συνήθεια (sunētheia)
sunētheia
custom
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sunētheia refers to a settled custom or habitual practice, describing behaviors that have become second nature through repeated action. Its root combines a sense of "together" with "character" or "manner," suggesting a way of life shaped by community or consistent repetition. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, highlighting specific cultural norms rather than abstract ideas.
This word captures the weight of tradition in daily life. Jesus mentions it in John 18:39 when Pilate notes that releasing a prisoner was a custom at Passover, showing how local practices could influence legal decisions. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 8:7 to describe the ingrained habits of former idolaters, illustrating how deeply rooted cultural patterns can affect a believer’s conscience even after their beliefs have changed.
Translators typically render sunētheia as "custom" or "habit," emphasizing the social and psychological force of routine. Unlike laws that are enforced by authority, these customs operate through shared expectation and personal familiarity. The term reminds readers that human behavior is often driven more by ingrained practice than by explicit command.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Our lives are shaped by more than just rules; they are formed by habits and customs that feel natural over time. The Greek word sunētheia points to these settled patterns of behavior, showing how repeated actions become second nature. Whether it is a cultural tradition or a personal routine, these practices carry weight in our daily decisions.
In John 18:39, Pilate references a local custom regarding prisoner release, illustrating how societal norms can influence even legal outcomes. This reminds us that our environment and shared expectations often guide our actions as much as explicit commands do.
Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 8:7 when discussing former idolaters whose consciences were still bound by old habits. His insight encourages patience with those still adjusting to new faith practices, recognizing that spiritual growth involves untangling deeply rooted cultural patterns. This understanding fosters grace as we navigate our own journeys of change.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- custom1×
- by custom1×
- a custom1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συνήθειαν1×
- συνήθεια1×
- συνηθείᾳ1×
Key Verses
-
John 18:39
But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
This verse highlights how a local political custom influenced Pilate's interaction with Jesus, showing the tension between civic tradition and divine truth.
-
I Corinthians 8:7
However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
Paul uses this term to describe the lingering psychological impact of idolatry on new believers, emphasizing that knowledge alone does not immediately erase ingrained habits.
-
I Corinthians 11:16
But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
Here Paul appeals to a universal practice among God's assemblies to settle a dispute about order, showing how shared custom can maintain unity without explicit legal mandate.