συγκακοπαθέω (sugkakopatheō)
sugkakopatheō
to suffer with
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb sugkakopatheō means to share in suffering or endure hardship alongside someone else. It combines a prefix meaning "with" and a root related to "evil" or "bad treatment," creating a sense of mutual endurance rather than solitary pain. In the New Testament, this word appears only twice, both in Paul’s second letter to Timothy.
Paul uses it to describe the apostle’s own experience with the gospel. He tells Timothy that he must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, noting that he himself is suffering these things (2 Timothy 2:3). The word emphasizes that the cost of the message is shared; Paul does not ask Timothy to suffer alone but to join him in the struggle.
This term highlights the communal nature of Christian service. It suggests that faithfulness often involves bearing burdens together, reflecting a solidarity that strengthens the bond between believers and their leaders. The word points to a shared destiny in trials, where endurance is not an isolated act but a collective witness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sugkakopatheō paints a picture of shared endurance. It is not about suffering alone, but walking through difficulty alongside someone else. When Paul writes to Timothy, he does not ask for blind obedience from a distance. Instead, he invites Timothy into the same struggle he is facing. This changes how we view hardship in the church. It becomes a bond that connects believers rather than a burden they carry in isolation.
For your own life, this means you are never alone when trials come. The faithfulness of others, and their willingness to stand with you, reflects the solidarity Christ offers. You do not have to be strong enough to handle every storm by yourself. There is strength in standing together, sharing the weight of the journey, and encouraging one another through the pain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- do suffer together1×
- do share in suffering1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συγκακοπάθησον2×
Key Verses
-
II Timothy 1:8
Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,
This verse introduces the call to share in suffering for the Gospel, setting the stage for Paul's personal example.
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II Timothy 2:3
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Here Paul explicitly commands Timothy to endure hardship as a soldier, emphasizing the shared nature of the spiritual battle.