συνωμοσία
synōmosía
G4945 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An act of making an oath together; a mutual agreement or pact affirmed by oath, particularly in the sense of forming a secret alliance or compact. In various contexts, the term is used to denote a plot, conspiracy, or clandestine agreement planned by a group, often with the intent of achieving a shared objective through secretive or unlawful means. The word maintains the primary sense of a sworn pact but often takes on the connotation of a seditious plot or criminal conspiracy, depending on context.
Semantic Range
an oath made together, secret pact, swearing together, sworn confederacy, conspiracy, clandestine plot
Root / Etymology
From the preposition σύν (with, together) and the verb ὀμνύω (to swear, take an oath), forming a noun meaning 'a swearing together.' The word is a direct compound, emphasizing the joint nature of the oath or pact.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term συνωμοσία appears in Hellenistic and later Greek with reference to organized groups that enter into binding oaths for a shared cause, frequently with secretive or unlawful aims (cf. Josephus, Antiquities; Polybius). In the New Testament (Acts 23:13), it refers specifically to a plot or conspiracy against Paul, highlighting the clandestine and coordinated nature of the agreement. In secular and earlier Greek literature, the term could have a more neutral sense, denoting an alliance or sworn fellowship, but by the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it most often indicates a secret cabal or conspiracy. Standard English translations typically render the term as 'conspiracy' or 'plot,' which appropriately capture its negative connotations in most biblical contexts, though the underlying emphasis is on the shared oath or pact. The word stands in contrast to more general terms for plan or agreement (such as συμβουλή or διαθήκη), underlining the deliberate secrecy and binding nature of the arrangement.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of σύν and ὀμνύω; a swearing together, i.e. (by implication) a plot:--comspiracy.
Root Family
συνωμοσία (synōmosia) — swearing together, sworn pact, secret alliance, conspiracy
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4945-01 |
συνωμοσίαν | sunomosian | N ACC F SG |
plot | a sworn conspiracy | conspiracy | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4945-01 |
Acts 23:13 | συνωμοσίαν | sunomosian | N ACC F SG |
plot | a sworn conspiracy | conspiracy |