συγκυρία (sugkuria)
sugkuria
coincidence
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sugkuria describes an event that happens by mere chance or accident, without any apparent design. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 10:31, where it characterizes the priest’s journey down from Jerusalem to Jericho as a random occurrence rather than a planned mission.
Etymologically, the word combines a prefix meaning "with" or "together" with a root related to happening or meeting. This construction emphasizes the collision of circumstances that creates an unexpected situation. The sources note its use in later Greek and medical writers to denote coincidence, highlighting its secular origin before appearing in this biblical context.
By using this term, Luke underscores the unpredictability of human paths. The priest’s encounter with the injured man was not part of a scheduled itinerary but a serendipitous meeting. This linguistic choice shifts the focus from divine orchestration to the raw reality of chance encounters that define human interaction.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sugkuria points to those unexpected moments where life takes an unplanned turn. In Luke’s account, a priest happens upon a wounded traveler not because he planned it, but simply by chance. This detail reminds us that our daily paths are often shaped by random encounters rather than rigid schedules.
These coincidences offer a quiet invitation to notice who is nearby. The text does not say the priest was sent there; it says he went by chance. Yet in that random meeting, compassion becomes possible. It suggests that God can use ordinary, unplanned moments to bring care to those in need.
You do not need to force these connections. They often arrive when you least expect them. Trust that your presence in these unexpected places matters, even if the timing feels accidental. May you find peace in knowing that no meeting is truly without purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- chance1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συγκυρίαν1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 10:31
By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
This verse uses sugkuria to show the priest’s arrival was a random event, not a planned mission, highlighting how chance encounters can lead to compassion.