συγκινέω (sugkineō)
sugkineō
to stir up
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb sugkineō means to stir up or excite a group into commotion. It combines the prefix syn- ("together") with kineō ("to move"), suggesting a collective agitation rather than isolated movement. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Acts 6:12, where opponents of Stephen "stir up" the people against him.
This single usage highlights its political and social weight. The word describes instigating public unrest, turning a crowd’s mood toward hostility. Translators often render it as "stir up," capturing the sense of inciting others to action through emotional or verbal provocation. The image is not of gentle persuasion but of fomenting trouble within a community.
Its rarity in Scripture underscores how specific this kind of agitation is. While other words describe teaching, warning, or even rebuking, sugkineō points to the deliberate creation of discord. It serves as a reminder that not all influence aims at unity; some seeks to fracture it for personal or ideological gain.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sugkineō describes a specific kind of unrest: stirring up a crowd into collective agitation. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 6:12, where opponents incited public hostility against Stephen. This rare term highlights how influence can be used to fracture community rather than build it up.
For your faith, this offers a sobering reminder about the power of words and rumors. Not every attempt to persuade is honest or constructive. When you see division spread through gossip or fear-mongering, recognize that some people seek to create chaos for their own gain. This awareness helps you discern between healthy correction and destructive manipulation.
Yet, this word also points to the peace Christ offers. While others stir up trouble, Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. In your daily life, choose words that calm rather than inflame. Trust that God sees the hidden motives behind such actions and works all things for good for those who love Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- They stirred up1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συνεκίνησάν1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 6:12
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, then brought him in to the council,
This is the only New Testament occurrence, showing how opponents used this word to describe inciting a mob against Stephen.