No CrossRef data available.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 April 2025
In John 4.9, most translations render the phrase οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις as ‘Jews do not associate with Samaritans’. However, the ancient evidence that is presented for this translation consists of examples that are ambiguous, or that use συγχράομαι with one of its other common meanings. However, the history of translation into Latin and other languages, as well as some early interpreters, provide some limited evidence for the traditional translation. A few newer translations (NRSV, NET) and many commentaries, following a 1950 article by D. Daube, render the phrase as ‘Jews do not share vessels with Samaritans’. The translation ‘share vessels’ has two main problems. First, it is grammatically almost impossible, since συγχράομαι always takes the dative as an object, not as a co-ordinate subject. Thus, the dative object Σαμαριταῖς must function as an actual object, not as a co-ordinate subject. Second, as with the traditional translation, all of the proposed examples are either ambiguous or lend themselves much better to one of the other known meanings of συγχράομαι. Strangely, the major lexica all have demonstrably mistaken references to ancient literature in support of these proposed translations. However, there are many ancient examples of συγχράομαι meaning ‘get help from’ when the dative object is a person. This proposed translation makes sense in the passage, as the Samaritan woman is surprised at Jesus seeking help from a Samaritan. It is also consistent with Josephus’ criticism of Samaritans that they do not help Jews in times of need.
1 A few manuscripts (ℵ* D and a few early Latin translations) omit this entire phrase. Metzger comments: ‘such comments are typical of the evangelist. The omission, if not accidental, may reflect scribal opinion that the statement is not literally exact and therefore should be deleted’. Metzger, B., A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (London/New York: United Bible Societies, 2nd edn, 1994) Google Scholar.
2 Wycliffe: ‘used not to dele with’; Tyndale: ‘medle not with’; KJV, RSV, ESV: ‘have no dealings with’; NIV, NASB: ‘do not associate with’.
3 Louis Segonde: ‘n’ont pas de relations avec’; Reina Valera: ‘no se tratan con’; Lutherbibel: ‘haben keine Gemeinschaft mit’; Diodati: ‘non usano co”; Almeida Revista: ‘não se comunicam com’.
4 Daube, D., ‘Jesus and the Samaritan Woman: The Meaning of Συγχράομαι’, JBL 69 (1950) Google Scholar.
5 NRSV: ‘do not share things in common with’; NET: ‘use nothing in common with’; GNT: ‘will not use the same cups and bowls’; NABRE: ‘use nothing in common with’; New Catholic Bible: ‘do not share anything in common with’.
6 The translation ‘share [vessels] with’ is favoured by Barrett, C. K., The Gospel according to St John: An Introduction with Commentary and Notes on the Greek Text (London: SPCK, 2d edn, 1978) Google Scholar; Borchert, G., John 1–11 (New American Commentary 25A; Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996) Google Scholar; Brown, R.E., The Gospel according to John (I–XII): Introduction, Translation, and Notes (Anchor Yale Bible 29; New Haven/London: Yale University Press, 1966) CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Carson, D. A. (‘probably’), The Gospel according to John (The Pillar New Testament Commentary; Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press/Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991) CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Kanagaraj, J. J., John (New Covenant Commentary Series 4; Eugene: Cascade Books, 2013) CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Klink, E. (‘probably’), John (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016) Google Scholar; Moloney, F. J., The Gospel of John (Sacra Pagina Series 4; Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998) Google Scholar; Morris, L., The Gospel according to John (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995) Google Scholar; Thompson, M. M., John: A Commentary (New Testament Library; Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015) Google Scholar.
7 The translation ‘associate with’ is favoured by Beasley-Murray, G. R., John (Word Biblical Commentary 36; Dallas: Word, 1999) Google Scholar; Beutler, J., A Commentary on the Gospel of John (trans. Tait, Michael; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017) Google Scholar; Bruner, F., The Gospel of John: A Commentary (Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2012) CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Burge, G., John (NIV Application Commentary; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000) Google Scholar; Haenchen, E., John 1: A Commentary on the Gospel of John, Chapters 1–6 (trans. Funk, R.; Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984) Google Scholar; Keener, C., The Gospel of John: A Commentary (Vol. 1; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012) Google Scholar; Köstenberger, A., John (BECNT; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004) n. 30Google Scholar; Kruse, C., John: An Introduction and Commentary (2nd edn; Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 4; London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2017) Google Scholar; Lincoln, A. T., The Gospel according to Saint John (BNTC; London: Continuum, 2005) 168, Google Scholar; Lindars, B., The Gospel of John (New Century Bible Commentary; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981) Google Scholar; Michaels, J. R., The Gospel of John (NICNT; Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2010) CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Ridderbos, H., The Gospel according to John: A Theological Commentary (transl. Vriend, J.; Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Eerdmans, 1997) Google Scholar; Schnackenburg, R., The Gospel According to St. John (Vol. 1; trans. Smyth, Kevin; New York: Crossroad, 1982) Google Scholar.
