Bible Lexicons

** προ -τρέπω ,

[in LXX: Wisdom of Solomon 14:18, 2 Maccabees 11:7, 4 Maccabees 12:7; 4 Maccabees 15:12; 4 Maccabees 16:13 *;]

to urge forwards, exhort, persuade. Mid., in same sense (as also in cl.): Acts 18:27.†

The special meaning of ";advocate,"; ";barrister,"; which this word has in Acts 24:1, can be freely illustrated from our documents, e.g. P Oxy I. 37i. 4 (A.D. 49) (= Selections, p. 48), the report of a lawsuit where the counsel for the plaintiff is introduced with the words—Ἀριστοκλῆς ῥήτωρ ὑπὲρ Πεσούριος, and ib. II. 237vii. 25 (A.D. 186) Δίδυμος ῥήτωρ ἀπεκρείνατο μὴ χώρις λόγου τὸν Σε ̣μπρώνιον κεκεινῆσθαι, ";Didymus, advocate of Sempronius, replied that his client had had good reason for having been provoked"; (Edd.), P Ryl II. 75.5, 16 (late ii/A.D.), PSI IV. 293.26, 33 (iii/A.D.), et saepe.