ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ, (fr. a copulative and δελφύς, from the same womb; cf. ἀγάστωρ), [fr. Hom. down]; 1. a brother (whether born of the same two parents, or only of the same father or the same mother): Mt. i. 2; iv. 18, and often. That ‘the brethren of Jesus,’ Mt. xii. 46, 47 [but WH only in mrg.]; xiii. 55 sq.; Mk. vi. 3 (in the last two passages also sisters); Lk. viii. 19 sq.; Jn. ii. 12; vii. 8; Acts i. 14; Gal. i. 19; 1 Co. 1. 5, are neither sons of Joseph by a wife married before Mary (which is the account in the Apocryphal Gospels [ef. Thilo, Cod. Apocr. N. T. i. 8362 sq.]), nor cousins, the children of Alpheus or Cleophas [i. 6. Clopas] and Mary a sister of the mother of Jesus (the current opinion among the doctors of the church since Jerome and Ausustine [ef. Bp. Lghtft. Com. on Gal., diss. ii.]), according to that use of language by which ἀδελφός like the Hebr. τὶ denotes any blood-relation or kinsman (Gen. xiv. 16; 1 S. xx. 29; 2 K. x. 18: 1 Chr. xxiii. 22, ete.), but own brothers, born after Jesus, is clear principally from Mt. i. 25 [only in R G]; Lk. ii. 7— where, had Mary borne no other children after Jesus, instead of υἱὸν πρωτότοκον, the expression υἱὸν μονογενῆ would have been used, as well as from Acts i. 14, ef. Jn. vii. 5, where the Lord’s brethren are distinguished from the apostles. See further on this point under Ἰάκωβος, 3. (Cf. B. D. s. v. Brother; Andrews, Life of our Lord, pp- 104-116; Bib. Sacr. for 1864, pp. 855-869; for 1869 pp: 745-758; Laurent, N. T. Studien pp. 153-193; McClellan, note on Mt. xiii. 55.) 2. according to a flebr. use of ms (Ex. ii. 11; iv. 18, etc.), hardly to be met with in prof. auth., having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, countryman; so the Jews (as the σπέρμα ᾿Αβραάμ. υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ, cf. Acts xiii. 26; [in Deut. xv. 3 opp. to ὁ ἀλλότριος, οἵ. xvii. 15; xv. 12; Philo de septen. § 9 init.]) are called ἀδελφοί: Mt. v. 47; Acts iii. 22 (Deut. xviii. 15); vii. 23; xxii. 5; xxviii. 15, 21; Ro. ix. 3; in address, Acts ii. 29; 111. 17; xxiii. 1; Heb. vii. 5. 3. just as in Lev. xix. 17 the word ΤΣ is used interchangeably with }> (but, as vss. 16, 18 show, in speaking of /sraelites), so in the sayings of Christ, Mt. v. 22, 24; vii. 3 sqq., ἀδελφός is used for ὁ πλησίον to denote (as appears from Lk. x. 29 564.) any fellow-man, — as having one and the same father with others, viz. God (Heb. ii. 11), and as descended from the same first ancestor (Acts xvii. 26) ; cf. Epict. diss. 1, 13, 3. 4. a fellow-believer, united to another by the bond of affection; so most frequently of Christians, constituting as it were but a single family: Mt. xxiii. 8; Jn. xxi. 23; Acts vi. 3 [Lchm. om.]; ix. ΘῸ: ἘΠῚ. 1: (Χ18]. 1 2; 1 Couweliles ἘΠῚ Ὁ 14: ete: san courteous address, Ro. i. 13; vii. 1; 1 Co. i. 10; 1 Jn. ii. 7 Rec., and often elsewhere ; yet in the phraseology of John it has reference to the new life unto which men are begotten again by the efficiency of a common father, even God: 1 Jn. ii. 9 sqq.; 111. 10, 14, ete., ef. v. 1. 5. an associate in employment or office: 1 Co. i. 1; 2Co.i. 1; ii. 13(12); Eph. vi. 21; Col. i. 1. 6. brethren of Christ is used of, a. his brothers by blood; see 1 above. b. all men: Mt. xxv. 40 [Lchm. br.]; Heb. ii. 11 sq. [al. refer these exx. to 4.1] c. apostles: Mt. xxviii. 10: Jn. xx. 17. d. Christians, as those who are destined to be exalted to the same heavenly δόξα (q. v. 1Π. 4b.) which he enjoys: Ro. viii. 29.

ἀδελφός adelphos 343x

a brother, near kinsman or relative; one of the same nation or nature; one of equal rank and dignity; an associate, a member of the Christian community

ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ

(< ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb),

in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102 f.), for אָח;] lit. of a brother (Ge 4:2, al.).

Of a neighbour (Le 19:17).

Of a member of the same nation (Ex 2:14, De 15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mt 1:2, al.; 2. Mt 7:3; 3. Ro 9:3) and also,

of a fellow-Christian: I Co 1:1, Ac 9:30. This usage finds illustration in π., where ἀ. is used of members of a pagan religious community (M, Th., I, 1:4; MM, VGT, s.v.). The ἀδελφοὶ τ. Κυρίου (Mt 12:46-49 13:55 28:10, Mk 3:31-34, Lk 8:19-21, Jo 2:12 7:3, 5 10 20:17, Ac 1:14, I Co 9:5) may have been sons of Joseph and Mary (Mayor, Ja., Intr. viff.; DB, i, 320 ff.) or of Joseph by a former marriage (Lft., Gal., 252ff.; DCG, i, 232 ff.), but the view of Jerome, which makes ἀ. equivalent to ἀνεψιός, is inconsistent with Greek usage. (Cremer, 66.)

ἀδελφός. For the literal and the more general derived sense we may quote Sy// 474° ἀδελφοὶ ols κοινὰ τὰ πατρῷα, and 276" διὰ τὸ Μεσσαλιήτας εἶναι ἡμῖν ἀδελφούς]. In P Lond 421 (B.C. 168) (= I. p. 30, Selections p. 9) ᾿Ισίας Ἡφαιστίωνι τῶι ἀδελφῶ[ι χαί(ρειν)], it seems probable that Isias is

ἀδελφός (adelphos) — brother. ἀδελφός [ᾰ], (ἀ- copulative, δελφύς, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; compare ἀγάστωρ) properly, son of the same mother:

I. as substantive, ἀδελφός, ὁ, vocative ἄδελφ; Epic dialect, Ionic dialect, and Lyric poetry ἀδελφεός (genitive -ειοῦ in [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—brother, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀδελφοί brother and sister, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so of the Ptolemies, θεοὶ ἀδελφοί[Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἀπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ἀδελφεός[LXX+5th c.BC+]

I.2. kinsman,[LXX]; tribesman, Ex.[Refs]

I.3. colleague, associate, [Refs]; member of a college, [Refs]

I.4. term of address, used by kings, [LXX+2nd c.BC+], etc.:—as a term of affection, applicable by wife to husband, [LXX+2nd c.BC+]

I.5. brother (as a fellow Christian), [NT]; of other religious communities, e.g. Serapeum, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]

I.6. metaphorically, of things, fellow, ἀνὴρ τῷ ἀ. προσκολληθήσεται, of Leviathan's scales, [LXX]

II. adjective, ἀδελφός, ή, όν, brotherly or sisterly, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; φύσιν ἀ. ἔχοντες, of Hephaistos and Athena, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II.2. generally, of anything double, twin, in pairs, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—also, akin, cognate, μαθήματα[Refs 5th c.BC+]