ἀδελφότης
adelphótēs
G81 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A community or association identified by mutual bonds of kinship, solidarity, or shared purpose, especially in the sense of a 'brotherhood'—either literal (as in families or clans) or figurative (as in groups defined by common faith or commitment). In the New Testament, primarily denotes the collective body of fellow adherents, typically those who share allegiance to a particular belief or community.
Semantic Range
brotherhood, fellowship of kin, community of peers, association formed by bonds of solidarity or mutual faith, collective body defined by shared identity (often spiritual or social)
Root / Etymology
From ἀδελφός (adelphos, 'brother', literally 'from the same womb') with the feminine abstract noun suffix -της, forming a word denoting the quality or state of being brothers, or a body characterized by brotherly relations.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀδελφότης rarely appears, but its analogues in cognate terms signify fraternities or societies bound by shared lineage or mutual commitment. In the Septuagint, the term is not attested, though kinship concepts are expressed through other family/kin-group words. In the New Testament, ἀδελφότης is found in 1 Peter (2x: 1 Pet 2:17, 1 Pet 5:9), where it refers to the collective body of fellow believers, conceived as a community unified by spiritual kinship rather than biological descent. The word underscores the close bonds and mutual responsibility of such a group. Standard English translations (e.g., 'brotherhood') often evoke a generic or sometimes institutional sense which may or may not capture the full mutuality of belonging inherent in the term's use in early Christian texts. The term is similar to, but not identical with, συναδελφότης (synadelphotēs, 'fellowship of brothers'), and is distinct from ἀδελφότης in later ecclesiastic usage, which can develop institutional or formal overtones. The Greek term conveys both the affective and structural sense of belonging together as a familial group, beyond merely being members of an association. There is no direct cultural equivalent in contemporary language, though 'community of siblings' or 'community of peers' renders some aspects.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀδελφός; brotherhood (properly, the feeling of brotherliness), i.e. the (Christian) fraternity:--brethren, brotherhood.
Root Family
ἀδελφότης (adelphotēs) — brotherhood, kinship community, fellowship of brothers
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G81-01 |
ἀδελφότητα | adelphoteta | N ACC F SG |
brotherhood | brotherhood | brotherhood | 1 |
G81-02 |
ἀδελφότητι | adelphoteti | N DAT F SG |
brotherhood | to the brotherhood | brotherhood | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G81-01 |
1 Peter 2:17 | ἀδελφότητα | adelphoteta | N ACC F SG |
brotherhood | brotherhood | brotherhood |
G81-02 |
1 Peter 5:9 | ἀδελφότητι | adelphoteti | N DAT F SG |
brotherhood | to the brotherhood | brotherhood |