Greek word · G4869

συναιχμάλωτος

synaichmalōtos

fellow prisoner

A compound of syn ("with") and aichmalōtos ("captive"). Aichmalōtos is built from aichmē, "spear-point," and the root for "be captured." So it means one "taken at spear-point": a prisoner of war. The compound means someone who shares another's captivity.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συν-αιχμάλωτος, -ου, ὁ

a fellow prisoner (prop., of a captive in war, see Lft., Col., 234): Romans 16:7, Colossians 4:10, Phm 23.†

(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 Colossians 4:10

Range of meaning

A compound of syn ("with") and aichmalōtos ("captive"). Aichmalōtos is built from aichmē, "spear-point," and the root for "be captured." So it means one "taken at spear-point": a prisoner of war. The compound means someone who shares another's captivity. By the first century aichmalōtos could be used of any captive, but the military flavour was still audible.

Against the English

Most English versions say "fellow prisoner." That is fair, but it loses the war picture. A modern reader thinks of a jail cell. The Greek word calls up a captive taken in war, a picture Paul elsewhere fits into a wider image of spiritual warfare (2 Cor 10:5; Eph 6:10–20).

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (LXX), aichmalōtos and its relatives translate Hebrew words for captives and exiles taken in war (e.g. the Babylonian captivity). The compound with syn- is rare in Greek literature. Paul uses it only three times: of Andronicus and Junia (Rom 16:7), of Epaphras (Phlm 23), and of Aristarchus here. In Philemon 24, written at the same time, Aristarchus is called a "fellow worker" while Epaphras is the "fellow prisoner." In Colossians the labels appear the other way round.

From the study of Romans 16:7

Range of meaning

'Fellow captive'. αἰχμάλωτος is literally 'one taken by the spear', a prisoner of war. In later Greek it also meant a prisoner in general.

Against the English

'Fellow prisoners' is accurate. The military picture behind the word is lost in English.

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses it elsewhere only of Aristarchus (Col 4:10) and Epaphras (Phlm 23). Before writing Romans, Paul had already been 'in prisons' many times (2 Cor 11:23).

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 16:7 συναιχμαλώτους fellow prisoners

    Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

    Here: Literally 'fellow captive', a word built on the picture of a prisoner taken in war. Like Paul, they had been locked up for the Messiah's cause, though not necessarily in the same cell or at the same time.

Colossians · 1

  1. Colossians 4:10 συναιχμάλωτός fellow prisoner

    My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.

    Here: Literally a "fellow prisoner of war," someone taken captive along with another. Paul gives Aristarchus a title of honour: he shares Paul's captivity, whether literally in custody or in the sense of sharing Paul's lot.

Philemon · 1

  1. Philemon 1:23 συναιχμάλωτός fellow prisoner

    Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

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