Spiritual Opposition: συστροφή (Strong’s G4963: sustrophé) Exposes Gospel Resistance

Strong’s G4963: From sun (with) and strephó (to turn), συστροφή describes a gathering or crowd, often with hostile intent. In Acts, it portrays opposition to the Gospel, highlighting how truth can provoke resistance while creating opportunities for witness.

U- Unveiling the Word

συστροφή represents more than just a casual gathering—it often carries connotations of conspiracy or hostile assembly. As a compound word combining “together” (σύν) and “turning” (στρέφω), it depicts people gathering with shared purpose, frequently opposing God’s work. In Acts, it appears in contexts of resistance to the Gospel message. The early church recognized this term as symbolizing the world’s organized opposition to truth, while also seeing how God uses such opposition to advance His Kingdom. Today, it reminds us that persecution often accompanies faithful witness but cannot thwart God’s purposes.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συστροφή, sustrophé, /sü-stro-fā’/
• Pronunciation Guide: “soo-stro-FAY” (stress on final syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• σύν (syn) – prefix meaning “with” or “together”
• στρέφω (strephó) – verb meaning “to turn”
• -η (-é) – feminine noun ending

D – Defining Meanings

• A gathering of people
• A hostile crowd
• A conspiracy or seditious meeting

For compound words:
σύν (together) combines with στρέφω (to turn) to create the idea of people turning or gathering together, often with negative connotations of plotting or hostile intent.

Translation Options:

• “Hostile gathering” – Best captures the negative connotation
• “Conspiracy” – Emphasizes the plotting aspect
• “Tumultuous assembly” – Highlights the disorderly nature

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ὄχλος (ochlos) /o’-khlos/ – crowd, multitude – See G3793
• πλῆθος (pléthos) /plā’-thos/ – multitude, assembly – See G4128
• στάσις (stasis) /stä’-sēs/ – riot, insurrection – See G4714

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, συστροφή exhibits:

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

Examples:

• Nominative: συστροφή (a gathering)
• Genitive: συστροφῆς (of a gathering)
• Dative: συστροφῇ (to/for a gathering)
• Accusative: συστροφήν (gathering as direct object)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its use for crowds with hostile intent. Thayer’s notes its development from physical gathering to conspiracy. LSJ documents its usage in political contexts for seditious meetings. Vine’s connects it to organized opposition. Strong’s highlights the collective nature of the gathering. Moulton and Milligan note its frequent negative connotations in papyri.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Acts 19:40: “As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion [συστροφή], since there is no reason for it.”

Additional References:

• Acts 23:12

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συστροφή reminds us that the Gospel often faces organized opposition, yet this resistance cannot prevent God’s purposes. This word proclaims the good news that even when facing hostile crowds, the Messiah’s followers can trust in His sovereign control and ultimate victory.

D – Did You Know?

• The word was used in ancient political documents to describe revolutionary meetings
• Early Christians adopted it to describe persecution they faced
• It appears in contexts where opposition actually helped spread the Gospel

Strong’s G4963: From sun (with) and strephó (to turn), συστροφή describes a gathering or crowd, often with hostile intent. In Acts, it portrays opposition to the Gospel, highlighting how truth can provoke resistance while creating opportunities for witness.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: opposition, persecution, crowds, conspiracy, resistance, Acts, Paul’s ministry, hostile gatherings, Gospel advancement, divine sovereignty​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​