συγκαταψηφίζομαι (sugkatapsēphizomai)
sugkatapsēphizomai
to numbered with
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb sugkatapsēphizomai describes the act of casting a ballot to assign someone a place among others. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 1:26, where the disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas. The image is concrete and civic: believers were literally depositing votes into an urn to determine who would join their ranks as an apostle.
Its structure combines prefixes meaning "with" and "down/against" with a root related to counting or voting. While some ancient sources suggest a secondary sense of condemning someone alongside others, the biblical usage is strictly positive. It denotes inclusion by collective decision rather than exclusion or judgment. The word highlights how the early community sought divine guidance through shared, participatory processes.
Translators typically render this rare term as "cast lots" or "voted," though the Greek emphasizes the formal act of counting votes to establish status. This single occurrence captures a moment of organizational transition, showing how the first Christians balanced prayer with practical steps to maintain their group identity and leadership structure.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word συγκαταψηφίζομαι appears only once in the New Testament, describing a formal act of inclusion. In Acts 1:26, the early believers used this process to select Matthias as an apostle. It reflects a moment where prayer and practical decision-making joined together. The community sought guidance through shared participation rather than isolated choice.
For your faith life, this reminds us that God often works through communal wisdom. When facing decisions, we are invited to seek counsel and act with unity. This rare term shows how the first Christians valued both spiritual dependence and orderly process. It encourages us to trust that our shared steps can align with divine purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he was numbered1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συγκατεψηφίσθη1×
Key Verses
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Acts 1:26
They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
This verse uses the word to describe how Matthias was formally included among the apostles after prayer and voting.