συμβάλλω G4820
To bring together; hence to confer, meet or encounter, contribute help, or ponder inwardly.
Symballō literally means 'to throw together,' and its New Testament uses fan out beautifully from that root image. Philosophers in Athens 'throw words together' with Paul in debate (Acts 17:18); a king calculates whether he can 'meet' an approaching army (Luke 14:31); Apollos 'throws in his share' to help the Achaian believers (Acts 18:27); and Mary 'throws together' in her heart the astonishing things the shepherds reported (Luke 2:19). Spanish captures the range nicely—from 'discutían' (debated) through 'se encontró' (met) to 'meditando' (pondering)—showing how one Greek verb bridges external encounter and internal reflection.
Senses
1. to converse, confer, debate — To converse, confer, or debate with others—literally 'throwing words together.' In Acts 4:15 the Sanhedrin members conferred among themselves, and in Acts 17:18 Epicurean and Stoic philosophers 'were conversing with' Paul. Spanish 'conferían' and 'discutían' underscore the deliberative, back-and-forth character of these exchanges. 2×
AR["تَشَاوَرُوا", "ناظَروهُ"]·ben["পরামর্শ-করলেন", "সাক্ষাৎ-হল"]·DE["συνέβαλλον"]·EN["they-conferred", "were-conversing-with"]·FR["réfléchir"]·heb["הִתְוַכְּחוּ", "נוֹעֲצוּ"]·HI["भिड़े"]·ID["bertukar-pikiran", "berunding"]·IT["contribuire"]·jav["rembugan", "rerembugan"]·KO["논쟁했다", "상의했다"]·PT["conferenciavam"]·RU["совещались", "спорили"]·ES["conferían", "discutían"]·SW["walijadiliana-naye", "walishauriana"]·TR["-e", "karşılaştılar"]·urd["مشورہ-کیا", "ملے"]
2. to meet, encounter — To meet or encounter someone, whether in a hostile military context or a peaceful personal meeting. Luke 14:31 pictures a king assessing whether he can 'meet' (symbalein) an opposing force—Spanish 'a encontrar'—while Acts 20:14 describes the peaceful reunion with Paul at Assos. The root image of two parties 'thrown together' underlies both hostile and friendly encounters. 2×
AR["لَقِيَنَا", "لِيُلَاقِيَ"]·ben["তিনি-দেখা-করলেন", "সাক্ষাৎ-করতে"]·DE["συμβαλεῖν", "συνέβαλλεν"]·EN["he-met", "to-engage"]·FR["réfléchir"]·heb["לְ-הִפְגֹּשׁ", "פָּגַשׁ"]·HI["मिलने", "मिला"]·ID["berperang", "dia-bertemu"]·IT["contribuire", "ragionare"]·jav["kepanggih", "nglawan"]·KO["그가-만났다", "맞서려고"]·PT["enfrentar", "se-encontrou-conosco"]·RU["встретился", "сразиться"]·ES["a-encontrar", "se-encontró"]·SW["kupigana", "na-sisi"]·TR["karşılaştı", "savaşmaya"]·urd["ملا", "ملنے"]
3. to help, contribute, assist — To contribute, help, or assist, a middle-voice usage meaning 'to throw in one's share alongside others.' Acts 18:27 says Apollos 'contributed greatly' (synebaleto) to the believers through his gift of argument. Spanish 'ayudó' (helped) highlights the cooperative, supportive dimension distinct from mere meeting or debating. 1×
AR["سَاعَدَ"]·ben["তিনি-সাহায্য-করলেন"]·DE["συνεβάλετο"]·EN["contributed"]·FR["réfléchir"]·heb["עָזַר"]·HI["सहायता-की"]·ID["menolong"]·IT["contribuire"]·jav["mbiyantu"]·KO["크게-도왔다"]·RU["много-содействовал"]·ES["ayudó"]·SW["alisaidia"]·TR["yardım-etti"]·urd["مدد-کی"]
4. to ponder, consider in one's heart — To ponder or consider inwardly, turning things over in one's heart. In Luke 2:19 Mary 'was pondering' (symballousa) the shepherds' words, mentally 'throwing together' events and their significance. Spanish 'meditando' and the domain classification under Think confirm this as an internalized, reflective process rather than external conversation. 1×
AR["تُفَكِّرُ"]·ben["চিন্তা-করছিলেন"]·DE["συμβάλλουσα"]·EN["pondering"]·FR["réfléchir"]·heb["שׁוֹקֶלֶת"]·HI["सोचती-हुई"]·ID["merenungkan"]·IT["ragionare"]·jav["manggalih"]·KO["생각하며"]·PT["ponderando"]·RU["слагая"]·ES["meditando"]·SW["akiyatafakari"]·TR["düşünerek"]·urd["سوچتی-رہی"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
συμβάλλω, future -βᾰλῶ: aorist -έβᾰλον, infinitive -βᾰλεῖν: perfect -βέβληκα: aorist 1 passive -εβλήθην:—of these tenses Refs 8th c.BC+present active, aorist active and middle, but most commonly Epic dialect intransitive aorist forms συμβλήτην, -βλήμεναι, middle σύμβλητο, -βληντο, -βλήμενος, subjunctive 2nd pers. singular -βλήεαι probably conjecture for -βλήσεαι in Refs 8th c.BC+, 3rd.pers.…