Bible Dictionaries
Multitude

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

is used frequently in the four Gospels and the Acts; elsewhere only in Revelation 7:9; 17:15; 19:1,6; it denotes (a) "a crowd or multitude of persons, a throng," e.g., Matthew 14:14,15; 15:33; often in the plural, e.g., Matthew 4:25; 5:1; with polus, "much" or "great," it signifies "a great multitude," e.g., Matthew 20:29 , or "the common people," Mark 12:37 , perhaps preferably "the mass of the people." Field supports the meaning in the text, but either rendering is suitable. The mass of the people was attracted to Him (for the statement "heard Him gladly" cp. what is said in Mark 6:20 of Herod Antipas concerning John the Baptist); in John 12:9 , "the common people," RV, stands in contrast with their leaders (ver. 10); Acts 24:12 , RV, "crowd;" (b) "the populace, an unorganized multitude," in contrast to demos, "the people as a body politic," e.g., Matthew 14:5; 21:26; John 7:12 (2nd part); (c) in a more general sense, "a multitude or company," e.g., Luke 6:17 , RV, "a (great) multitude (of His disciples)," AV, "the company;" Acts 1:15 , "a multitude (of persons)," RV, AV, "the number (of names);" Acts 24:18 , RV, "crowd" (AV, "multitude"). See COMPANY , No. 1, NUMBER.

lit., "a fullness," hence, "a large company, a multitude," is used (a) of things: of fish, Luke 5:6; John 21:6; of sticks ("bundle"), Acts 28:3; of stars and of sand, Hebrews 11:12; of sins, James 5:20; 1 Peter 4:8; (b) of persons, (1) a "multitude:" of people, e.g., Mark 3:7,8; Luke 6:17; John 5:3; Acts 14:1; of angels, Luke 2:13; (2) with the article, the whole number, the "multitude," the populace, e.g., Luke 1:10; 8:37; Acts 5:16; 19:9; 23:7; a particular company, e.g., of disciples, Luke 19:37; Acts 4:32; 6:2,5; 15:30; of elders, priests, and scribes, Acts 23:7; of the Apostles and the elders of the Church in Jerusalem, Acts 15:12 . See ASSEMBLY , No. 3. BUNDLE, No. 2, COMPANY, No. 5.

Note: In Luke 12:1 , AV, the phrase, lit., "the myriads of the multitude" is translated "an innumerable multitude of people" (where "people" translates No. 1, above), RV, "the many thousands of the multitude" (where "multitude" translates No. 1).