συστρέφω
systréphō
G4962 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To twist or wind together; in extended usage, to bring together or collect into a compact group or bundle, whether referring to physical objects or assemblies of people. The core sense pertains to intertwining or drawing parts into a close arrangement, and in transferred contexts, to assembling a group or gathering people in one place.
Semantic Range
to twist together, to wind into a bundle, to gather physical things into a compact group, to assemble or bring people together tightly, to entwine
Root / Etymology
Formed from the preposition σύν (with, together) and the verb στρέφω (to turn, to twist); literally 'to twist together' or 'to entwine.' The composition indicates a sense of joining through twisting or turning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, συστρέφω primarily referred to the physical action of twisting or winding together, such as braiding cord or intertwining strands. Its metaphorical extension to mean 'gather, assemble' appears especially in Koine Greek and the New Testament, where the word can describe the collecting of material items (e.g. wood or sticks) and the drawing together of people, typically a crowd or a group for a particular purpose. In Luke–Acts, the term is used for crowds gathering in a tumultuous, close-knit fashion, capturing both the sense of physical proximity and the metaphorical entwinement. The Septuagint usage reflects similar physical and figurative senses, often in descriptions of gathering materials or people. Standard English translations that render it simply as 'gather' or 'collect' may underrepresent its vivid, vivid root imagery of twisting, entwining, or crowding together. Related words include συνάγω (to bring together, gather), but συστρέφω carries a more vivid sense of tightness or mixture.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from σύν and στρέφω; to twist together, i.e. collect (a bundle, a crowd):--gather.
Root Family
συστρέφω (systréphō) — to turn, to twist, to wind, to twist together, to gather tightly
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4962-01 |
συστρεφομένων | sustrephomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP GEN M PL |
while they were gathering together | of those being twisted together | of those being gathered together | 1 |
G4962-02 |
συστρέψαντος | sustrepsantos | V AOR ACT PTCP GEN M SG |
having gathered | of having twisted together | having gathered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4962-01 |
Matthew 17:22 | συστρεφομένων | sustrephomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP GEN M PL |
while they were gathering together | of those being twisted together | of those being gathered together |
G4962-02 |
Acts 28:3 | συστρέψαντος | sustrepsantos | V AOR ACT PTCP GEN M SG |
having gathered | of having twisted together | having gathered |