8 VL 11 (Rehdigeranus) translates συγχράομαι with communicant; VL 11A uses coiguntur (believed to be a scribal error), and all other Old Latin mss use coutuntur.
9 Προσίημι is not used in the NT or LXX. Elsewhere, it is used occasionally to describe giving permission to approach (Xen. Anab. 4.5.5) or to be part of a group (Plato Phaed. 255a). Montanari, F., Goh, M. and Schroeder, C., The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2015Google Scholar) s.v. προσίημι.
10 Chrysostom, Hom. in Ioh. 31.4. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι Σαµαρεῖται τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις οὐ συγχρῶνται, ἀλλ’, Ἰουδαῖοι Σαµαρείτας οὐ προσίενται.
11 BrillDAG, s.v. χράομαι. See also Plut. De Tranq. Anim. 468d10.
12 Crystal, D., A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (6th edn; Malden: Blackwell, 2008) .CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13 The Vulgate and the Old Latin use a number of calques. For example, benedico for εὐλογέω, intemptator for ἀπείραστος and a variety of coined verbs ending in -fico to translate Greek verbs ending in -ιζω or -αζω. Burton, P., The Old Latin Gospels: A Study of their Texts and Language (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000) CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
14 Arndt, W., Danker, F.W., Bauer, W. and Gingrich, F., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (3rd edn; Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι.
15 Demetrius, , On Style (trans. Innes, D.; Loeb Classical Library; Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995) .Google Scholar
16 Moulton, J. H. and Milligan, G., The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1930Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι.
17 The following context is missing from the inscription; but since the sentence under discussion begins with οὔκουν, συγχράομαι is clearly tied to the previous discussion about help with money.
18 Peterson, P., trans., ‘The Clementine Homilies’, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (vol. 8; trans. Peterson, P.; ed. Roberts, A., Donaldson, J. and Coxe, A.; Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1886) Google Scholar.
19 The full text of the sentence is ὁ δὲ ἱστορήσας ὡς εὐσεβεῖ συνχρησάμενος τῷ ἀπελάσαντι πρὸς τὴν ὁμοίαν πολιτείαν σπεύσας ἀπόλλυται.
20 On the use of a double dative with συγχράομαι, see also G. Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968) s.v. συγχράομαι, definition 3; BDAG, s.v. χράομαι, definition 1b.
21 Prominent lexica used in the nineteenth century give the traditional meaning for συγχράομαι, ‘have relations with’. Grimm has ‘ejus consuetudine utor, commercium cum aliquo mihi est’ (‘I am familiar with, have relations with someone’). Parkhurst has ‘To have friendly intercourse with’. Grimm, C.L. and Wilke, C.G., Graeco-Latinum in Libros Novi Testamenti (Leipzig: Libraria Arnoldiana, 1867Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι; Parkhurst, J., A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament (London: Thomas Davison, 1829Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι. See similarly Wahl, C.A., Clavis Novi Testamenti Philologica, (Lipsiae: Barth 1843Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι.
22 The full text of the sentence is συγχρῶνται γὰρ τῇ τοῦ πέραν ἐργασίᾳ καὶ Βαρυγάζων, ‘they practice trade with the other side and with Barygaza’.
23 Liddell, H., Scott, R., Jones, H., McKenzie, R. and Glare, P. G. W., A Greek-English Lexicon, (9th rev. edn; Oxford/New York: Clarendon/Oxford University Press, 1996Google Scholar) s.v. συγχράομαι. See similarly Periplus 27.14; Polyb. Hist. 10.1.9.
24 The full text is Συνεχρήσαντο δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ ἀπὸ Μούζα τινὲς, ‘and some from Mouza make use of it [trade or the island]’.
25 Casson, L., The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text with Introduction, Translation and Commentary (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989Google Scholar); Schoff, W. H., The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century (New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1912Google Scholar).
26 Stoneman, R., The Greek Alexander Romance (New York: Penguin, 1991) 28–30Google Scholar.
27 Nawotka, K., The Alexander Romance by Ps.-Callisthenes: A Historical Commentary (Mnemosyne Supp. 399; Leiden: Brill, 2017) 3–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28 For his published translation, Stoneman used recension L, which did not use συγχράομαι or anything similar here. R. Stoneman, personal correspondence, December 23, 2022.
29 Daube, Συγχράομαι, 137–47.
30 Daube, Συγχράομαι, 139.
31 Daube, Συγχράομαι, 137.
32 Hayes, C., Gentile Impurities and Jewish Identities: Intermarriage and Conversion from the Bible to the Talmud (Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2002) CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
33 Keener, The Gospel of John, 600, citing m. Kelim passim for the general caution about vessels; and b. ʿAbod. Zar. 67b; ʿAbod. Zar. 75b; Pesaḥ. 44b for the uncleanness of Gentile vessels.
