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ἀλλήλων

allḗlōn

G240 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Reciprocal pronoun indicating a mutual or reciprocal relationship between members of a group; involving or directed from one to another among those referenced. In usage, expresses that the action, attitude, or state pertains equally and interactively among the parties involved.

Semantic Range

one another, each other, mutually, reciprocally, together, amongst themselves, between each other

Root / Etymology

Reduplicated genitive plural form from ἄλλος ('other, another'), formed to express reciprocal relations; not found in earlier classical Greek forms in the same sense, but related to reciprocal pronouns in Indo-European languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Koine Greek, ἀλλήλων functions as a reciprocal pronoun, used strictly in oblique cases (never nominative) to express mutuality among members of a group, such as help, actions, attitudes, or relationships that are shared or exchanged reciprocally. It is extremely frequent in the New Testament to express ideals of communal relationships—e.g., 'love one another', 'serve one another', 'bear one another's burdens.' Its usage is formulaic in admonitions or moral exhortations, but also appears in non-biblical Koine, inscriptions, and papyri to indicate reciprocal obligations or actions. Standard English translations such as 'one another' or 'each other' render the central sense, but may sometimes obscure the symmetrical nature of the mutual obligation in Greek context. The word does not occur with nominative forms, but is used in genitive (ἀλλήλων), dative (ἀλλήλοις), and accusative (ἀλλήλους) forms. Distinct from αὐτός, which can have reflexive or emphasizing senses, ἀλλήλων is always mutual and plural. Rare or unattested in classical Attic, its prevalence increases in Hellenistic and later Greek.

Translation Consistency

primary "one another" 0 occurrences

ἀλλήλων is a reciprocal pronoun meaning mutual interaction or relation. “One another” directly and naturally captures the reciprocal sense used throughout the SILEX range (one another, each other, mutually) and is a stable, commonly recognized English equivalent suitable for consistent rendering of all forms.

Alternatives (100 occurrences):
"another" (100x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

Genitive plural from ἄλλος reduplicated; one another:--each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them-, your-)selves, (selves) together (sometimes with μετά or πρός).

Root Family

ἀλλήλων (allēlōn) — other, another, different; reciprocal, mutual

Root ἄλλ- other, another, different

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G240-03 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another 67
G240-02 ἀλλήλων allelon PRO GEN M PL one another of one another of one another 20
G240-01 ἀλλήλοις allelois PRO DAT M PL one another to one another to one another 13

Occurrences in Scripture

100 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G240-03 Matthew 24:10 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
G240-03 Matthew 24:10 ἀλλήλους allelous-2 PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
G240-02 Matthew 25:32 ἀλλήλων allelon PRO GEN M PL one another of one another of one another
G240-03 Mark 4:41 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
G240-03 Mark 8:16 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL themselves one another one another
G240-03 Mark 9:34 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
G240-01 Mark 9:50 ἀλλήλοις allelois PRO DAT M PL one another to one another one another
G240-03 Mark 15:31 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL themselves one another one another
G240-03 Luke 2:15 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
G240-03 Luke 4:36 ἀλλήλους allelous PRO ACC M PL one another one another one another
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