From a (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. To accompany (specially, as a disciple) -- follow, reach.

see GREEK a

1. to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him: Matthew 4:25; Matthew 8:19; Matthew 9:19; Matthew 27:55; Mark 3:7; Mark 5:24 ( Lachmann); (R G); Luke 22:39, 54; Luke 23:27; John 1:37f, 43 (); , etc.; Acts 12:8; Acts 13:43; Acts 21:36; 1 Corinthians 10:4; distinguished from προάγειν in Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9; tropically, τά ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀκολούθει μετ' αὐτῶν, their good deeds will accompany them to the presence of God the judge to be rewarded by him, Revelation 14:13; on the other hand, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Revelation 18:5, but here for ἠκολούθησαν G L T Tr WH have restored ἐκολλήθησαν; (σημεῖα τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἀκολουθήσει ταῦτα, Mark 16:17 Tr WH text (where others παρακολουθέω, which see)). to follow one in time, succeed one: Revelation 14:8f. (Herodian, 1, 14, 12 (6) τά γοῦν ἀκολουθήσαντα, others). Since among the ancients disciples were accustomed to accompany their masters on their walks and journeys — (others derive the usage that follows from the figurative sense of the word directly; cf. e. g. 2 Macc. 8:36 τό ἀκολουθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις; M. Antoninus 1. vii. § 31 ἀκολούθησον θεῷ, and Gataker at the passage), ἀκολουθέω denotes

2. to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple; side with his party, (A. V. follow him): Matthew 4:20, 22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 19:27; Mark 1:18; Mark 8:34; Luke 5:11, 27, etc.; John 8:12 (where Jesus likens himself to a torch which the disciple follows); οὐκ ἀκολούθει ἡμῖν he is not of our band of thy disciples, Mark 9:38 to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in dying also: Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; John 12:26; John 21:22. This verb is not found in the Epistles except in 1 Corinthians 10:4. As in the classics, it is joined mostly with a dative of the object; sometimes with μετά τίνος, Luke 9:49; Revelation 6:8 (Treg. marginal reading dative); ; (so also in Greek writings; cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 353f; (Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 458f)); ὀπίσω τίνος, Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34 (where R L WH Tr marginal reading ἐλθεῖν), Hebrew פְּלֹנִי אַחֲרֵי הָלַך, cf. 1 Kings 19:21; see Winers Grammar, 234 (219); (Buttmann, 172 (150), cf. ἀκολουθέω κατόπιν τίνος, Aristophanes Plutarch, 13. Compare: ἐξακολουθέω, ἐπακολουθέω, κατακολουθέω, παρακολουθέω, συνακολουθέω).