συμπαθής (G4835) — Greek Lexicon

συμπαθής

sympathḗs

G4835 substantive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Experiencing feelings together with another, especially sharing in another's suffering, thus being sympathetic or compassionate. In various contexts, the term can refer to being sensitive to others' distress, emotionally responsive to others' situations, or characterized by fellow-feeling; it may also imply mutual compassion or commiseration among people.

Semantic Range

sharing feelings, being sympathetic, feeling compassion, emotionally responsive, mutually commiserative, experiencing suffering together

Root / Etymology

From the verb συμπάσχω (sympáschō, 'to suffer with, to experience together'), itself formed from σύν ('with, together') and πάσχω ('to suffer, to undergo'). Thus, συμπαθής is an adjective meaning 'feeling with' or 'sharing the experience (especially suffering) of another.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Attested in classical Greek with the sense of being affected alike (Thucydides, Aristotle); it could denote sharing emotions or physical sensations, though in later Greek (Hellenistic and Koine), the meaning centers on emotional solidarity and compassion. In the New Testament (Heb 4:15; 10:34), συμπαθής conveys a sense of empathetic concern or identification with the suffering or weaknesses of others, distinct from mere pity or outward kindness. The term is related to, but broader than, 'compassionate'—emphasizing internal identification with another's experience rather than simply the impulse to act kindly. English 'sympathetic' is directly cognate but, in modern usage, can imply mere agreement or liking, which is too weak for the Koine sense. The translation tradition sometimes narrows the sense to 'compassionate,' but the original context emphasizes shared feeling and mutuality.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from συμπάσχω; having a fellow-feeling ("sympathetic"), i.e. (by implication) mutually commiserative:--having compassion one of another.

Root Family

συμπαθής (sympathēs) — feel with, share in suffering, be affected together, show fellow-feeling

Root συμπαθ- to feel with, to share in suffering, to be affected together

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G4835-01`	συνπαθεῖς	sunpatheis	`ADJ.S NOM M PL`	sympathetic	fellow-feeling ones	fellow-feeling ones	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G4835-01`	1 Peter 3:8	συνπαθεῖς	sunpatheis	`ADJ.S NOM M PL`	sympathetic	fellow-feeling ones	fellow-feeling ones

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