συγκοινωνός
synkoinōnós
G4791 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who shares together with another; a joint partner, co-participant, or associate in some matter or activity. The term denotes someone who takes part in, experiences, or participates with others in something, whether material possessions, actions, experiences, or responsibilities. Contextually, it can refer to participation in a common cause, relationship, or circumstance.
Semantic Range
joint partner, co-participant, sharer, associate, companion, partaker (with others), participant in a joint activity or experience
Root / Etymology
From the preposition σύν (with, together) and the noun κοινωνός (partner, sharer); literally, 'one who is together a partner.' The word is a compound, signifying not merely being present with another, but sharing concretely in some matter.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, κοινωνός designates a partner or sharer, while the prefix σύν emphasizes joint participation. συγκοινωνός appears chiefly in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the New Testament and some non-biblical inscriptions and papyri, to stress sharing or partnership in both tangible and intangible domains (e.g., business, religious, social, or suffering). In the New Testament, συγκοινωνός commonly describes those who are joint participants in spiritual matters, suffering, or labor (see Philippians 1:7; Revelation 1:9) but also can refer to fellowship in wrongdoing or material support (Romans 11:17; Hebrews 10:33). English Bible translations often use 'partner,' 'companion,' or 'partaker,' but these may flatten the sense of mutual participation and shared identity implied by the term. συγκοινωνός is distinct from απλῶς κοινωνός in Koine idiom; the compound stresses the shared, mutual character over mere association. The word reflects the wider Greek concept of κοινωνία, 'sharing, fellowship,' which was central in both pagan philosophical and early Christian discourse.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from σύν and κοινωνός; a co-participant:--companion, partake(-r, -r with).
Root Family
κοινων- (koinōnéō) — to share, to participate, to have in common
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G2841 | κοινωνέω | they shared |
| G2842 | κοινωνία | in shared participation |
| G2843 | κοινωνικός | sharing‑minded ones |
| G4790 | συγκοινωνέω | Co-participate |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4791-01 |
συνκοινωνὸς | sunkoinonos | N NOM M SG |
fellow partaker | joint participant | joint participant | 3 |
G4791-02 |
συνκοινωνούς | sunkoinonous | N ACC M PL |
partakers | co-participants | co-participants | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4791-01 |
Romans 11:17 | συνκοινωνὸς | sunkoinonos | N NOM M SG |
partaker | joint participant | joint participant |
G4791-01 |
1 Corinthians 9:23 | συνκοινωνὸς | sunkoinonos | N NOM M SG |
fellow partaker | joint participant | joint participant |
G4791-02 |
Philippians 1:7 | συνκοινωνούς | sunkoinonous | N ACC M PL |
partakers | co-participants | co-participants |
G4791-01 |
Revelation 1:9 | συνκοινωνὸς | sunkoinonos | N NOM M SG |
fellow-partaker | joint participant | joint participant |