translated "(them) that followed after," i.e., those who succeeded (him), lit., "the (ones) successively (to him)." Cp. Note (3) above. See AFTERWARD.