Greek word · G4873

συνανάκειμαι

synanakeimai

to dine with

'To recline at table together with', meaning to be a fellow diner at a formal meal. It is built from ana-keimai, 'to lie back', the posture at banquets.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 01, 2026

What it means

συν-ανά-κειμαι

[in LXX: 3Ma.5:39 * ;]

to recline with or together at table: Matthew 14:9, Mark 6:22, Luke 7:49 14:15; with dative of person(s), Matthew 9:10, Mark 2:15, Luke 14:10.†

(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 Luke 14:15

Range of meaning: 'To recline at table together with', meaning to be a fellow diner at a formal meal. It is built from ana-keimai, 'to lie back', the posture at banquets.
Against the English: KJV 'sat at meat with him' and WEB 'sat at the table' turn the scene into chair dining. BSB and YLT 'reclining' keep the actual posture.
How it drifted: Translators long adapted ancient meal posture to the reader's own customs. 'Sat at meat' was natural English in 1611, but it hides the formal banquet setting.
Used elsewhere in the period: Used in Mark 2:15, Matthew 9:10 and Luke 7:49 for guests at meals with Jesus. Greco-Roman banquets (the 'symposium' tradition) and formal Jewish festive meals were eaten reclining. That custom stands behind the Passover practice of reclining as free people.

From the study of Mark 6:22

Range of meaning: To recline at table together, to be a fellow-diner. It assumes the posture of formal Greek and Roman dining, where guests lay on couches set around low tables.
Against the English: KJV 'them that sat with him' and BSB/ESV 'guests' lose the physical picture. YLT 'reclining (at meat) with him' keeps it.
How it drifted: English 'sat at table' reflects later Western dining with chairs.
Used elsewhere in the period: The same word is used for tax collectors and sinners reclining with Jesus (Mark 2:15) and for the guests at Herod's table (Matt 14:9). Reclining at banquets was standard among the Hellenistic elite and at Jewish festive meals.

From the study of Matthew 14:9

Range of meaning: To recline at table with others, to be a fellow guest at a meal. It reflects the Greco-Roman custom of lying on couches at formal banquets.
Against the English: BSB, NIV and ESV say 'guests' or 'dinner guests'. KJV has 'them which sat with him at meat' and WEB 'those who sat at the table'. 'Sat' is a little off, since diners reclined, but these renderings rightly show that these are people at the meal. YLT's 'those reclining with him' is the most literal.
Used elsewhere in the period: Matthew uses it of tax collectors and sinners 'reclining with' Jesus (9:10). Luke uses it of banquet guests (Luke 14:10, 15). Formal reclining banquets, with ranked couches, were a mark of elite Hellenistic and Roman social life.

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

Matthew 9:10 συνανέκειντο they were reclining with

Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.
Matthew 14:9 συνανακειμένους reclining with [him]

The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted

Here: His fellow banqueters, lying on couches at the birthday feast. They are the witnesses of his oath and the public in front of whom his honor stands or falls (Mark 6:21 names them as officials, military commanders and the leading men of Galilee).

Mark · 2

Mark 2:15 συνανέκειντο were reclining with

While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him.

Here: "Were reclining together with": sharing the couches and the food as fellow guests. The ongoing tense pictures the meal in progress.
Mark 6:22 συνανακειμένοις reclining with [him]

When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

Here: 'Those reclining at table with him.' At a formal banquet guests lay on couches and ate propped on one elbow. These are the nobles, commanders and leading men of Galilee from v.21.

Luke · 3

Luke 7:49 συνανακείμενοι reclining

But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Luke 14:10 συνανακειμένων reclining

But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you.
Luke 14:15 συνανακειμένων reclining with [Him]

When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

Here: Literally 'lying back together'. At formal meals guests lay on couches propped on the left elbow. The word marks him as a fellow guest, sharing the very meal Jesus has just been commenting on.

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