What does συνέρχομαι (synérchomai) mean in the Bible?
Synerchomai means to come together, assemble, accompany, or converge. Matthew uses it for Mary and Joseph coming together before their marriage was completed.
Greek · G4905
συνέρχομαι
To assemble
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συνέρχομαι G4905
Pronunciation synérchomai
What does συνέρχομαι (synérchomai) mean in the Bible?
Synerchomai means to come together, assemble, accompany, or converge. Matthew uses it for Mary and Joseph coming together before their marriage was completed.
Reader summary
Full entry for συνέρχομαι (G4905) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4905?
The BSB source-word alignment has 30 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include came together (3), come together (3), came (2), gathered (2), when you come together (2).
Where does συνέρχομαι (synérchomai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (16), 1 Corinthians (7), John (2), Luke (2).
Are there verse guides for συνέρχομαι (synérchomai)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Synerchomai means to come together, assemble, accompany, or converge. Matthew uses it for Mary and Joseph coming together before their marriage was completed. The disciples gather around the risen Jesus and ask about the kingdom. Peter says six brothers came with him to Cornelius's house. Paul calls leading Jews together in Rome to explain his chains, and Corinthian believers each bring a contribution when they assemble for worship.
The verb identifies shared presence or movement, not automatic unity, holiness, or institutional legitimacy. People may gather for inquiry, witness, accountability, explanation, or edification. A faithful assembly is judged by its purpose, conduct, truth, and service under Christ.
How the Bible Uses It
Synerchomai marks people coming together or accompanying one another in family, discipleship, mission, legal explanation, and worship. Physical gathering creates an occasion for truth and action but does not guarantee agreement or faithfulness.
- Matt.1.18
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18 says that before Mary and Joseph came together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. The phrase concerns marital union and safeguards the narrative's claim of virginal conception.
- Acts.1.6
So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 1:6 records the assembled disciples asking whether Jesus will now restore the kingdom to Israel. Their gathering becomes an occasion for correction, commission, and promised Spirit-empowered witness.
- Acts.11.12
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
Acts 11:12 says six brothers accompanied Peter to Cornelius's house. Their shared presence provides accountable witnesses as the church discerns God's welcome of Gentiles.
- Acts.28.17
After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
Acts 28:17 says Paul called together local Jewish leaders in Rome to explain that he had done nothing against his people or ancestral customs. Assembly enables a direct account instead of rumor.
- 1Cor.14.26
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.
First Corinthians 14:26 asks what should happen when believers come together: each contribution must build up the church. Gathering is ordered by edification, intelligibility, and peace.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It came together 3× Matthew 1:18, Acts 1:6, Acts 2:6
come together 3× John 18:20, 1 Corinthians 11:18, 1 Corinthians 11:20
came 2× Luke 5:15, Acts 25:17
gathered 2× Mark 3:20, Acts 5:16
when you come together 2× 1 Corinthians 11:33, 1 Corinthians 11:34
[and] went with 1× Acts 9:39
[who] had accompanied 1× Acts 10:45
accompanied 1× Acts 21:16
accompanied by 1× Acts 10:23
assembled 1× Mark 14:53
comes 1× 1 Corinthians 14:23
gathered together 1× Acts 10:27
had come with 1× Luke 23:55
had gathered 1× Acts 28:17
had not accompanied 1× Acts 15:38
they were there 1× Acts 19:32
to accompany 1× Acts 11:12
to assemble 1× Acts 22:30
who had come with 1× John 11:33
who had gathered [there] 1× Acts 16:13
who have accompanied 1× Acts 1:21
you come together 1× 1 Corinthians 14:26
your gatherings 1× 1 Corinthians 11:17
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:18 συνελθεῖν to came together Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Mark 3:20 συνέρχεται to gathered Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Mark 14:53 συνέρχονται to assembled Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Luke 5:15 συνήρχοντο to came Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Luke 23:55 συνεληλυθυῖαι to had come with Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Plural John 11:33 συνελθόντας to who had come with Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural John 18:20 συνέρχονται to come together Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Acts 1:6 συνελθόντες to came together Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Acts 1:21 συνελθόντων to who have accompanied Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural Acts 2:6 συνῆλθεν to came together Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:18
Aligned rows 30
Books represented 6
Matthew 1 Mark 2 Luke 2 John 2 Acts 16 1 Corinthians 7
Source forms
συνελθεῖν 3x synelthein Matthew 1:18, Acts 11:12, Acts 22:30
συνελθόντων 2x synelthontōn Acts 1:21, Acts 28:17
συνέρχησθε 2x synerchēsthe 1 Corinthians 11:34, 1 Corinthians 14:26
συνέρχονται 2x synerchontai Mark 14:53, John 18:20
συνῆλθεν 2x synēlthen Acts 2:6, Acts 9:39
συνῆλθον 2x synēlthon Acts 10:23, Acts 21:16
συνεληλύθεισαν 1x synelēlytheisan Acts 19:32
συνεληλυθότας 1x synelēlythotas Acts 10:27
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x Acts 10:23, Acts 10:45, Acts 21:16
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 3x Matthew 1:18, Acts 11:12, Acts 22:30
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural 3x Acts 1:21, Acts 25:17, Acts 28:17
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Acts 2:6, Acts 9:39
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural 2x Mark 14:53, John 18:20
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural 2x 1 Corinthians 11:18, 1 Corinthians 11:20
Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural 2x 1 Corinthians 11:34, 1 Corinthians 14:26
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural 1x John 11:33
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not equate mere attendance, crowd size, or institutional gathering with Christian unity or health.
