Quick Definition
προσκαρτερέω v. I persist
Strong's Definition
from 4314 and 2594; to be earnest towards, i.e. (to a thing) to persevere, be constantly diligent, or (in a place) to attend assiduously all the exercises, or (to a person) to adhere closely to (as a servitor)
KJV Usage: attend (give self) continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | καρτερέω
68.68 · Aspect · Do Intensely or Extensively
to devote oneself to, to keep on, to persist in to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty
ACT 1:14 · ACT 2:42 · ACT 2:46 · ACT 6:4 · ROM 12:12 · ROM 13:6 · COL 4:2
34.2 · Association · Associate
to stay close to, to associate closely with to associate closely and continuously with
35.28 · Help, Care For · Serve
to serve personally to serve in a close personal relationship The phrase ‘his personal servants’ can be rendered as ‘those who serve just him.’
In MRK 3:9 a literal translation of the phrase ἵνα πλοιάριον προσκαρτερῇ αὐτῷ as ‘that a boat may be in personal attendance to him,’ may be rather awkward in some languages. A more natural rendering would be ‘... may wait upon him’ or ‘... may be ready at hand for him to use.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
προσ-καρτερέω, -ὦὥ ; fut. προσκαρτερήσω ; (καρτερέω, fr. καρτερός [‘strong,’ ‘steadfast ᾽], of which the root is (τὸ) κάρτος for κράτος [‘strength’; ef. Curtius § 72]) ; to persevere [‘ continue steadfastly’ in any thing [cf. πρός, IV. 4]: of persons, with the dat. of a thing, to give constant attention to a thing, Acts ii. 42 [here Lchm. adds ἐν (once) inbr.]; τῇ προσευχῇ, Acts i. 14; vi. 4; Ro. xii. 12; Col. iv. 2, (ταῖς θήραις, Diod. 3, 17; τῇ πολιορκίᾳ, Polyb. 1, 55, 4; Diod. 14, 87; τῇ καθέδρᾳ, persist in the siege, Joseph. antt. 5, 2,6); with the dat. of a person, to adhere to one, be his adherent; to be devoted or constant to one: Acts viii. 13; x. 7, (Dem. p. 1386, 6; Polyb. 24, 5, 3; Diog. Laért. 8, 1,14); εἴς τι, to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, Ro. xiii. 6 [ef. Meyer ad loc.]; ἐν with a dat. of place, to continue all the time in a place, Acts ii. 46 (Sus. 6); absol. fo persevere, not to faint (in a thing), Xen. Hell. 7, 5,14; to show one’s self courageous, for pinnn, Num. xiii. 21 (20). of a thing, with the dat. of a pers.,to be in constant readiness for one, wait on continually: Mk. iii. 9.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
προσκαρτερέω proskartereō 10x
to persist in adherence to a thing; to be intently engaged in, attend constantly to, Acts 1:14; 2:42; Rom. 13:6; to remain constantly in a place, Acts 2:46; to constantly attend upon, continue near to, be at hand, Mk. 3:9; Acts 8:13; 10:7
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
προσ-καρτερέω, -ῶ
(< καρτερός, strong, stedfast), [in LXX: Nu 13:21 (חזק hith.), To 5:8 א, Da Th Su 6*;]
to attend constantly, continue stedfastly, adhere to, wait on: c. dat. pers., Mk 3:9, Ac 8:13 10:7; c. dat. rei, Ac 1:14 2:42 6:4, Ro 12:12, Col 4:2; seq. ἐν, Ac 2:46; εἰς, Ro 13:6.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
προσκαρτερέω. For προσκαρτερέω, ‘‘continue steadfastly” in a certain course of action, as in Ac 64, Rom 1212, cf. the oath of a strategus on taking office, P Oxy I. 825 (iii/A.D.) mpookapτερῶν τῇ στρατηγίᾳ ἀδιαλίπτως els τὸ ἐν μηδενὶ μεμφθῆναι. Similarly P Lond 90457 (A.D. 104) (ΞΞ III. p. 125, Se/ectzons, p- 73), an order to certain persons to return home, in order that they may carry out the census and τῇ προσ[ηκού]σῃ αὐτοῖς γεωργίαι προσκαρτερήσωϊσιν, ‘‘and continue steadfastly in the husbandry that belongs to them,’’ and P Amh II. 653 (early ii/A.D.) a petition of two brothers, who had been chosen as cultivators of the royal domains, that one of them should be released ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν kal τῇ ἑαυτῶν γεωργίᾳ προσκαρτερεῖν, ‘‘in order that we may be able to attend to our own cultivation as well” (Edd.). Other exx. c. dat. rei are P Oxy ILI. 5309 (ii/a.p.) ἐπὶ μάτη[ν] δὲ τῶι τοῦ Tlavoiplwvos τοσοῦτον χρόνον προσκαρτερίῶ, “1 have been so long engaged with Pausirion’s business to no purpose,” Preisigke 4284) (A.D. 207) ταῖς ἐπιβα[λ]λούσαις Apeltv] χρείαις προσκαρτερεῖν, and Vett. Val. 220% οὐ προσκαρτεροῦσι δὲ ἐλπίδι. The verb is common = “‘attend”’ a court, e.g. P Oxy II. 2611 (A.D. 55) οὐ δυναμένη προσκαρτερῆσαι τῷ κριτηρίῳ διὰ γυναικείαν ἀσθένειαν, 1ῤ. 26014 (A.D. 59) προσκαρτερήσειν μέχρι οὗ ἃ ἔχωμεν προς ἑαυτοὺς ἐγ[β]ι.βασθῆι, “remain until our suit is decided” (Edd.), and P Hamb I. 47(4.}. 87) προσκαρτερήσι(ί-- et)y τῴ ἱερωτάτῳ τοῦ κρατίστου ἡγεμόνος . . . βήματι (see the editor’s note). For the verb c. dat. pers. cf. P Giss I. 79-9 (c. A.D. 117) ᾿Εἰπαφρόδειτος ἕως τούτου οὐδὲν ἀμελέστερον ποιεῖ, ἀλλὰ προσκαρτερεῖ ἡμῖν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πράγμασι σου, P Lond 196% (c. A.D. 138-161) (ΞΞ 11. p. 153) προσ[κ]αρτερεῖν to Νεοκύδει, and P Oxy XIV. 1764% (iii/A.D.) πολ[λ]αὶ ἡμέραι (nom. pend.) προσκαρτεροῦμεν Φιλέᾳ τῷ μοσχομαγ[ε]ίρῳ, ‘* for many days we have been waiting for Phileas the butcher.” The verb is used absolutely in PSI. VI. 598? (iii/B.c.) προσκαρτέρησον οὖν ἕως dv’ Eréapxos παραγένηται.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
προσκαρτερέω (proskartereō) — to continue in/with. προσκαρτερ-έω, Doric dialect ποτι- [Refs 2nd c.BC+]:— persist obstinately in, τῇ πολιορκίᾳ [NT+5th c.BC+]; καίπερ ἀχθόμενοι τῇ καθέδρᾳ π. [Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. adhere firmly to a man, be faithful to him, τινι [NT+2nd c.BC+]; of servants, remain in one's service, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of a κοσμητής, [Refs]
2. b remain in attendance at a law-court, τῷ βήματι, τῷ κριτηρίῳ, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. c devote oneself to an office or occupation, τῇ στρατηγίᾳ [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τῇ ἑαυτῶν γεωργίᾳ [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
3. passive, ὁ προσκαρτερούμενος χρόνος time diligently employed, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
4. wait for a person, Φιλέᾳ [Refs 3rd c.BC+]