34 The σύν-prefixed verbs in the NT that use the dative to refer to a co-ordinate subject are συγχαίρω, συγκάθημαι, συγκακουχέομαι, συλλαλέω, συμβασιλεύω, συμβουλεύω, συμμαρτυρέω, συμπάρειμι, συμπίνω, συμπορεύομαι, συμφωνέω, συναγωνίζομαι, συναθλέω, συναναβαίνω, συνανάκειμαι, συναναμίγνυμι, συναναπαύομαι, συναποθνῄσκω, συναπόλλυμι, συνεγείρω, συνεισέρχομαι, συνεργέω, συνέρχομαι, συνεσθίω, συνευωχέομαι, συνήδομαι, συνθάπτω, συνίστημι, συνοδεύω, συνοικέω, συνομιλέω and συνυποκρίνομαι.
35 In the LXX and other literature, τάσσω + dative refers to commanding, while τάσσω + accusative refers to appointing.
36 The σύν-prefixed verbs in the NT that use the dative to refer to an object (not a co-ordinate subject) are συνακολουθέω, συντυγχάνω, συναντιλαμβάνομαι, συνευδοκέω, συμφέρω, συμβαίνω, συμμορφίζω, συλλαμβάνω, συγκοινωνέω and συντάσσω.
37 David Hall, ‘The Meaning of συγχράομαι in John 4.9ʹ, The Expository Times 83 (1971) 56–7. Hall’s observations about συγχράομαι were on the whole very useful; however, he incorrectly said that the σύν- prefix always intensifies the meaning of verbs in the second category.
38 Other σύν-prefixed verbs that have joint or multiple accusative objects include συγκαλέω, συγκλείω, and συγκομίζω.
39 Σύν-prefixed verbs that take the accusative and have an intensive sense include συγχέω, συγκάμπτω, συμπίπτω, συμπνίγω, συμπληρόω, συναρπάζω, συντελέω, συντρίβω, συνθλάω and συνθλίβω.
40 BrillDAG’s reference to Syn. 1490.4 appears to be in error, as no such number exists in any of the numbering systems for Dyscolus.
41 Dyscolus uses συγχράομαι to describe ‘using’ grammatical features or styles in Pron. 2.1, 1.4.15; Syn. 2.131.4, 2.157.6, 2.194.1, 3.313.3, 3.332.7. It is translated as such in the standard modern translation of Dyscolus. (Apollonius Dyscolus: The Syntax of Apollonius Dyscolus (ed. F.W. Householder; Amsterdam: John Benjamins Pub. Co., 1981).
42 See also Galen 10.385.14, 17(a)797.6.
43 Select Papyri, Volume II: Public Documents (trans. A. Hunt; Loeb Classical Library 282; Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1934) 562–3; Polybius, The Histories, Volume I: Books 1-2 (trans. W. Paton; Loeb Classical Library 128; Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2010) 60–1.
44 One obsolete interpretation of συγχράομαι in John 4.9 should also be mentioned. M-M cites Ignatius’ Ep. Mag. 3.1 as an example of a proposed pejorative sense, ‘take advantage of’ for συγχράομαι, and applies this meaning to John 4.9. Lampe and BDAG cite the same meaning, but do not suggest it for John 4.9. The overall sense of Ep. Mag. 3.1 is certainly negative: Ignatius warns his readers that ‘it is not proper for you to take advantage of (or make use of; συγχρᾶσθαι) the age of your bishop’. But it seems unlikely that the word συγχράομαι has a pejorative sense by itself, as the pejorative sense does not show up anywhere else in antiquity. Pseudo-Demetrius specifically uses συγχράομαι as an example of euphemism, which requires it to have a positive sense (Eloc. 3.281). M-M offers another mistaken citation in support, Epict. Disc. 1.2.7, but that passage clearly uses συγχράομαι to mean ‘make use of a term’, as in Epict. Disc. 2.19.1; Cleanth. Frag. 489.7; Didym., de Phil. Sect. 91.2.24. See translation of Epictetus, Discourses (trans. W.A. Oldfather; Loeb Classical Library; Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1925) 16–17.
45 BrillDAG has this definition correct, but has another mistaken citation: ‘σ. τοῖς καιροῖς to make use of the circumstances Pol. Hist. 18.51.6.’ The passage cited in Polybius actually has τοῖς ἰδίοις δικαίοις συγχρώμενος, ‘making use of his own rights.’ Τοῖς καιροῖς is in another clause and is the object of a different verb.
46 Lampe is the only lexicon that includes this meaning.
47 BrillDAG lists this meaning as ‘[make use of] τὶ παρά τινος sthg. from s.o.’, but mistakenly cites the Polybius reference as Polyb. Hist. 1.24.14.