πλησίον

πλησίον — plēsíon

πλησίον (neuter of the adjective πλησίος, πλησια, πλησίον), adverb, from Homer down, near: with a genitive of place (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 54, 6), Joh 4:5; with the article, ὁ πλησίον namely, ὤν (cf. Buttmann, § 125, 10; Winers Grammar, 24) (the Sept. very often for רֵעַ; sometimes for עָמִית), properly, Latinproximus (so Vulg. in the N. T.), a neighbor; i. e.

a. friend: Mat 5:43.

b. any other person, and where two are concerned the other (thy fellow-man, thy neighbor) i. e., according to the O. T. and Jewish conception, a member of the Hebrew race and commonwealth: Act 7:27; and Rec. in Heb 8:11; according to the teaching of Christ, any other man irrespective of race or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet (which idea is clearly brought out in the parable Luk 10:25-37): Mat 19:19; Mat 22:39; Mar 12:31; Mar 12:33; Luk 10:27; Rom 13:9-10;; Gal 5:14; Eph 4:25; Jas 2:8 and L T Tr WH in; πλησίον εἶναι τίνος, to be near one (one's neighbor), i. e. in a passive sense, worthy to be regarded as a friend and companion, Luk 10:29; actively, to perform the offices of a friend and companion, Luk 10:36; (on the omission of the article in the last two examples see Buttmann, § 129, 11; Winer's Grammar, § 19 at the end).