4938. suntrimma
Lexical Summary
suntrimma: Ruin, destruction, fracture

Original Word: συντρίμμα
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: suntrimma
Pronunciation: soon-TREEM-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (soon-trim'-mah)
KJV: destruction
NASB: destruction
Word Origin: [from G4937 (συντρίβω - battered)]

1. concussion or utter fracture (properly, concretely), i.e. complete ruin

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
destruction.

From suntribo; concussion or utter fracture (properly, concretely), i.e. Complete ruin -- destruction.

see GREEK suntribo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from suntribó
Definition
a fracture, fig. a calamity
NASB Translation
destruction (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4938: σύντριμμα

σύντριμμα, συντρίμματος, τό (συντρίβω), the Sept. chiefly for שֶׁבֶר);

1. that which is broken or shattered, a fracture: Aristotle, de audibil., p. 802{a}, 34; of a broken limb, the Sept. Leviticus 21:19.

2. tropically, calamity, ruin, destruction: Romans 3:16, from Isaiah 59:7, where it stands for שֹׁד, a devastation, laying waste, as in ; Wis. 3:3; 1 Macc. 2:7; (etc.).

Topical Lexicon
Essential Idea of Catastrophic Ruin

The term depicts the shattering aftermath that follows the advance of human wickedness. It pictures life broken beyond self-repair, the debris of sin scattered along a person’s path and infecting society at large. The image is not a momentary stumble but a sustained condition of devastation in which healing cannot be found apart from divine intervention.

Biblical Usage in Romans 3:16

Paul places the word in his chain of Old Testament citations that culminate in the sweeping verdict, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Specifically, “ruin and misery lie in their wake” (Romans 3:16) spotlights the social fallout of sin. By borrowing this language, Paul shows that sinful humanity not only rebels vertically against God but also wreaks horizontal havoc among fellow image-bearers. The context joins the whole human family under the same indictment, preparing the ground for the universal offer of justification in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26).

Old Testament Echoes

The phrase recalls Isaiah 59:7, “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; ruin and destruction are in their paths”. Isaiah portrays national apostasy in Judah; Paul universalizes it. The verbal link underscores Scripture’s consistent testimony that sin invariably produces societal collapse—whether in an eighth-century Judean setting or a first-century Roman milieu.

Theological Significance

1. Doctrine of Sin: Humanity’s fall is not merely personal guilt but an active force that fractures communities (cf. Proverbs 1:16; Micah 2:1-3). The term captures both inner corruption and outward fallout.
2. Holistic Need for Redemption: If the problem is “ruin,” the gospel must supply more than moral advice; it must provide new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and ultimate restoration (Revelation 21:5).
3. Apologetic Value: The observable “ruin and misery” in history and current events corroborate Scripture’s diagnosis of the human condition, inviting skeptics to consider the biblical solution.

Christ as the Remedy for Ruin

Isaiah continues, “A Redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Paul sees that Redeemer in Jesus, whose atoning death absorbs the wrath sin deserves and whose resurrection inaugurates the reversal of all ruin. The gospel therefore confronts the shattering effects of sin with the reconstructive power of grace (Ephesians 2:4-10).

Pastoral and Discipleship Applications

• Counseling: When counseling those who feel their lives are “in ruins,” Romans 3:16 can be paired with Psalm 147:3—“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”.
• Preaching: The single occurrence in Romans provides a vivid doorway into the doctrine of total depravity, yet it naturally transitions to the hope proclaimed in Romans 3:24.
• Social Ethics: Awareness that sin devastates communities propels believers toward acts of mercy and justice (Isaiah 58:6-12; Titus 3:14), demonstrating the gospel’s restorative aim.

Historical Reception

• Early Church: Chrysostom remarked that Paul gathers “testimonies like witnesses” to prove sin’s universal reach, with this term showing sin’s social scars.
• Reformation: Reformers cited Romans 3:16 to argue that good works cannot precede grace because humanity’s path is strewn with ruin until Christ intervenes.
• Modern Missions: Missiologists appeal to the verse to explain cultural brokenness and to frame the gospel as God’s comprehensive answer.

Homiletical Suggestions

• Sermon Title: “From Ruin to Redemption.”
• Outline: (1) The Ruined Road (Romans 3:16); (2) The Righteous Rescuer (Romans 3:24-25); (3) The Restored Route (Ephesians 2:10).
• Illustration: Compare a war-torn city’s shattered buildings with the inner devastation described by Paul, then introduce the gospel as the divine rebuilding project.

Key Related Themes and References

Violence and bloodshed—Genesis 6:11, Isaiah 59:7

Brokenheartedness—Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3

New creation—Isaiah 65:17, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Ultimate restoration—Acts 3:21, Revelation 21:1-5

Questions for Study and Reflection

1. How does recognizing the communal fallout of sin deepen one’s appreciation for Christ’s atonement?
2. In what ways can local churches become agents of repair where “ruin and misery” are evident in their communities?
3. How does Romans 3:16 inform our understanding of justice, mercy, and evangelism today?

Forms and Transliterations
συντριμμα σύντριμμα συντρίμματα συντρίμματι συντρίμματί συντρίμματος συντριμμοί συντριμμόν συντριμμός σύντριψιν suntrimma syntrimma sýntrimma
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Romans 3:16 N-NNS
GRK: σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία
NAS: DESTRUCTION AND MISERY
KJV: Destruction and misery
INT: ruin and misery

Strong's Greek 4938
1 Occurrence


σύντριμμα — 1 Occ.

4937
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