Speira denotes an organized military group present in arrests, assemblies, and centurion-led contexts.

The term consistently denotes an organized military group: it is gathered around Jesus, accompanies Judas with weapons, and is identified with centurions in Caesarea, Jerusalem, and travel arrangements.

1. Organized military group · dominant

   Across the attested verses, the noun identifies a military body. In John 18:3 the APB renders Judas as taking “the cohort” with servants and coming with weapons; in John 18:12 it renders the nominative group as “the band” that seized and bound Jesus. In Acts 10:1, Acts 21:31, and Acts 27:1, the genitive form identifies a centurion or military officer in connection with such a group.

   Acts 10:1Acts 21:31Acts 27:1John 18:12John 18:3Mark 15:16

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB varies between “cohort” and “band” in these verses, including “the whole band” in Mark 15:16 and Matthew 27:27. These renderings describe the verse context rather than fixing a separate meaning for each occurrence.