Greek word · G4899

συνεκλεκτός

syneklektos

chosen with

A compound of syn- ('together with') and eklektos ('chosen, selected, elect'). It means 'chosen along with others'. Eklektos was used for things picked out as choice or select (choice stones, choice troops). Isa 43:20; 65:9, 15, 22 in the Greek translation).

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συν-εκ-λεκτός, -ή, -όν

chosen together with, co-elect: ἡ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι συνεκλεκτή (on the meaning, see ICC, in l), 1 Peter 5:13.†

(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 1 Peter 5:13

Range of meaning

A compound of syn- ('together with') and eklektos ('chosen, selected, elect'). It means 'chosen along with others'. Eklektos was used for things picked out as choice or select (choice stones, choice troops). In Israel's scriptures it was used above all for Israel as the people God picked out for himself (e.g. Isa 43:20; 65:9, 15, 22 in the Greek translation).

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NASB and NIV say 'chosen together with you'. The ESV has 'likewise chosen'. The KJV has 'elected together with [you]', and today 'elected' suggests a vote. The words 'with you' are implied by the syn- prefix and supplied in English.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'elected' meant 'chosen' in 1611. Today it suggests being voted into office. 'Elect' has also picked up a lot of later doctrinal debate about predestination, which this greeting is not addressing.

Used elsewhere in the period

This is the only time the word appears in the New Testament, and it is not found in the Greek Old Testament. It is a rare compound. The simple form eklektos opens this letter: 'to the chosen exiles of the dispersion' (1:1). Compare 2 John 1 and 13, where a congregation is addressed as 'the chosen lady' and greeted by the children of 'your chosen sister'.

Where it appears

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 5:13 συνεκλεκτὴ elected with [you]

    The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.

    Here: Feminine adjective: 'she who is chosen along with [you]'. It echoes the letter's opening address to 'the chosen (eklektois) exiles' (1:1), so the letter begins and ends with God's choosing. The senders share the readers' status before God.

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