κυκλεύω (kukleuō)
kukleuō
to encompass
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb kukleuō describes the act of surrounding or encircling something completely. Derived from the word for circle, it conveys a sense of being enclosed on all sides. In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, creating a sharp visual contrast between two different kinds of confinement.
In John 10:24, Jesus is asked to tell them plainly if He is the Messiah while "surrounded" by people in Solomon’s Colonnade. Here, the crowd presses close, seeking answers, but their proximity does not equate to belief. The physical closeness highlights the spiritual distance between Him and His questioners.
Revelation 20:9 uses the word with far more ominous weight. It describes Satan being "encircled" by fire coming down from heaven after he attacks God’s people. Unlike the curious crowd in John, this surrounding is an act of divine judgment. The image shifts from human curiosity to absolute, inescapable divine power.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word kukleuō paints a vivid picture of being completely enclosed, like a circle drawn tight around an object. It is used in Scripture to describe situations where there is no escape, whether from human pressure or divine action. In John’s Gospel, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd seeking answers, yet their physical closeness reveals a spiritual distance. They are near Him, but not truly with Him.
In Revelation, the same word takes on a heavier tone. Satan and his forces surround God’s people, only to be met with fire from heaven. This shows that while evil may seem to have power or presence, it is ultimately under God’s control. For believers, this means that even when we feel pressed on all sides, we are held within the bounds of His sovereign care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- encircled1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐκύκλευσαν1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 20:9
They went up over the width of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.
This verse uses kukleuō to describe Satan’s final attempt to attack God’s people, highlighting how divine judgment surrounds and stops evil.