Quick Definition
I work together
Strong's Definition
to be a fellow-worker, i.e. co-operate
Derivation: from G4904 (συνεργός);
KJV Usage: help (work) with, work(-er) together
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
συνεργέω, συνεργῷ; imperfect 3 person singular συνήργει; (συνεργός, which see); from Euripides, Xenophon, Demosthenes down; Vulg.cooperor ((in 2Co_6:1 adjuco)); to work together, help in work, be a partner in labor: 1Co_16:16; 2Co_6:1; to put forth power together with and thereby to assist, Mar_16:20; τίνι, with one: ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις, faith (was not inactive, but by coworking) caused Abraham to produce works, Jas_2:22 (here Tr text συνεργεῖ (hardly a collateral form of συνείργω to unite, but) a misprint for συνεργεῖ); τίνι εἰς τί (in secular writings also πρός τί, see Passow (or Liddell and Scott), under the word), to assist, help (be serviceable to) one for a thing, Rom_8:28 (A. V. all things work together for good); τί τίνι εἰς τί, a breviloquence equivalent to συνεργῶν, πορίζω τί τίνι, so that according to the reading πάντα συνεργεῖ ὁ Θεός the meaning is, 'for them that love God, God coworking provides all things for good or so that it is well with them' (Fritzsche) (R. V. marginal reading God worketh all things with them for good), Rom_8:28 Lachmann (WH in brackets; cf. Buttmann, 193 (167)) (ἑαυτοῖς τά συμφέροντα, Xenophon, mem. 3, 5, 16). Cf. Fritzsche, Ep. ad Romans, vol. ii, p. 193f.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
συνεργέω synergeō 5x
to work together with, to cooperate, etc., 1Co_16:16 ; 2Co_6:1 ;
to assist, afford aid to, Mar_16:20 ; Jas_2:22 ;
absol. to conspire actively to a result, Rom_8:28
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** συνεργέω , -ῶ ,
[in LXX : 1Es_7:2 , 1Ma_12:1 * ;]
1. prop ., to work together ( with ): absol. , Mar_16:20 , 1Co_16:16 , 2Co_6:1 ; c . dat ., Jas_2:22 ; dat . commod., Rom_8:28 , T , R , txt . (but v. infr .).
2. In Hellenistic writers ( M , Pr., 65), trans ., to cause to work together ( cf. ICC , in l ): c . acc rei , Rom_8:28 [ WH ] R , mg . (but v. supr .).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
συνεργέω [page 605]
work along with, co-operate with ; P Lond 908 .25 (A.D. 139) (= III. p. 133) δεὸν αὐτὸν ἀποδοῦναι συνεργῶν ( l . συνεργοῦντα ) τῆι γυναικί , P Leid W xv. 13 (ii/iii A.D.) (= II. p. 133) τὸν συνεργοῦντα Ἀπόλλωνα , adjutorem Apollinem, P Amh II. 152 .4 (v/vi A.D.) τοῦ θεοῦ συνεργήσαντος , Musonius p. 21 .22 συνεργεῖ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῇ πράξει ὁ λόγος , and M. Anton, vi. 42 πάντες εἰς ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα συνεργοῦμεν , we are fellow-workers towards the fulfilment of one object (Haines). For the trans, usage cause to work together see Rom_8:28 AB with note by SH, who for this use of συνεργεῖ compare Test. xii. patr . Issach. 3 and Gad 4. For the subst. συνέργεια , see P Lond 41 verso .4 (ii/B.C.) (= I. p. 29, UPZ i. p. 286) σοῦ . . . ἐν τῆι τούτων ἐνεργείαι ἐπιταθέντος , and P Leid D .14 (B.C. 162) (= I. p. 25, UPZ i. p. 231) προσδεόμενος δ᾽ ἔτι τυχεῖν καὶ ἐν τούτο <ι >ς συνεργείας .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
συνεργέω imperf. -ήργουν [Etym: συνεργός] "to work together with, help in work, cooperate", Eur. , Xen. , etc.;— generally, "to cooperate with, assist", τινί Dem.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
συνεργέω, -ῶ
[in LXX: I Est.7:2, 1Ma.12:1 * ;]
__1. prop., to work together (with): absol., Mrk.16:20, 1Co.16:16, 2Co.6:1; with dative, Jas.2:22; dative commod., Rom.8:28, T, R, txt. (but see infr.).
__2. In Hellenistic writers (M, Pr., 65), trans., to cause to work together (cf. ICC, in l): with accusative of thing(s), Rom.8:28 [WH] R, mg. (but see supr.).†
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Work with (4903) sunergeo
Working with (4903) (sunergeo from sun = together with, speaks of an intimate relationship + érgon = work; English - synergy) means literally to work together, to be a partner in work, to co-labor, to engage in cooperative endeavor, to assist. Here James uses it to show that faith works together with works and so it achieves visibility and hence fulfilment in the works.
As John Boys put it...
The saints of God are sealed inwardly with faith, but outwardly with good works.
There are 5 uses of sunergeo in the NT...
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
Romans 8:28 (note) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
1 Corinthians 16:16 that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors.
2 Corinthians 6:1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain--
James 2:22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
Hiebert explains that ...
Working together (sunergei) asserts the close connection between Abraham's faith and his works. The compound verb may mean "to cooperate with," to work together as two quite independent forces. But James cannot mean that faith and works are two equal partners cooperating in the achievement of the stated result. Surely James did not teach such synergism. The preposition sun in the verb need not be so pressed. It seems better to accept that it has the force of working with in the sense of aiding and supporting; his works supported and sustained the fact that his faith was a living faith. The imperfect tense suggests that this working union of faith and works was not limited to this occasion but was characteristic of Abraham's life of faith. Faith is the motivating power of works and there can be no works of faith without faith, as there can be no fruit without the tree. We cannot say that the fruit of the tree cooperates with the tree, but we can say that the fruit helps us to know the nature of the tree. This verse underlines the inseparability of a living faith and Christian deeds. (James. Moody. 1992)
It is noteworthy that although Martin Luther considered James a "right strawy epistle" because of this section of the book, Luther himself agreed with James as his preface to Romans demonstrates...
O it is a living, quick, mighty thing this faith; so that it is impossible but that it should do all good things without intermission. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question could be asked it does them, and is always doing them. He who does not these good works is a man without faith.... Yea, it is impossible to separate works from faith, as impossible to separate burning and shining from fire."
AND AS A RESULT OF THE WORKS, FAITH WAS PERFECTED: kai ek ton ergon e pistis eteleiothe, (3SAPI): (1John 2:5; 4:17,18)
Related Resource - Jehovah Jireh - God our Provider (Abraham's Faith Demonstrated)
Faith was perfected - Notice carefully that this statement implies that faith was already present and thus preceded the works mentioned. Obviously James is not saying Abraham's faith was perfect, for that is not possible for fallen men, even those who are saved by grace through faith. What he was saying is that Abraham's faith attained a reached its goal (see definition of verb below). James is not saying that it was a defective faith, for Genesis 15:6 clearly teaches that it resulted in complete (forensic) justification.
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