Bible Word Study
συμφύω
symphyō · I grow at the same time
συμφύω
I grow at the same time
Definition
The verb συμφύω means 'to grow together' or 'to spring up together.' It describes plants or vegetation that emerge and develop simultaneously, often in close proximity. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Luke 8:7, it specifically refers to thorns that grew up alongside the seed in the Parable of the Sower, choking it. The word emphasizes concurrent growth, typically implying a competitive or detrimental relationship when used in agricultural contexts, as one growth hinders another.
Biblical Usage
Συμφύω is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 8:7. It appears in Jesus's Parable of the Sower, describing how thorns 'grew up together with' the good seed and choked it. This usage is purely agricultural and metaphorical, illustrating how worldly cares can overwhelm spiritual growth. The context is a narrative parable told by Jesus, recorded only in Luke's Gospel.
Etymology
Συμφύω is a compound verb from the preposition σύν (syn), meaning 'with' or 'together,' and the verb φύω (phyō), meaning 'to bring forth,' 'to grow,' or 'to spring up.' Literally, it means 'to grow together.' Its root is related to φύσις (physis, 'nature') and φυτόν (phyton, 'plant'), emphasizing natural, organic growth.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, συμφύω holds theological significance within the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15). It vividly illustrates the spiritual danger of allowing worldly concerns ('thorns') to grow concurrently with and ultimately choke the 'word of God' in a person's heart. Understanding this Greek term enriches the parable by highlighting the active, competitive process by which spiritual life can be suffocated, urging believers to cultivate single-minded devotion. In an agrarian society, the image of thorns growing alongside crops was a familiar and potent symbol of futility and lost labor. Listeners would instantly recognize the struggle and the need for constant weeding. The word captures a concrete, everyday reality that Jesus used to teach a spiritual lesson about the heart's condition and the battle for spiritual fruitfulness. αὐξάνω (auxanō, G837) — a more general term for 'to grow' or 'increase,' without the 'together' connotation. βλαστάνω (blastanō, G985) — means 'to sprout' or 'to bud,' focusing on the initial emergence of growth.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]