Bible Lexicons

The classical and late Greek meaning of ὁμιλέω, ";converse with,"; which is found in Acts 20:11; Acts 24:26, Daniel 1:19, may be illustrated from the vernacular P Oxy VI. 928.5 (ii/iii A.D.) ὡμείλησας δέ μοί ποτε περὶ τούτου, ";you once had a conversation with me on this subject"; (Edd.). Cf. also the Pelagia-Legenden p. 7.10 προτρεψάμενος αὐτὸν ὁμιλῆσαι τῷ λαῷ, and the use in MGr ᾽δὲν μοῦ ᾽μιλᾷς; ";why dost thou not speak to me?"; (Abbott Songs, p. 108.6). The verb is used in the wider sense of ";associate with"; in PSI II. 120.47 (a collection of apophthegms—iv/A.D.?) πένης ὢν πλουσίοις μὴ ὁμίλει (cf. Hobart, p. 178f.), and of ";busy oneself with"; in OGIS 282.16 (before B.C. 206) θεωρῶ [ν δὲ ] τὸν δῆμον. . . . ὁμιλοῦντα ἐμ Μούσ (αι)[ς δει ]νῶς, ib, 505.7 (A.D. 156) παιδείᾳ τε ὁμιλῶν. ";holding converse with"; (metaphorically). Ἡ ὁμιλουμένη is used of vernacular Greek. The word is a reduced form of *ὁμο -μιλέω by haplology. The original meaning is ";assemble together"; : cf. Lat. milites, meaning ";those who march in a body"; (Boisacq, p. 700). MGr μιλῶ, ";speak.";