σύνδουλ-ος G4889
A fellow servant or fellow slave, one who shares the same master and obligation of service
A compound noun meaning 'co-slave' or 'fellow servant,' emphasizing shared subjection to a common master. In Matthew's parable of the unforgiving servant, the syndoulos who owes a small debt begs for mercy from the one who was himself forgiven an enormous sum (Matt 18:28–33), making the shared status morally weighty. In Matthew 24:49, the wicked servant beats his fellow servants. Paul uses the term warmly for Epaphras (Col 1:7) and Tychicus (Col 4:7), framing apostolic partnership as joint servitude to Christ. In Revelation, angels identify themselves as fellow servants with the prophets (Rev 6:11; 19:10; 22:9). Spanish 'consiervo' and French 'compagnon de service' both preserve the egalitarian bond.
Senses
1. fellow servant, fellow slave — A fellow servant who shares the same master, used both in parabolic settings where servants owe obligations to a common lord (Matt 18:28–33; 24:49) and as a title of solidarity among Christian workers who serve Christ together (Col 1:7; 4:7). In Revelation, angels apply it to themselves in relation to human prophets and believers (Rev 6:11; 19:10; 22:9), stressing that angels and faithful humans share a common posture of service before God. Spanish 'consiervo' and German 'Mitknecht' capture the prefix-compound structure denoting shared servitude. 10×
AR["العَبدُ-مَعَنا", "العَبدِ-مَعَنا", "العَبيدُ-الشُّرَكاءُ", "العَبِيدُ-الرِّفَاقُ", "العَبِيدِ-الرِّفَاقِ", "العَبْدَ-الرَّفِيقَ", "العَبْدُ-الرَّفِيقُ", "رِفاقَهُ", "عَبْدٌ رَفيقٌ"]·ben["সহ-দাস", "সহ-দাসকে", "সহ-দাসদের", "সহ-দাসরা", "সহকর্মী-দাসদের", "সহদাস"]·DE["Mitknecht"]·EN["a-fellow-servant", "fellow-servant", "fellow-servants", "fellow-slave", "fellow-slaves"]·FR["compagnon-de-service"]·heb["הַעֲבָדִים־הַרֵעִים", "עֲבָדִים-רֵעִים", "עֲבָדִים־הַרֵעִים", "עֶבֶד-חֲבֵר", "עֶבֶד-חֲבֵרְךָ", "עֶבֶד-חֲבֵרֵנוּ", "עֶבֶד-עִמְךָ", "עֶבֶד־הַרֵעַ", "עַבְדֵי-הַעֲבוֹדָה"]·HI["संगी-दास", "संगी-दासों", "सअथि-दअस-ने", "सअथि-दअस-पर", "सअथि-दअसोन", "सअथि-दअसोन-ने", "सह-दस", "सहदास", "साथी-दास"]·ID["Hamba-sesama", "hamba sesama", "sesama-hamba", "teman-hamba", "teman-teman-hamba"]·IT["compagno-di-servizio", "conservo"]·jav["kanca-abdi", "kanèa-batur", "réncang-abdi", "sesami-abdi"]·KO["동료-종", "동료-종-을", "동료-종들", "동료-종들-이", "동료-종들을", "동료-종들이", "동료-종이", "동료-종이다"]·PT["conservo", "conservos"]·RU["сораб", "сораба", "сорабов", "сорабы"]·ES["consiervo", "consiervos"]·SW["mtumishi-mwenzake", "mtumishi-mwenzako", "mtumishi-mwenzetu", "mtumwa-mwenzangu", "wake", "watumishi-wenzake", "watumishi-wenzao"]·TR["kul-arkadasi", "kul-arkadaşları", "kul-arkadaşın", "köle-arkadaşları", "köle-arkadaşlarından", "köle-arkadaşlarını", "köle-arkadaşı", "köle-arkadaşına"]·urd["ساتھی-غلاموں-کو", "ہم-خادم", "ہم-خدمت", "ہم-خدمت-پر", "ہم-خدمتوں", "ہم-خدمتوں-نے"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σύνδουλ-ος, ὁ, ἡ, fellow-slave, masculine, NT+5th c.BC+; also feminine συνδούλη, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically in NT, NT (The statement of Moeris Refs 2nd c.AD+ distinguishes ς. 'slave of the same master' from ὁμόδουλος 'companion in slavery'.)