This compound verb describes movement toward a person or place, emphasizing the act of approaching or coming near. In classical contexts it could describe going to a location, applying for something, or even pursuing an office, but the New Testament usage is straightforward: physical approach. Mark uses this word when James and John come to Jesus with their ambitious request for positions of honor. The cross-linguistic glosses (Spanish 'se-acercan', French 's'approcher', German 'hinzukommen') all emphasize the spatial movement toward Jesus.