συνήθεια G4914
habit, custom, familiar practice; established patterns of behavior or social conventions
A noun meaning habit, custom, or familiar practice—what's become routine through repetition or social convention. It appears in Pilate's statement 'you have a custom that I release one prisoner' (John 18:39), regarding eating meat offered to idols—'some through former habit of idols' (1 Cor 8:7), and Paul's rhetorical 'we have no such custom' regarding women's head coverings (1 Cor 11:16). Classical uses include habitual association, sexual intercourse, or animals herding together—always emphasizing repeated, established patterns. Custom shapes behavior powerfully.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Uniform: English 'custom/habit', Spanish 'costumbre', French 'coutume/habitude', German 'Gewohnheit'. The three NT uses show custom operating at different levels: civic (Pilate's Passover amnesty), personal (lingering effects of idolatrous habits), and ecclesiastical (church practice regarding head coverings). In each case, established practice—whether from law, background, or tradition—creates expectations and shapes present behavior. 3×
AR["العادَةِ", "عادَةً", "عَادَةٌ"]·ben["অভ্যাসে", "প্রথা", "রীতি"]·DE["Gewohnheit"]·EN["a-custom", "custom"]·FR["coutume", "habitude"]·heb["הֶרְגֵּל", "מִנְהָג"]·HI["आदत", "रीति"]·ID["kebiasaan"]·IT["abitudine", "sunetheia"]·jav["adat", "padatan", "pakulinan"]·KO["관습-이", "관습을", "습관으로"]·PT["costume"]·RU["обычай", "обычая", "привычкой"]·ES["costumbre"]·SW["desturi", "mazoea"]·TR["alışkanlık", "gelenek", "şimdiye kadar-"]·urd["دستور", "عادت"]
Related Senses
H3212 1. go, depart, travel (884×)H1980 1. to go, travel (Qal) (283×)G4198 1. go, proceed (physical movement) (139×)H1980 2. to walk in conduct (Qal) (132×)G0565 1. go away, depart physically (112×)H3212 2. walk in, follow a way (79×)G5217 1. go, proceed (78×)H1980 3. to walk about, traverse (Hitpael) (63×)H5162 1. comfort, console (Piel) (51×)G4043 1. conduct oneself, live (48×)G4043 2. walk physically (47×)H5162 2. relent, repent, change mind (Nifal) (35×)G3340 1. repent, change one's mind (34×)H1980 4. to walk habitually (Piel) (30×)H4546 1. highway, raised road (25×)H5637 1. be stubborn, rebellious (17×)G0391 1. conduct, way of life, behavior (13×)H3212 4. lead, bring, cause to go (13×)G1485 1. custom, habit, established practice (12×)H5162 3. be comforted, receive comfort (Nifal) (10×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
συνήθεια, ἡ, habitual intercourse, acquaintance, intimacy, αἱ πρὸς ἀλλήλους σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ πολιτικὴ σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; καὶ αὐτῷ δέ μοί εἰσι σ. Refs 3rd c.BC+; ὢν ἡμῖν ἐν συνηθείᾳ Refs 3rd c.BC+ __b sexual intercourse, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of animals, herding together, Refs 4th c.BC+; νέμεσθαι κατὰ συνηθείας in herds,Refs 2nd c.AD+; so of soldiers, κατὰ συνηθείας in messes, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __II…