συνεργέω

From the study of Romans 8:28

Range of meaning

Literally 'work-with' (syn- 'with' + ergon 'work'). It means to work alongside someone, cooperate, assist, help someone succeed. It is nearly always intransitive, meaning it does not take a direct object: you work with someone rather than make something work. The transitive sense, 'to make things work together', is rare and disputed (BDAG).

Against the English

KJV, WEB and ESV take 'all things' as the subject: 'all things work together'. NIV and older RSV have God as the subject: 'in all things God works'. BSB and NASB give 'God works / causes all things to work together', a transitive, causing sense that the verb seldom has elsewhere. NEB had the Spirit 'co-operating' with those who love God. None of these is impossible. They show different decisions about the grammar.

How it drifted

English 'work together for good' has turned into the saying 'it'll all work out'. The Greek verb names a process of things being made to serve a goal. It does not say everything turns out pleasantly.

Used elsewhere in the period

NT: Mark 16:20 (the Lord 'working with' the apostles), 1 Cor 16:16, 2 Cor 6:1, James 2:22 ('faith was working together with his works'). 1 Maccabees 12:1: 'the time was working with him' (circumstances in Jonathan's favour), a close parallel for things helping someone. Testament of Issachar 3:7 has God 'working with' a person's integrity. Greek moral writers had a similar idea: Plato, Republic 10.613a, says everything from the gods ends 'for the best' for the just man, and Seneca, On Providence 2.1, says nothing bad can happen to a good man.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 6:1

Range of meaning

To work together with someone, cooperate, assist, help on a joint task. It normally names the partner with a 'with' phrase (as in Mark 16:20, 'the Lord working with them', and Romans 8:28 in some readings). The noun συνεργός ('co-worker') is one of Paul's favourite words for his ministry partners (Romans 16:3, 9, 21; Philippians 2:25; 1 Thessalonians 3:2).

Against the English

KJV prints 'workers together [with him]', with the added words in italics. ESV and NASB say 'working together with him'. BSB and NIV say 'God's fellow workers / co-workers'. WEB and YLT keep the open 'working together'. Every version that names God has supplied the partner from the context, because the Greek has no object.

How it drifted

There is no change in what the word means, but translators have made it more specific. Readers of most English Bibles cannot see that 'with God' is an interpretation.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in Greek of the period for cooperation between people, and sometimes between gods and people. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:9, θεοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν συνεργοί ('we are God's co-workers'). That verse is itself debated: it may mean 'fellow workers with God' or 'fellow workers together, in God's service' (BDAG s.v. συνεργός; Furnish).

From the study of James 2:22

Range of meaning

To work together with someone, to cooperate, to be a fellow-worker, and so to help or assist. It is built from syn ('with') and ergon ('work'). It takes a partner in the dative case: you co-work with someone or something.

Against the English

KJV 'wrought with' (old English past tense of 'work'), BSB/NASB/YLT 'was working with', ESV 'was active along with', NIV/NLT 'worked together'. All are fair. Only NIV and NLT ('his faith and his actions… worked together') bring out clearly that two partners are involved, but they make faith and works equal co-subjects, while the Greek makes faith the subject and the works its partner.

Used elsewhere in the period

NT: Mark 16:20 (the Lord 'working with' the disciples), Romans 8:28 (in some manuscripts, 'all things work together'), 1 Corinthians 16:16, 2 Corinthians 6:1 ('working together with him'). The related noun synergos ('fellow-worker') is one of Paul's favourite words for his colleagues. In ordinary Greek of the period (papyri, Josephus) it means helping or taking part in an undertaking.