Embrace

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."

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."