Greek word · G4875

συναναπαύομαι

synanapauomai

to rest with

To lie down or rest together with someone, or to take a break or refreshment in someone's company. It is built from σύν ('with') + ἀνά + παύομαι ('to stop, cease'). The root ἀναπαύω means to give rest or relief, to refresh, and in the middle voice to take one's rest.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

συν-ανα-παύομαι

[in LXX: Isaiah 11:6 (רָבַץ) * ;]

with dative of person(s), to lie down to rest with, sleep with. Metaphorical, to be refreshed in spirit with: Romans 15:32 (L, om.).†

(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 15:32

Range of meaning: To lie down or rest together with someone, or to take a break or refreshment in someone's company. It is built from σύν ('with') + ἀνά + παύομαι ('to stop, cease'). The root ἀναπαύω means to give rest or relief, to refresh, and in the middle voice to take one's rest.
Against the English: KJV, YLT, BSB and NIV say 'be refreshed (with you)'. WEB says 'find rest', and some modern versions say 'refreshing rest in your company'. 'Refreshed' is fine, but it can lose the 'together' in the verb. Here the rest is shared, not a favour the Romans do for Paul.
Used elsewhere in the period: This is the only place the word appears in the New Testament. In the Greek Old Testament (LXX) of Isaiah 11:6 it describes the leopard that 'will lie down with' the young goat in the messianic peace. Paul uses the simpler verb ἀναπαύω for believers refreshing one another's spirits or hearts (1 Cor 16:18; 2 Cor 7:13; Philemon 7, 20).

Where it appears

Romans · 1

Romans 15:32 συναναπαύσωμαι I may be refreshed with

so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

Here: 'That I may rest together with [you].' It joins 'with' (syn-) to 'take rest, find relief' (anapauomai). The picture is a tired traveller catching his breath among friends, and the Romans share in the rest too. This is the main verb and the goal of the sentence.

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