Greek word · G4953

σύσσημον

syssēmon

an agreed signal

A sign agreed on between parties in advance: a prearranged signal, password-like cue, or military signal. In the Greek Old Testament it can also mean a raised standard or banner used to rally people.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

σύσ-σημον (T, συν-), -ου, τό

(σῆμα), [in LXX: Judges 20:38, 40 (מַשְׂאֵת), Isaiah 5:26 49:22 62:10 (נֵס) * ;]

a fixed sign or signal: Mark 14:44. (Strab., Plut., al.; condemned by Atticists, see Rutherford, NPhr., 492 f.) †

(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 Mark 14:44

Range of meaning

A sign agreed on between parties in advance: a prearranged signal, password-like cue, or military signal. In the Greek Old Testament it can also mean a raised standard or banner used to rally people.

Against the English

BSB and NIV say 'signal', ESV and WEB 'sign', KJV and YLT 'token'. 'Signal' best captures the prearranged, coordinated character the syn- ('together') prefix carries. 'Sign' is accurate but flatter. Today 'token' sounds like a coin, a keepsake or a digital key.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Old Testament: Judges 20:38, 40 (the agreed smoke signal between the Israelite army and its ambush at Gibeah, a strikingly close military parallel); Isaiah 5:26; 49:22; 62:10 (a banner raised for the nations). It occurs in later Greek writers. Ancient Atticist grammarians (purists who held to classical Athenian usage) seem to have treated it as ordinary later Greek for the older syn­thēma, 'watchword'. Matthew's parallel (26:48) uses the common word sēmeion, 'sign'.

Where it appears

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 14:44 σύσσημον a sign

    Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.”

    Here: A signal 'agreed together' (syn = with, sēma = sign), a prearranged cue between Judas and the arresting party. This is the only place it occurs in the New Testament.

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