- Do not use gathering language to erase consent, accountability, safeguarding, or meaningful participation.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not equate mere attendance, crowd size, or institutional gathering with Christian unity or health.
- Do not use gathering language to erase consent, accountability, safeguarding, or meaningful participation.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to assemble
Source Gloss
to assemble
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 32 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
sunelqein
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Mark 3:20 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
συνέρχεται sunercetai
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Mark 6:33 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆλθον sunhlqon
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Mark 14:53 Verb Third Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
συνέρχονται sunercontai
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Luke 5:15 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
συνήρχοντο sunhrconto
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Luke 23:55 Verb Second Perfect Active Participle Nominative Plural Feminine
συνεληλυθυῖαι sunelhluquiai
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse John 11:33 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
συνελθόντας sunelqontav
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse John 18:20 Verb Third Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
συνέρχονται, sunercontai
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 1:6 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
συνελθόντες sunelqontev
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 1:21 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
συνελθόντων sunelqontwn
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 2:6 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆλθε sunhlqen
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 5:16 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
συνήρχετο sunhrceto
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 9:39 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆλθεν sunhlqen
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 10:23 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆλθον sunhlqon
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 10:27 Verb Second Perfect Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
συνεληλυθότας sunelhluqotav
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verse Acts 10:45 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆλθον sunhlqon
I come or go with, accompany, assemble
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 30 Tenses Aorist, Present, Imperfect, Perfect, Pluperfect Voices Active, Middle
Tenses
Voices
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 12×
Aorist Active Acts 1:21 · Acts 25:17 · Acts 28:17 · John 11:33 · Acts 1:6 · Acts 15:38 · Acts 16:13 7×
Present Middle 1 Cor 11:18 · 1 Cor 11:20 · 1 Cor 11:33 3×
Perfect Active Luke 23:55 · Acts 10:27 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 12×
Aorist Active Acts 10:23 · Acts 10:45 · Acts 21:16 · Acts 2:6 · Acts 9:39 5×
Present Middle Mark 14:53 · John 18:20 · Mark 3:20 · 1 Cor 11:17 4×
Imperfect Middle Luke 5:15 · Acts 5:16 2×
Pluperfect Active Acts 19:32 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Present Middle 1 Cor 11:34 · 1 Cor 14:26 2×
Aorist Active 1 Cor 14:23 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 29 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 16 present 9 imperfect 2 perfect 1 pluperfect 1
Voice
active 18 middle 11
Mood
indicative 12 participle 11 subjunctive 3 infinitive 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:18 συνελθεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 3:20 συνέρχεται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 14:53 συνέρχονται present middle indicative ongoing Luke 5:15 συνήρχοντο imperfect middle indicative background John 11:33 συνελθόντας aorist active participle participle John 18:20 συνέρχονται present middle indicative ongoing Acts 1:21 συνελθόντων aorist active participle participle Acts 1:6 συνελθόντες aorist active participle participle Acts 2:6 συνῆλθε aorist active indicative completed Acts 5:16 συνήρχετο imperfect middle indicative background Acts 9:39 συνῆλθεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 10:23 συνῆλθον aorist active indicative completed Acts 10:27 συνεληλυθότας perfect active participle participle Acts 10:45 συνῆλθαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 11:12 συνελθεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 15:38 συνελθόντα aorist active participle participle Acts 16:13 συνελθούσαις aorist active participle participle Acts 19:32 συνεληλύθεισαν pluperfect active indicative resultant Acts 21:16 συνῆλθον aorist active indicative completed Acts 22:30 συνελθεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 25:17 συνελθόντων aorist active participle participle Acts 28:17 συνελθόντων aorist active participle participle 1 Corinthians 11:17 συνέρχεσθε present middle indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 11:18 συνερχομένων present middle participle participle 1 Corinthians 11:20 συνερχομένων present middle participle participle 1 Corinthians 11:33 συνερχόμενοι present middle participle participle 1 Corinthians 11:34 συνέρχησθε present middle subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 14:23 συνέλθῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 14:26 συνέρχησθε present middle subjunctive subjunctive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
συνέρχομαι is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Synerchomai reminds believers that shared space is an opportunity, not an achievement. Mary and Joseph's marital coming together is carefully located after the Spirit's miraculous work. The disciples gather with questions that Jesus redirects toward witness. Peter brings companions so a disputed mission has communal testimony. Paul convenes leaders to explain his case openly, and Corinthian worship is evaluated by whether each contribution serves the body.
Churches should value embodied gathering without romanticizing it. People can assemble and still misunderstand, dominate, or create disorder. Faithful coming together makes room for Scripture-shaped correction, transparent testimony, accountable leadership, intelligible participation, and the good of others. The presence of Christ and His truth, not mere proximity, makes assembly spiritually fruitful.
Anchor passage
1Cor.14.26
Doctrinal connections
- Incarnation: Matthew's timing of marital union supports the virgin conception of Jesus by the Spirit.
- Kingdom and mission: the risen Jesus redirects gathered disciples toward Spirit-empowered witness.
- Gentile inclusion: accountable companions witness God's gift to Cornelius's household.
- Truth and justice: direct assembly can replace rumor with a clear account and opportunity to respond.
- Church worship: gathered contributions are governed by edification, intelligibility, and peace.
- Christian community: bodily presence matters, but unity requires shared submission to Christ and truth.
Synerchomai combines syn with erchomai and can mean come together, assemble, accompany, or converge. Context shows whether participants arrive separately, travel together, enter marital union, or gather formally.
From Old to New Testament
Israel assembles to hear covenant words, worship, deliberate, and sometimes rebel. New Testament assemblies are formed around the risen Christ, apostolic witness, and mutual edification.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain