Brief Overview of συμπολίτης (Strong’s G4847: sympolites)

Strong’s G4847: A compound noun combining συν- (with) and πολίτης (citizen), meaning “fellow citizen.” Used in Ephesians to describe the inclusion of Gentile believers into the commonwealth of God’s people, emphasizing their full citizenship rights in God’s kingdom.

U- Unveiling the Word

συμπολίτης embodies the profound concept of shared citizenship in God’s kingdom. As a compound word, it combines togetherness (συν-) with citizenship (πολίτης) to express full membership in a community. In the New Testament, Paul uses it to describe the new status of Gentile believers who are no longer strangers but full citizens in God’s commonwealth. The early church saw this term as crucial in understanding the unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. Today, it continues to remind us of our shared identity and equal standing in the Messiah’s kingdom, transcending all cultural and ethnic barriers.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συμπολίτης, sympolites, /soom-pol-ee-tace/
• Detailed pronunciation: soom (unstressed) – POL (stressed) – ee – tace
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Prefix: συν-/συμ- (syn-/sym-) meaning “with, together”
• Root word: πολίτης (polites) meaning “citizen”
• From πόλις (polis) meaning “city”
• Suffix: -της (-tes) indicating agency or status

D – Defining Meanings

• Fellow citizen
• Co-citizen
• Member of the same commonwealth

For compound words:
The prefix συν- indicates shared status
The root πολίτης contributes the concept of citizenship
Together they express equal membership in a community

Translation Options:

1. Fellow citizen – Most common and direct translation
2. Co-citizen – Emphasizes equality of status
3. Citizen together – Stresses the shared nature of citizenship

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πολίτης (polites) /pol-ee-tace/ – citizen – See G4177
• συμμέτοχος (symmetochos) /soom-met-okh-os/ – fellow partaker – See G4830
• πολίτευμα (politeuma) /pol-it-yoo-mah/ – citizenship – See G4175

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological Features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: First declension

Example English forms:
Nominative: fellow citizen
Genitive: fellow citizen’s
Dative: to/for the fellow citizen
Plural: fellow citizens

• Cross-references include the verb συμπολιτεύομαι (to live as fellow citizens)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its use in describing spiritual citizenship. Thayer’s highlights the equality implied in the term. LSJ notes its common use in political contexts. Vine’s connects it to the privileges of kingdom membership. Strong’s emphasizes the completeness of the shared citizenship. Moulton and Milligan document its use in civic documents.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but [συμπολίτης] fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God Ephesians 2:19

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συμπολίτης beautifully captures the inclusive nature of God’s kingdom. It proclaims the good news that in King Jesus, there are no second-class citizens; all believers, regardless of background, are full citizens of His kingdom. This word reminds us that the gospel breaks down dividing walls and creates one new citizenship in the Messiah.

D – Did You Know?

1. The term carried significant political weight in ancient times when citizenship rights were highly valued.
2. Its use in Ephesians challenged both Jewish exclusivism and Roman citizenship pride.
3. Early church writers used this term to argue against creating hierarchies within the church.

Strong’s G4847: A compound noun combining συν- (with) and πολίτης (citizen), meaning “fellow citizen.” Used in Ephesians to describe the inclusion of Gentile believers into the commonwealth of God’s people, emphasizing their full citizenship rights in God’s kingdom.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: citizenship, inclusion, kingdom-of-god, unity, gentile-inclusion, equality, community, membership, commonwealth, identity, belonging, church-unity​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​