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συγχαίρω

synchaírō

G4796 verb

SILEX Entry

Root συγχαίρ- to rejoice together, to share gladness

Definition

To rejoice together with another; to share in the joy or gladness of someone else. The primary sense is to experience gladness in community with others, often in response to their good fortune, success, or positive events. The term can also extend to expressing congratulation or public endorsement of another's joy, but always has an overtone of joint participation in feeling.

Semantic Range

to rejoice together, to share in another's joy, to congratulate, to express joint gladness, to celebrate with

Root / Etymology

Compound verb from σύν ('with, together') and χαίρω ('to rejoice, be glad'). The preposition σύν intensifies the sense of mutuality or participation. Thus, συγχαίρω literally means 'to rejoice with.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, συγχαίρω is attested from the 5th century BCE onward, carrying the sense of joining in someone else's joy, with no special technical or religious connotation. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts, including the New Testament, the word retains this meaning of sharing another's gladness, as seen in contexts of friendship, communal life, and positive announcement (e.g., Luke 1:58; 15:6,9; 1 Corinthians 12:26; Philippians 2:17-18). English translations such as 'rejoice with,' 'congratulate,' or even 'sympathize in gladness' may not fully convey the participatory communal affect inherent in the Greek; the word always emphasizes joint, not private, joy. συγχαίρω stands in contrast to συμπάσχω ('to suffer with'), which emphasizes shared suffering. The focus of συγχαίρω is explicitly affective and shared — it is not merely polite acknowledgment but heartfelt participation in another's happiness. There is no necessary implication of ritual, formality, or mere external congratulation. The term does not appear in the Septuagint, but its semantic field is continuous between classical, Koine, and literary sources.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from σύν and χαίρω; to sympathize in gladness, congratulate:--rejoice in (with).

Root Family

συγχαίρω (synchairō) — to rejoice together, to share gladness, to celebrate with

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G4796-01 συνχαίρει sunchairei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG rejoices rejoices together with 2
G4796-04 συνχάρητέ suncharete V AOR PASS IMP 2P PL rejoice with Rejoice together! 2
G4796-03 συνχαίρω sunchairo V PRS ACT IND 1P SG share joy I rejoice with 1
G4796-02 συνχαίρετέ sunchairete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL rejoice with Keep rejoicing together 1
G4796-05 συνέχαιρον sunechairon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL they rejoiced they were rejoicing together 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G4796-05 Luke 1:58 συνέχαιρον sunechairon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL they rejoiced they were rejoicing together
G4796-04 Luke 15:6 συνχάρητέ suncharete V AOR PASS IMP 2P PL rejoice with Rejoice together!
G4796-04 Luke 15:9 συνχάρητέ suncharete V AOR PASS IMP 2P PL Rejoice with Rejoice together!
G4796-01 1 Corinthians 12:26 συνχαίρει sunchairei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG rejoices with rejoices together with
G4796-01 1 Corinthians 13:6 συνχαίρει sunchairei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG rejoices rejoices together with
G4796-03 Philippians 2:17 συνχαίρω sunchairo V PRS ACT IND 1P SG share joy I rejoice with
G4796-02 Philippians 2:18 συνχαίρετέ sunchairete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL rejoice with Keep rejoicing together
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