What does συνιστάω (synistáō) mean in the Bible?
G4921 can speak of commending, demonstrating, proving, or presenting something as established. In Paul, the word often asks who validates a claim, a ministry, or a person.
Greek · G4921
συνιστάω
To commend
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συνιστάω G4921
Pronunciation synistáō
What does συνιστάω (synistáō) mean in the Bible?
G4921 can speak of commending, demonstrating, proving, or presenting something as established. In Paul, the word often asks who validates a claim, a ministry, or a person.
Reader summary
Full entry for συνιστάω (G4921) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4921?
The BSB source-word alignment has 16 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include we commend (2), commend (1), commends (1), have commended (1), highlights (1).
Where does συνιστάω (synistáō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 9:32. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (9), Romans (3), 2 Peter (1), Colossians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G4921 can speak of commending, demonstrating, proving, or presenting something as established. In Paul, the word often asks who validates a claim, a ministry, or a person. God demonstrates His love in the death of Christ, Paul commends Phoebe to the Roman church, and Second Corinthians insists that the Lord's commendation is decisive. The word helps teachers separate gospel integrity from self-advertisement.
For preaching and teaching, this companion keeps the term tied to its cited Pauline settings before moving toward doctrine or application. The aim is not to turn a Greek gloss into a sermon by itself, but to help readers notice how the word functions inside Paul's argument, relationships, warnings, and gospel-centered exhortation with patient clarity.
How the Bible Uses It
G4921 moves through Paul's letters as a word for demonstrated reality and received commendation. It can expose self-presentation, honor faithful servants, and direct the church back to God's own proof in Christ.
- Rom.5.8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God demonstrates His love in the death of Christ while sinners are still helpless. The word is controlled by redemptive action, not abstract sentiment.
- Rom.16.1
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
Paul commends Phoebe to the Roman believers, showing that commendation can serve faithful reception and care within the church.
- 2Cor.10.18
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Paul warns that self-commendation is not the same as approval before God. The Lord's commendation sets the final measure.
Passage context
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 we commend 2× 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 6:4
commend 1× 2 Corinthians 10:12
commends 1× 2 Corinthians 10:18
have commended 1× 2 Corinthians 12:11
highlights 1× Romans 3:5
hold together 1× Colossians 1:17
I commend 1× Romans 16:1
I prove 1× Galatians 2:18
proves 1× Romans 5:8
standing with 1× Luke 9:32
to commend 1× 2 Corinthians 3:1
was formed 1× 2 Peter 3:5
We are not commending 1× 2 Corinthians 5:12
who commends 1× 2 Corinthians 10:18
you have proved 1× 2 Corinthians 7:11
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 9:32 συνεστῶτας to standing with Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural Romans 3:5 συνίστησιν to highlights Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Romans 5:8 συνίστησιν to proves Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Romans 16:1 Συνίστημι to I commend Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2 Corinthians 3:1 συνιστάνειν to to commend Verb - Present Infinitive Active 2 Corinthians 4:2 συνιστάνοντες to we commend Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2 Corinthians 5:12 συνιστάνομεν to We are not commending Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 2 Corinthians 6:4 συνιστάνοντες to we commend Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2 Corinthians 7:11 συνεστήσατε to you have proved Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural 2 Corinthians 10:12 συνιστανόντων to commend Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Luke 9:32
Aligned rows 16
Books represented 6
Luke 1 Romans 3 2 Corinthians 9 Galatians 1 Colossians 1 2 Peter 1
Source forms
συνίστησιν 3x synistēsin Romans 3:5, Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 10:18
συνιστάνοντες 2x synistanontes 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 6:4
συνέστηκεν 1x synestēken Colossians 1:17
συνεστήσατε 1x synestēsate 2 Corinthians 7:11
συνεστῶσα 1x synestōsa 2 Peter 3:5
συνεστῶτας 1x synestōtas Luke 9:32
συνιστάνειν 1x synistanein 2 Corinthians 3:1
συνιστάνομεν 1x synistanomen 2 Corinthians 5:12
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 3x Romans 3:5, Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 10:18
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2x Romans 16:1, Galatians 2:18
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 6:4
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 7:11
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Colossians 1:17
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural 1x Luke 9:32
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular 1x 2 Peter 3:5
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 5:12
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
Avoid claiming...
