verb
sumferamō
Greekσυμφέρω (sumferō)
Strong’sG4851
I collect, am profitable to
stem sumfer-15 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books5 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
συμ-φέρω
[in LXX: Je 33 (26):14 (טוֹב), Pr 19:10 (נָאוֶה), Si 30:19, al.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4851 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidsoom-fer'-o
to bear together (contribute), i.e. (literally) to collect, or (figuratively) to conduce; especially (neuter participle as a noun) advantage
Fromfrom G4862 and G5342 (including its alternate);
King Jamesbe better for, bring together, be expedient (for), be good, (be) profit(-able for).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| sumferatōσυμφέρει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | better | 10× |
| sumferarōtemσυμφέρον | happening now · subjectpresent active participle direct singular neuter | gained | 1× |
| sumferarōtemσυμφέρον | happening now · objectpresent active participle direct singular neuter | good | 2× |
| sumferarōteiuσυμφερόντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural neuter | profitable | 1× |
| sumferaratoisσυνενέγκαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | brought … together | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 10 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sumferamō | sumferame | sumferami | sumferama | sumferamē | sumferamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | sumferasō | sumferase | sumferasi | sumferasa | sumferasē | sumferaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sumferatō10×συμφέρει | sumferate | sumferati | sumferata | sumferatē | sumferatelē |
| we 1st person plural | sumferanō | sumferane | sumferani | sumferana | sumferanē | sumferanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | sumferavō | sumferave | sumferavi | sumferava | sumferavē | sumferavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | sumferalō | sumferale | sumferali | sumferala | sumferalē | sumferalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sumferameiō | sumferameia | sumferameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | sumferaseiō | sumferaseia | sumferaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sumferateiō | sumferateia | sumferateiē |
| we 1st person plural | sumferaneiō | sumferaneia | sumferaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | sumferaveiō | sumferaveia | sumferaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | sumferaleiō | sumferaleia | sumferaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | sumferasōr | sumferasar | sumferasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sumferatōr | sumferatar | sumferatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | sumferavōr | sumferavar | sumferavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | sumferalōr | sumferalar | sumferalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sumferamoiō | sumferamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | sumferasoiō | sumferasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sumferatoiō | sumferatoia |
| we 1st person plural | sumferanoiō | sumferanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | sumferavoiō | sumferavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | sumferaloiō | sumferaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | sumferarō | sumferari | sumferara | sumferarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 5 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | sumferarōtos4× | sumferaritos | sumferaratos1× | sumferarētos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
sumfer is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
15 occurrences, every one of them listed
sumferatō“better”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular10×
Matthew 5:29“better”ei de tos ofthalmos su tos dexos skandalizatō sin, exairasar auton kai ballasar apo su, sumferatō gar si hina apollueteia henem teiu meleiu su kai mē holem tem sōmem su balliteia eis geennan.If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Matthew 5:30“better”kai ei tas dexas su cheiras skandalizatō sin, ekkoptasar autan kai ballasar apo su, sumferatō gar si hina apollueteia henem teiu meleiu su kai mē holem tem sōmem su eis geennan aperchateia.And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
Matthew 18:6“better”Hos de an skandalizateia henon toiu mikroiu houtoiu toiu pisteuarōtoiu eis min, sumferatō auto hina kremannuiteia mulos onikos eis ton trachēlon autou kai katapontiziteia en te pelage tau thalassau.But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Matthew 19:10“better”Legalō auto tois mathētois; Ei houtōs atō tas aitias tou anthrōpou meta tau gunaikau, ouk sumferatō gamara.His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”
John 11:50“better”oude logizevō hoti sumferatō vi hina henos anthrōpos apothnēskateia huper tou laou kai mē holem tem ethnem apollueteia.You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
John 16:7“advantage”alla mis tan alētheian legamō vi, sumferatō vi hina mis aperchameia. ean gar mē aperchameia, tos paraklētos ouk mē erchateia pros vin; ean de poreuimeia, pempami auton pros vin.But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
John 18:14“expedient”ate de Kaiafaos tos sumbouleuaratos toi Ioudaioi hoti sumferatō henon anthrōpon apothnēskara huper tou laou.Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.
1 Corinthians 6:12“beneficial”Panteim mi exestinatō; alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim mi exestinatō; alla ouk mis exousiazimi hupo tineu.“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 10:23“beneficial”Panteim exestinatō; alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim exestinatō; alla ouk panteim oikodomatō.“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
2 Corinthians 8:10“appropriate”kai gnōman en houte dōamō; houtem gar vi sumferatō, hotinois ouk monem tem poiara alla kai tem thelarō proenarcheva apo perusin;And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.
sumferarōtem“gained”happening now · subjectpresent active participle direct singular neuter1×
2 Corinthians 12:1“gained”Kaucherō datō; ouk sumferarōtem men, erchemi de eis optasiain kai apokalupsiain kuriou.I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
sumferarōtem“good”happening now · objectpresent active participle direct singular neuter2×
1 Corinthians 12:7“common good”hekasto de dōitō tas fanerōsias teu pneumeu pros tem sumferarōtem.Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Hebrews 12:10“good”tois men gar pros oligain hēmerain kata tem dokarōtem autoi paideuale, tos de epi tem sumferarōtem eis tem metalambara tau hagiotau autou.Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
sumferarōteiu“profitable”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural neuter1×
Acts 20:20“profitable”hōs oudenem hupostellema teiu sumferarōteiu teu mē anangellara vi kai didaskara vin dēmosia kai kata oikoin,I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
sumferaratois“brought … together”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Acts 19:19“brought … together”hikanois de toiu teim periergeim prassaratoiu sumferaratois tain biblain katakaiale enōpion pantoiu; kai sumpsēfizala tain timain autaiu kai heuriskala argurieu muriadain pente.And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.