Lexical Summary suggeneia: Kindred, family, relatives Original Word: συγγένεια Strong's Exhaustive Concordance kindred. From suggenes; relationship, i.e. (concretely) relatives -- kindred. see GREEK suggenes NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom suggenés Definition kinship, hence kinfolk, relatives NASB Translation relatives (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4772: συγγένειασυγγένεια, συγγενείας, ἡ (συγγενής), from Euripides, and Thucydides down; (the Sept.); a. kinship, relationship. b. kindred, relations collectively, family: Luke 1:61; Acts 7:3, 14. Strong’s Greek 4772 designates the circle of one’s blood relatives and extended clan. Scripture treats this natural bond as a providential framework through which covenant promises, messianic lineage, and personal responsibility are worked out. The term therefore carries weight far beyond social convention; it is tied to God’s unfolding redemptive plan. Occurrences in the New Testament • Acts 7:3 records Stephen quoting the Lord’s call to Abraham: “Leave your country and your kindred, and go to the land I will show you”. Here συγγένεια marks the ties Abraham had to relinquish so that his primary identity would be found in God’s promise, not in ancestral security. Old Testament and Septuagint Background The Septuagint regularly employs συγγένεια for Hebrew terms such as môledeth (Genesis 12:1) and mishpachâh (Genesis 24:38), both of which denote clan or kindred. By using the same Greek word in Acts 7, Luke intentionally connects the Abrahamic narrative with the early church’s proclamation. The family theme thus bridges the Testaments, affirming canonical unity. Family and Covenant Identity 1. Lineage of Promise: Genealogies trace the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) to the Son of David (Matthew 1). The idea of συγγένεια undergirds these records, safeguarding the messianic line. Kinship and Redemption History The movement from physical to spiritual family permeates the New Testament. While Strong’s 4772 concerns biological bonds, its narrative use foreshadows the wider truth that those “born of God” become members of a new household (John 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:19). The contrast intensifies the grace of adoption: God forms a worldwide συγγένεια of faith that transcends ethnicity and bloodline. Relationship to Other New Testament Concepts • συγγενής (4773) refers to an individual relative and is frequent in Luke-Acts and Paul. Applications for Christian Ministry 1. Evangelism Inside the Family: Joseph gathered his συγγένεια into the safety God provided; likewise, believers should prayerfully seek the salvation of their relatives (Acts 16:31). Summary Strong’s 4772, though occurring only three times, opens a window onto the biblical theology of family. It reminds readers that God works through kinship structures yet also calls people beyond them to form the redeemed household of faith. Properly understood, the term encourages gratitude for earthly relatives, sober recognition of their limits, and wholehearted participation in the greater family gathered in Christ. Englishman's Concordance Luke 1:61 N-GFSGRK: ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου ὃς NAS: among your relatives who KJV: of thy kindred that is called INT: among the relatives of you who Acts 7:3 N-GFS Acts 7:14 N-AFS Strong's Greek 4772 |
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