lit. signifies "to draw to oneself;" hence, "to greet, salute, welcome," the ordinary meaning, e.g., in Rom. 16, where it is used 21 times. It also signifies "to bid farewell," e.g., Act 20:1, RV, "took leave of" (AV, "embraced"). A "salutation or farewell" was generally made by embracing and kissing (see Luk 10:4, which indicates the posibility of delay on the journey by frequent salutation). In Heb 11:13 it is said of those who greeted the promises from afar, RV, "greeted," for AV, "embraced." Cp. aspasmos, "a salutation." See GREET, LEAVE (take), SALUTE.
Note: In Act 21:6 the most authentic texts have apaspazomai (apo, and No. 1), "to bid farewell."
<2,,4843, sumperilambano>
lit., "to take around with," (sun, "with" peri, "around," lambano, "to take"), "to embrace," is used in Act 20:10, in connection with Paul's recovery of Eutychus. In the Sept., Ezr 5:3, "to enclose."
