Greek word · G4798
συγχράομαι
synchraomai
to associate with
A compound of σύν ("with, together") and χράομαι ("to use, make use of, deal with"). In Hellenistic Greek it can mean (1) to make use of something or someone, sometimes in the sense of treating or taking advantage of them, and (2) to have dealings with or associate with someone.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
συν-χράομαι
(Rec. συγ-), -ῶμαι, [in Al.: 1 Samuel 30:19 * ;]
to use together with. Metaphorical, with dative of person(s), to associate with: John 4:9 (Polyb., a1.).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
A compound of σύν ("with, together") and χράομαι ("to use, make use of, deal with"). In Hellenistic Greek it can mean (1) to make use of something or someone, sometimes in the sense of treating or taking advantage of them, and (2) to have dealings with or associate with someone. BDAG gives "associate on friendly terms, have dealings with" as the main sense here. It also records the proposal by David Daube (1950) that in John 4:9 the word keeps its literal force: "use [vessels] together with."
- Against the English
KJV, ESV and NASB have "have no dealings with." BSB and NIV have "do not associate with." NRSV has "do not share things in common with," and NEB went further with "do not use vessels in common." The first two sound like a complete social and commercial boycott. The last two point to something narrower: not sharing the same utensils.
- How it drifted
In modern English "dealings" suggests business: buying, selling, contracts. The verse cannot mean Jews did no business with Samaritans, because one verse earlier the disciples have gone into a Samaritan town to buy food (v.8).
- Used elsewhere in the period
The word is rare. It is used for "making use of" in Hellenistic prose, and Ignatius (Magnesians 3:1) uses it of not taking advantage of a young bishop's age. The Latin Vulgate translates it here as non enim coutuntur, "they do not use together," which follows the literal compound. The Mishnah (Niddah 4:1) says Samaritan women were treated as ritually unclean "from their cradle," as if always menstruating. If such a view was held in Jesus' day, anything a Samaritan woman handled could pass on that uncleanness. The date of the rule is debated, and some link it to purity decrees from the 60s CE.
Where it appears
John · 1
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John 4:9 συγχρῶνται have association
“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Here: A rare verb, found only here in the New Testament. It is built from "with" + "use," and it means either "associate with" in general or, more specifically, "use things in common with," such as sharing a drinking vessel. See the word study.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.