συμβουλ-εύω G4823
To advise, counsel, or deliberate; used of giving guidance and of conspiring together in hostile planning.
A verb meaning to give counsel or advice, with a semantic range that stretches from benevolent recommendation to hostile conspiracy. The same word that describes Caiaphas's political calculation (John 18:14) and the plot against Jesus (Matt 26:4) also covers the Damascus conspiracy against Paul (Acts 9:23) and Christ's gracious counsel to the Laodicean church to buy refined gold (Rev 3:18). Context alone determines whether the counsel is constructive or destructive, making this a single sense with a strong contextual polarity shift.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To counsel, advise, or deliberate — ranging from benevolent guidance to hostile conspiracy depending on context. In Matt 26:4, the chief priests and elders 'plotted together' (synebouleusanto) to arrest Jesus by stealth, and in Acts 9:23 Jews in Damascus 'conspired' to kill Paul — both hostile deliberation. John 18:14 recalls Caiaphas's earlier advice (symbouleusen) that it was expedient for one man to die for the people, ironic counsel that unwittingly served God's purpose. By contrast, Rev 3:18 presents Christ's loving counsel: 'I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire.' The multilingual evidence (spa 'aconsejo/deliberaron,' fra 'conseiller,' deu 'raten') preserves the advisory core across both constructive and adversarial registers. 4×
AR["أَنْصَحُكَ", "تَشَاوَرَ", "تَشَاوَرُوا", "نَصَحَ"]·ben["আমি-পরামর্শ-দিচ্ছি", "পরামর্শ-করল", "পরামর্শ-দিয়েছিলেন"]·DE["raten", "συνεβουλεύσαντο"]·EN["I-counsel", "having-advised", "plotted-together", "they-counseled-together"]·FR["conseiller"]·heb["יָעֲצוּ", "יוֹעֵץ", "יוֹעֵץ-אֲנִי", "נוֹעֲצוּ"]·HI["जिसने-सलाह-दी-थी", "मन्त्रणा-की", "मैं-सलाह-देता-हूँ", "षड्यंत्र-किया"]·ID["Aku-menasihati", "berunding", "mereka-berunding", "yang-menasihati"]·IT["consigliare", "sumbouleusas", "sumbouleuō", "sunebouleusanto"]·jav["Kawula-nasehat", "paring-nasehat", "rembugan", "sarembagan"]·KO["권한다", "의논했다", "조언한-자"]·PT["Aconselho", "conspiraram", "deliberaram", "que-aconselhou"]·RU["Советую", "советовавший", "совещались"]·ES["Te-aconsejo", "deliberaron", "que-aconsejó"]·SW["Ninakushauri", "aliowashauri", "walifanya-shauri", "walishauriana"]·TR["danıştılar", "karar-verdiler", "öğüt-veren", "öğütlüyorum"]·urd["صلاح-دیتا-ہوں", "مشورہ دیا تھا", "مشورہ-کِیا", "مشورہ-کیا"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
συμβουλ-εύω, advise, counsel, with dative person et infinitive, advise one to do a thing, Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐ συμβουλεύων Ερξῃ στρατεύεσθαι advising him not.., Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive, συμβουλεύω.. συμβῆναι ὑμᾶς I advise that you should.., Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 without infinitive, σ. τινί τι Refs 6th c.BC+; σ. τι recommend a measure, τὰ ἄριστα Refs 5th c.BC+ give advice, Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive,…