συζωοποιέω (suzōopoieō)
suzōopoieō
to make alive with
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb suzōopoieō means to make alive together with someone else. In the New Testament, it describes a spiritual resurrection that happens in union with Christ. The word combines a prefix meaning "with," the root for "life," and a verb for "making." This creates a precise image: believers are not just saved individually, but are raised to new life simultaneously with Jesus.
This action is central to Paul’s teaching on grace. He uses it in Ephesians 2:5 and Colossians 2:13 to explain how God deals with those who were once dead in sin. The sources note that this quickening occurs "with Christ," emphasizing that the believer's new life is inseparable from His own resurrection. It is a gift of mercy, not a result of human effort.
Because it appears only twice in Scripture, the word carries significant weight. Translators usually render it as "made alive together with" or "quickened together with." The term highlights the intimate connection between Christ’s victory over death and the spiritual vitality granted to His followers. It stands as a clear statement that Christian life is derived from sharing in His.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word describes a shared resurrection. When Paul uses it, he is not speaking of a solitary rescue. He is describing a union where your new life is bound to Jesus’ own rising from the dead. You are made alive together with Him. This means your spiritual vitality does not come from your own strength or moral improvement. It comes entirely from His victory over death.
Consider Ephesians 2:5. The text says you were dead in trespasses, yet God made you alive together with Christ. This is a gift of mercy, not a reward for effort. Your life now is an extension of His. You do not walk alone into a new existence. You are raised up alongside Him, sharing in the same power that conquered the grave.
There is deep comfort in this connection. When you feel weak or distant from God, remember that your life is anchored in His resurrection. It is secure because He lives. This shared life is the foundation of your hope and the source of your peace today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- made [us] alive with1×
- He made alive together1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συνεζωοποίησεν2×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 2:5
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
This verse highlights that spiritual resurrection is a gift of grace received while still dead in trespasses, emphasizing union with Christ rather than individual merit.
-
Colossians 2:13
You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
Here the term links being made alive together with Jesus directly to the forgiveness of all trespasses, showing that new life and pardon are inseparable gifts.