φιλαδελφία
philadelphía
G5360 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Philadelphía primarily denotes affection or love toward a brother or sister, specifically the mutual love or kindness between those regarded as siblings or as members of a close-knit community. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek usage, it extends to the loyal and affectionate regard among members of the same group, particularly among fellow members of a religious or social community. In the context of early Christian literature, philadelphía most often refers to affectionate mutual care and solidarity among members of the nascent community, conceptualized metaphorically as siblings.
Semantic Range
love between siblings, brotherly/sisterly affection, affection among members of a group or community, mutual kindness within an association, solidarity among co-believers
Root / Etymology
From φιλάδελφος (philádélphos), itself formed from φίλος (philos, 'loving, fond of') + ἀδελφός (adelphos, 'brother, sibling'), plus the abstract noun suffix -ία (-ia, indicating quality or state). Thus, 'the state or quality of loving like a sibling.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, φιλαδελφία referred mainly to literal sibling love, the affection between brothers and sisters. In Hellenistic and Roman-period Greek, the term could extend figuratively to express familial solidarity among unrelated individuals, especially within philosophical schools, civic communities, and voluntary associations. The New Testament and early Christian texts reframe and prioritize φιλαδελφία as a defining characteristic of inter-community relations—members saw themselves as siblings in a spiritual family. English translations usually render φιλαδελφία as 'brotherly love' or 'love of the brethren,' but this may not accurately capture its broad application to fellow believers regardless of gender (since ἀδελφός was often inclusive of both brothers and sisters in group address). The term is distinct from other Greek words for love: φιλία (general friendship/affection), ἀγάπη (self-giving or sacrificial love), and στοργή (natural affection). In wider Greco-Roman inscriptions and papyri, φιλαδελφία is sometimes used as a public or official virtue (notably in royal titulature) and in the naming of the city of Philadelphia in Asia Minor. The semantic expansion in early Christian sources reflects the movement’s emphasis on communal solidarity above biological ties.
Translation Consistency
Philadelphía is most naturally and commonly rendered in English as “brotherly love,” especially in Biblical contexts (e.g., Romans 12:10; Hebrews 13:1). This phrase captures the mutual, familial affection and solidarity among members of a community that the Greek term usually denotes. Single-word alternatives like “brotherhood” or “fraternity” risk shifting the emphasis to a group identity rather than the mutual affection; “brotherly love” is the clearest, most natural choice for consistent rendering.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from φιλάδελφος; fraternal affection:--brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren.
Root Family
φιλαδελφ- (Philadélpheia) — love for a brother, affectionate toward a sibling
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G5359 | Φιλαδέλφεια | to Philadelphia |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5360-01 |
φιλαδελφίᾳ | philadelphia | N DAT F SG |
brotherly love | in sibling affection | in brotherly love | 3 |
G5360-02 |
φιλαδελφίαν | philadelphian | N ACC F SG |
brotherly kindness | sibling affection | brotherly love | 2 |
G5360-03 |
φιλαδελφίας | philadelphias | N GEN F SG |
brotherly love | of sibling affection | sibling affection | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5360-01 |
Romans 12:10 | φιλαδελφίᾳ | philadelphia | N DAT F SG |
brotherly love | in sibling affection | in brotherly love |
G5360-03 |
1 Thessalonians 4:9 | φιλαδελφίας | philadelphias | N GEN F SG |
brotherly love | of sibling affection | sibling affection |
G5360-01 |
Hebrews 13:1 | φιλαδελφία | philadelphia | N NOM F SG |
brotherly love | in sibling affection | brotherly love |
G5360-02 |
1 Peter 1:22 | φιλαδελφίαν | philadelphian | N ACC F SG |
brotherly love | sibling affection | brotherly love |
G5360-02 |
2 Peter 1:7 | φιλαδελφίαν | philadelphian | N ACC F SG |
brotherly kindness | sibling affection | brotherly love |
G5360-01 |
2 Peter 1:7 | φιλαδελφίᾳ | philadelphia | N DAT F SG |
brotherly kindness | in sibling affection | in brotherly love |