STRONGS NT 3837: πανταχοῦπανταχοῦ, adverb, everywhere: Mark 1:28 T WH Tr brackets; Mark 16:20; Luke 9:6; Acts 17:30; Acts 21:28 Rec.; ; 1 Corinthians 4:17. (Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato, others.)

The adverb rendered “everywhere” underscores spatial universality. Whether describing the spread of Christ’s fame, the free course of apostolic preaching, or the reach of divine command, it declares that no corner of the earth is exempt from the impact of the gospel.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Mark 1:28 – Christ’s reputation extends “everywhere throughout the region of Galilee,” revealing the irresistible attraction of His authority.
2. Mark 16:20 – The risen Lord works with the disciples as they preach “everywhere,” confirming the word with accompanying signs.
3. Luke 9:6 – The Twelve proclaim the good news “everywhere,” illustrating obedience to Jesus’ commission before Pentecost.
4. Acts 17:30 – God “commands all people everywhere to repent,” establishing a universal moral summons.
5. Acts 21:28 – Paul is accused of teaching “everyone everywhere” against the Law, showing how his wide-ranging ministry was perceived.
6. Acts 24:3 – Felix is flattered for providing “everywhere and in every way” peace, displaying the term in a political setting.
7. Acts 28:22 – Jewish leaders in Rome observe that the Christian sect “is spoken against everywhere,” a testimony to its rapid expansion.
8. 1 Corinthians 4:17 – Paul reminds the Corinthians that he teaches his ways in Christ “everywhere in every church,” stressing doctrinal consistency.

Theological Themes

Universal Proclamation

From Galilee to Rome, the word travels without geographic limitation. The term amplifies the Great Commission implicit in Matthew 28:18–20 and explicit in Acts 1:8, affirming that the gospel is designed for every people and place.

Universal Call to Repentance

Acts 17:30 presents the climactic use: repentance is not localized but binding on “all people everywhere.” The moral authority of God transcends ethnic and cultural borders, anticipating the final judgment described in Acts 17:31.

Evidence of Divine Sovereignty

Mark 16:20 states, “And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it.” The Lord’s active partnership proves His sovereign ability to validate His message in any locale.

Consistency of Apostolic Doctrine

1 Corinthians 4:17 links “everywhere” with “every church,” highlighting apostolic insistence on uniform teaching. Local congregations may differ in circumstance, but the apostolic deposit remains one.

Historical and Missional Significance

Early Church Expansion

Acts testifies that within a single generation the gospel reached major centers of the Mediterranean world. The repeated use of this adverb mirrors the growing conviction that Christianity was no sect of Judea but God’s answer for the world.

Defense Against Provincialism

Jewish opposition (Acts 21:28) and Roman curiosity (Acts 28:22) both acknowledge the movement’s breadth. The term refutes any reduction of the faith to a mere regional phenomenon.

Foundation for Global Missions

The word lays lexical groundwork for later missionary endeavors. Whether in the Patristic era, the Reformation, or modern missions, the biblical precedent for “everywhere” undergirds evangelistic zeal.

Pastoral and Practical Applications

1. Encourage congregations to think beyond local borders in prayer, giving, and sending.
2. Guard doctrinal purity by measuring teaching against the apostolic pattern delivered “everywhere in every church.”
3. Preach repentance as a universal necessity, avoiding cultural accommodation that blunts the edge of Acts 17:30.
4. Expect the Lord to confirm His word in diverse contexts, fostering confidence for ministry in new or resistant fields.

Biblical-Theological Connections

Old Testament Prelude

Psalm 19:4, “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world,” anticipates the world-wide witness of the church, providing canonical continuity.

Eschatological Fulfillment

Revelation 5:9 depicts worshipers “from every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” the ultimate realization of the gospel preached “everywhere.”

Summary

Strong’s Greek 3837 amplifies the breadth of God’s redemptive activity—from the spreading fame of Jesus to the universal summons to repent. Its eight occurrences weave a thread of geographical totality, reminding the church that Christ’s lordship and the apostolic message know no boundaries and that every place remains a field white for harvest.