συμψηφίζω

I compute, reckon up

Definition

The verb συμψηφίζω means to calculate or reckon up a total, specifically by adding together individual items. In its only biblical occurrence (Acts 19:19), it describes the action of counting up the total value of magical scrolls burned by new converts in Ephesus. The prefix 'σύν' (with/together) emphasizes the collective nature of the calculation—individual values were summed into a single, impressive total. While the core meaning is straightforward arithmetic, in this context it underscores a deliberate and comprehensive renunciation of pagan practices.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 19:19. It appears in the narrative of the Ephesian converts who, after hearing the gospel from Paul, publicly burned their valuable books of magic. The term is used to describe the act of calculating the massive combined monetary value of these destroyed scrolls, which amounted to 50,000 pieces of silver. Its usage highlights the decisive and total break from their former occult lifestyle.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition σύν (G4862, meaning 'with' or 'together') combined with the verb ψηφίζω (G5585, meaning 'to count' or 'to calculate,' using pebbles or counters). Literally, it means 'to count together.' The root ψηφίζω relates to ψῆφος (G5586), a small stone or pebble used as a counter in ancient reckoning, much like an abacus.

Semantic Range

Though used only once, this word carries theological weight in illustrating genuine repentance and the transfer of allegiance to Christ. The act of 'reckoning up' the value of the magical scrolls signifies a conscious, public accounting of the cost of abandoning sin. It underscores the totality of conversion—nothing was held back. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of Acts 19 by highlighting the deliberate and costly nature of the Ephesians' repentance, serving as a powerful example of forsaking all for the sake of the gospel.

In the Greco-Roman world, especially in a cosmopolitan trade center like Ephesus, magical practices and scrolls containing spells (Ephesian 'Ephesia Grammata') were common and valuable. Calculating a sum of 50,000 drachmas (or pieces of silver) was an enormous amount, equivalent to over 150 years' wages for a common laborer. The public burning and accounting were a dramatic, culturally understood declaration of a complete and irreversible break from these powerful spiritual systems.

λογίζομαι (logizomai, G3049) — a more general term for reckoning, calculating, or considering, often used in theological contexts of imputation or accounting. ψηφίζω (psēphizō, G5585) — the root verb meaning to count or calculate, but without the collective sense of 'adding together.'

Word Details

Scripture References