πλήσι-ος G4139
Near, close by; substantivally, 'one's neighbor' — a fellow human being toward whom one bears moral obligation.
Originally a spatial adjective meaning 'near' or 'close to,' this word underwent a remarkable theological transformation. In classical Greek it described physical proximity — neighboring fields, nearby towns. But in the Septuagint rendering of Leviticus 19:18 and throughout the NT, ho plesion ('the one nearby') becomes the ethical 'neighbor' — the person toward whom love is commanded (Matt 22:39; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14). Spanish projimo, French prochain, and German Naechster all preserve this shift from spatial nearness to relational nearness. Only in John 4:5, where the Samaritan town lies 'near' a plot of ground, does the original locative sense survive in the NT.
2. sense 2 — Spatial proximity — 'near' or 'close to' a place. The sole NT occurrence of this locative sense is John 4:5, where the Samaritan city of Sychar is described as lying near the parcel of ground Jacob gave to Joseph. Spanish cerca ('near') and English 'near' reflect the straightforward spatial meaning. This usage preserves the word's classical Greek sense and reminds readers that the ethical 'neighbor' concept grew from the simple idea of physical nearness. 1×
AR["قَرِيبَةٍ"]·ben["কাছে"]·DE["Naechster"]·EN["near"]·FR["prochain"]·heb["קָרוֹב"]·HI["निकट"]·ID["dekat"]·IT["prossimo"]·jav["celak"]·KO["가까이"]·PT["perto"]·RU["близ"]·ES["cerca"]·SW["karibu-na"]·TR["yakınında"]·urd["قریب"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. sense 1 — One's neighbor in the ethical and relational sense — a fellow human being toward whom one has moral duties, especially the obligation of love (16 occurrences). This substantival usage dominates the NT, anchored in the double love command (Matt 22:39; Mark 12:31) and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:27-29). Spanish projimo and French prochain both derive from words meaning 'near,' preserving the etymology while carrying the full ethical weight. Paul extends it to the whole of the law: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14). 16×
AR["-القَرِيبَ","-القَرِيبِ","قَريباً","قَريبَ","قَريبَكَ","قَريبِهِ","قَريبِي","قَرِيبَ","قَرِيبَ-كَ","قَرِيبَكَ"]·ben["প্রতিবেশী","প্রতিবেশীকে","প্রতিবেশীর"]·DE["Naechster","πλησίον"]·EN["neighbor"]·FR["prochain"]·heb["הָ-","רֵעֲךָ","רֵעֵהוּ","רֵעֶךָ","רֵעַ"]·HI["पड़ोसी","पड़ोसी-का","पड़ोसी-को","पड़ोसी-से","पदोसि","पदोसि-से","पधोसि"]·ID["sesama","sesamamu","sesamamu?","sesamanya"]·IT["plēsion","prossimo"]·jav["pepadha?","pepadhamu","pepadhang","piyambak.","sasèdèrèk","sesami","tangga","tanggi","tiyang-celak"]·KO["이웃","이웃-을","이웃에게","이웃을","이웃을?","이웃이"]·PT["próximo"]·RU["ближнего","ближнего?","ближний","ближним","не-","пусть-угождает"]·ES["prójimo"]·SW["jirani","yako"]·TR["-o","komsusuna","komşum","komşunu","komşusu","komşuya","komşuyu"]·urd["پڑوسی","پڑوسی-سے","پڑوسی-کو","پڑوسی?","ہمسائے"]
Matt 5:43, Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29, Luke 10:36, Acts 7:27, Rom 13:9, Rom 13:10, Rom 15:2 (+4 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πλήσι-ος, α, ον, Boeotian dialect πλᾱτίος Refs: (πέλας, πελάζω):— near, close to, with genitive, πλησίοι ἀλλήλων variant in Refs 8th c.BC+ __2 with dative, πλησίοι ἀλλήλοισι Refs 8th c.BC+ __3 absolutely, near, neighbouring, πλησίαι αἵ γ᾽ ἥσθην Refs 8th c.BC+: substantive, neighbour, ἰδὼν ἐς π. ἄλλον Refs 8th c.BC+ __II adverb πλησίον, Aeolic dialect πλάσιον [ᾱ] Refs 7th c.BC+; Doric dialect…