Greek word · G4841

συμπάσχω

sympaschō

to suffer with

To suffer together with someone; to be affected together. In Greek philosophy and medicine the related noun sympatheia described how parts of a body, or of the cosmos, are affected together.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συν-πάσχω

(Rec. συμπ-), [in Al.: 1 Samuel 22:8 * ;]

1. to suffer together or with: Romans 8:17, 1 Corinthians 12:28.

2. to sympathize with (Plat., Arist.).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Romans 8:17

Range of meaning

To suffer together with someone; to be affected together. In Greek philosophy and medicine the related noun sympatheia described how parts of a body, or of the cosmos, are affected together.

Against the English

'Suffer with him' is accurate. The English word 'sympathy' comes from the same root but has weakened into feeling sorry for someone. Paul means actually sharing the suffering, not having compassion for it.

How it drifted

English 'sympathize' and 'sympathy' came to mean emotional fellow-feeling. That is not a translation problem here, but it is worth knowing the Greek is much more concrete.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT only here and 1 Cor 12:26 ('if one member suffers, all the members suffer together'), where it describes the members of one body. Related ideas: Phil 3:10 ('sharing his sufferings'), 2 Cor 1:5 ('the sufferings of Christ overflow to us'), 2 Cor 4:10-11. Jewish apocalyptic writings expected a time of intense suffering before God's new age, the 'birth pangs' that Rom 8:22 echoes.

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 8:17 συμπάσχομεν we suffer with [Him]

    And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

    Here: Present tense, 'we are suffering with [him]'. This is an ongoing experience now, not a single hypothetical event. The 'with' joins the believers' present hardships to Christ's own sufferings.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:26 συμπάσχει suffer with [it]

    If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

    Here: The same verb with 'with' (syn-) attached. The other parts actually share the pain. They are not just sorry about it. 'With it' in English translates this prefix.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.