σύμφημι G4852
To agree with, consent to, concede that something is true or good
To assent or agree with, to acknowledge something as true or valid. Paul writes in Romans 7:16 that when he does what he doesn't want to do, 'I agree with the law that it is good.' The agreement is intellectual and moral: Paul's conscience endorses the law's goodness even as his flesh rebels against it. Classical usage ranged from simple yes-saying to formal legal consent. Paul's usage is confessional—his divided self testifies to the law's righteousness even while experiencing slavery to sin. Agreement here is testimony that the fault lies not in God's law but in human weakness.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul's inward testimony to the law's goodness despite his failure to obey it perfectly. The agreement is both intellectual (acknowledging truth) and volitional (wanting to obey). Spanish 'concuerdo con' (I agree with), French 'se joindre' (join with), German 'beistimmen' (assent) all capture the consensual aspect. Paul's point in Romans 7 is that sin, not the law, is the problem: his assent to the law's goodness proves it's holy; his inability to keep it proves he needs grace. 1×
AR["أُوَافِقُ"]·ben["আমি-সম্মত-হই"]·DE["beistimmen"]·EN["I-agree-with"]·FR["se-joindre"]·heb["מַסְכִּים-אֲנִי"]·HI["सहमत-हूँ"]·ID["aku-setuju"]·IT["consentire"]·jav["kula-sarujuk"]·KO["동의하노라"]·PT["concordo-com"]·RU["соглашаюсь"]·ES["concuerdo-con"]·SW["ninakubaliana"]·TR["katılıyorum"]·urd["میں-مانتا-ہوں"]
Related Senses
H5971a 1. people, nation (1836×)H5973a 1. accompaniment, together with (956×)H0854 1. with (accompaniment) (665×)H1471a 1. nations, peoples (plural/collective) (466×)G3326 1. with (368×)H1285 1. covenant, pact, treaty (284×)G2453 1. Jewish person, Jew (194×)H4150 1. meeting (tent of meeting) (151×)G2992 1. people/nation (an ethnic or political community) (142×)G4862 1. (129×)G1484 1. Gentiles, non-Jewish nations (128×)H1471a 2. nation, people-group (singular) (98×)H3162b 1. together (97×)H1616 1. sojourner, resident alien (92×)H0567 1. Amorite (people group) (87×)H3064 1. Jew, Jewish person (81×)H3669a 1. Canaanite (ethnic designation) (70×)G1122 1. scribe / expert in the Law (63×)H2114a 1. stranger, foreigner (person) (54×)H5608b 1. scribe, royal secretary (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σύμφημι, future -φήσωRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist 1 συνέφησα Refsaorist 2 συνέφην frequently in Refs 5th c.BC+:—assent, approve, or agree fully, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 with accusative of things, concede, agree to, grant, ταῦτα.. πάντες ἄρα συνέφασαν Refs 5th c.BC+ (σοι) I grant you, Refs 5th c.BC+; frequently in Platonic dialogue, σύμφαθι ἢ ἄπειπε say yes or no,Refs __3 with accusative et infinitive, agree…