συγκλείω

From the study of Galatians 3:22

Range of meaning

Literally 'to close together, shut in on all sides'. Used of enclosing, confining, besieging, trapping, and of handing someone over into the power of something ('shut up into the hand of', 'shut up to death'). The idea is enclosure with no way out, sometimes protective custody but usually captivity.

Against the English

KJV's 'concluded' is a now-misleading Latinism (Latin concludere, 'to shut in'). WEB/ESV 'imprisoned', NASB 'shut up' and NIV 'locked up' are accurate. BSB's 'pronounces all things confined' turns an action into a declaration. That is defensible, since Scripture 'confines' by passing a verdict, but it softens the picture of being locked in.

How it drifted

'Conclude' once meant 'enclose, shut up' in English (from Latin con-claudere). That sense has died out, and readers now hear 'came to a conclusion'.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Psalm 30:9 (Eng. 31:8): 'you did not shut me up (synekleisas) into the hands of the enemy'. LXX Psalm 77(78):50, 62: God 'shut up' Israel's livestock to death and his people to the sword, i.e. handed them over. LXX Joshua 6:1: Jericho 'shut up' and besieged. Luke 5:6: a net 'enclosed' a great number of fish. In Romans 11:32 Paul uses the same verb: 'God has shut up all to disobedience in order that he might have mercy on all.' The same verb comes back in the next verse (Gal 3:23, 'locked up until faith should be revealed').

From the study of Galatians 3:23

Range of meaning

'Shut together, enclose on all sides': to hem in, to shut up fish in a net (Luke 5:6), to deliver someone into an enemy's hands, to confine. The prefix syn- strengthens the idea of being closed in completely.

Against the English

'Locked up' (BSB, NIV), 'shut up' (KJV), 'confined' (WEB) and 'imprisoned' (ESV) are all fair. 'Imprisoned' adds a stronger penal tone than the verb strictly requires.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX: Jericho was 'shut up' (Josh 6:1). God 'did not shut me up into the hand of the enemy' (Ps 31:8 [LXX 30:9]). God 'shut up their livestock to death' (Ps 78:50 [LXX 77:50]). Paul's closest parallel is Romans 11:32: 'God has shut up all into disobedience, so that he may have mercy on all.'

From the study of Romans 11:32

Range of meaning

To shut in on every side, enclose, confine, imprison. Used figuratively, 'to hand someone over to' a power or fate. The prefix syn- here mainly intensifies ('shut in completely'). It does not necessarily mean 'together with others'.

Against the English

BSB and ESV 'consigned', NIV 'bound over', NASB 'shut up', NLT 'imprisoned', WEB 'bound', KJV 'concluded', YLT 'shut up together'. All but the KJV keep the picture of custody. The KJV's 'concluded' meant 'shut in' in 1611 (from the Latin 'conclusit') but now sounds like 'reached a conclusion'.

How it drifted

English 'conclude' lost its old physical sense of 'enclose' and now usually means 'decide' or 'finish', so the KJV wording now misleads.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke 5:6: the net 'enclosed' a great number of fish. Galatians 3:22–23 is Paul's closest parallel: 'Scripture shut up all things under sin, so that the promise by faith… might be given', and 'we were held in custody under the law, shut up'. In the Greek Old Testament: Psalm 31:8 (LXX 30:9), 'you have not shut me up into the hands of the enemy'. Psalm 78:50, 62 (LXX 77): God 'shut up their livestock to death' and 'shut up his people to the sword', the same construction with 'into', meaning 'handed over to'.