Passage contextPastoral applicationlexicaltextual
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To commend or prove someone's worth; to demonstrate and establish character or competence.
Strong's G4921
Lexical occurrences 0 verses Greek text appearances 16 times Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Romans 16:1 Source Gloss
to commend
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 9:32 Verb Perfect Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
συνεστῶτας sunestwtav
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse Romans 3:5 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
συνίστησι, sunisthsin
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse Romans 5:8 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
συνίστησι sunisthsin
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse Romans 16:1 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
Συνίστημι sunisthmi
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 3:1 Verb Present Active Infinitive
συνιστάνειν; sunistanein
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 4:2 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
συνιστῶντες sunistwntev
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 5:12 Verb First Person Plural Present Active Indicative
συνιστάνομεν sunistanomen
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 6:4 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
συνιστῶντες sunistwntev
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 7:11 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
συνεστήσατε sunesthsate
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 10:12 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
συνιστανόντων· sunistanontwn
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 10:18 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
συνιστῶν, sunistwn
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 10:18 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
συνίστησιν. sunisthsin
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Corinthians 12:11 Verb Present Passive Infinitive
συνίστασθαι· sunistasqai
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse Galatians 2:18 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
συνίστημι. sunisthmi
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse Colossians 1:17 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Active Indicative
συνέστηκε. sunesthken
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
Read verse 2 Peter 3:5 Verb Perfect Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
συνεστῶσα, sunestwsa
I commend, prove, am composed of, cohere
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.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 16 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 12 perfect 3 aorist 1
Voice
active 15 passive 1
Mood
indicative 8 participle 6 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Luke 9:32 συνεστῶτας perfect active participle participle Romans 3:5 συνίστησιν present active indicative ongoing Romans 5:8 συνίστησιν present active indicative ongoing Romans 16:1 Συνίστημι present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 3:1 συνιστάνειν present active infinitive infinitive 2 Corinthians 4:2 συνιστάνοντες present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 5:12 συνιστάνομεν present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 6:4 συνιστάνοντες present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 7:11 συνεστήσατε aorist active indicative completed 2 Corinthians 10:12 συνιστανόντων present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 10:18 συνιστάνων present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 10:18 συνίστησιν present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 12:11 συνίστασθαι present passive infinitive infinitive Galatians 2:18 συνιστάνω present active indicative ongoing Colossians 1:17 συνέστηκεν perfect active indicative resultant 2 Peter 3:5 συνεστῶσα perfect active participle participle
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)
Sampled Scripture Occurrences
Representative Scripture witnesses for this entry: passage, original form, and sense in context.
Biblical Witnesses
to recommend a person to others, typically at letter's beginning
Word Origins
συνιστάω is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
G4921 gives teachers a careful vocabulary for validation. Paul can commend a servant, commend himself by open truth, or speak of God demonstrating love. But he also refuses the culture of self-authorization. The word presses the question of evidence: is the claim proved by God's action, faithful service, open truth, or only by self-presentation?
Anchor passage
Rom.5.8
Doctrinal connections
- Rom.5.8 - God demonstrates His love in the death of Christ while sinners are still helpless. The word is controlled by redemptive action, not abstract sentiment.
- Rom.16.1 - Paul commends Phoebe to the Roman believers, showing that commendation can serve faithful reception and care within the church.
- 2Cor.10.18 - Paul warns that self-commendation is not the same as approval before God. The Lord's commendation sets the final measure.
To commend, demonstrate, or prove is the reviewed display gloss for G4921. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 14 Pauline use(s), with common forms including V-PAI-3S 3, V-PAI-1S 2, V-PAP-NPM 2. Treat these form signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
From Old to New Testament
Paul's use of G4921 keeps public claim and tested reality together. God proves His love in Christ; servants are commended for faithful service; self-commendation remains spiritually fragile.
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