συνωδίνω

I am in travail together

Definition

The verb συνωδίνω means 'to be in labor pains together' or 'to suffer birth pangs together.' It is a compound word that intensifies the experience of childbirth, emphasizing shared, collective agony. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Romans 8:22, it is used metaphorically to describe the entire creation groaning together in pain, as if in the labor of childbirth, while awaiting redemption. This metaphor powerfully conveys both the intense suffering and the hopeful expectation inherent in the current state of the world, pointing toward a future 'new birth.'

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Romans 8:22. Here, the Apostle Paul employs it in a profound metaphorical sense. He personifies the non-human creation ('all creation') as a collective entity that is συστενάζει καὶ συνωδίνει ('groans together and suffers birth pangs together'). The usage is entirely figurative, describing the shared suffering and eager anticipation for the future revelation of God's children and the liberation of creation from its bondage to decay.

Etymology

The word is a compound verb formed from the preposition σύν (syn, G4862), meaning 'with' or 'together,' and the verb ὠδίνω (ōdinō, G5605), which means 'to suffer birth pangs,' 'to be in labor,' or 'to travail.' ὠδίνω itself comes from the noun ὠδίν (ōdin), meaning 'a birth pang' or 'pain of childbirth.' Thus, συνωδίνω literally means 'to suffer birth pangs together,' combining the ideas of intense pain and communal participation.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it anchors Paul's cosmic vision of redemption in Romans 8. It teaches that the present suffering and frustration of the natural world is not meaningless but is part of a universal, groaning anticipation for the culmination of God's salvation plan. The metaphor of shared labor pains connects creation's current state to the hope of a new creation, mirroring how pain precedes the joy of new life. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the depth of creation's participation in the redemptive narrative and its solidarity with believers who also 'groan' for their adoption (Romans 8:23).

In the ancient Greco-Roman world, the pain of childbirth (ὠδίν) was a universally recognized and powerful metaphor for intense, unavoidable suffering that precedes a joyous outcome. Paul's use of this metaphor would have been immediately vivid to his original audience. The cultural understanding differs slightly from some modern perspectives that might see creation as inert; here, creation is personified as an active, feeling participant in the cosmic drama of sin and redemption, sharing in the collective experience of pain and hope.

ὠδίνω (ōdinō, G5605) — The root verb meaning simply 'to be in labor' or 'to travail,' without the communal emphasis of συνωδίνω. στενάζω (stenazō, G4727) — Means 'to groan' or 'sigh,' often used alongside συνωδίνω in Romans 8:22-23 to express the audible expression of inward pain and longing.

Word Details

Scripture References