Strong’s Greek 4830 (συμμέτοχος, symmétokhos) conveys the idea of joint participation—sharing fully with another person or group in some reality, privilege, or activity. In the New Testament it occurs only in the Epistle to the Ephesians, where Paul uses it both positively (believers sharing in the promise) and negatively (believers warned against sharing in sin).

Occurrences in Scripture

• Ephesians 3:6 – “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”.
• Ephesians 5:7 – “Therefore do not be partakers with them”.

Theological Significance

Union in Christ

Ephesians 3:6 highlights the gospel’s inclusive power: Gentiles become “fellow partakers” of the promise once reserved for Israel. Symmétokhos therefore testifies to the dismantling of ethnic and religious barriers through the cross (compare Ephesians 2:14-16). It affirms that all who believe in Christ receive the same Spirit, the same inheritance, and the same covenant blessings (Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:28-29).

Holiness and Separation

Ephesians 5:7 applies the same word to warn believers not to share in the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11). Participation in God’s promises must never drift into participation in the world’s rebellion. Thus symmétokhos embodies both inclusion (in grace) and exclusion (from sin), echoing Leviticus 20:26 and 2 Corinthians 6:17.

Historical Context

Ephesus was a cosmopolitan hub where Jews, Greeks, Romans, and Asians mingled. Converts brought divergent backgrounds, creating tension about who truly belonged to God’s people. Paul answers by declaring Gentiles equal “fellow partakers.” Simultaneously, the city’s pervasive idolatry and immorality (Acts 19:23-41) made moral separation imperative, explaining Paul’s urgent exhortation in Ephesians 5:7.

Relation to Other New Testament Terms

• κοινωνία (koinōnia) – fellowship; the lived experience of being symmétokhos.
• μέτοχος (metochos) – participant; symmétokhos intensifies the prefix συν- (with).
• συγκληρονόμος (sygklēronomos) – joint heir; often paired with symmétokhos to stress shared inheritance.

Together these terms shape a Pauline vocabulary of unity and partnership in Christ.

Ministry Implications

Church Unity

Pastors and elders can appeal to symmétokhos to ground multicultural unity. Every believer, regardless of background, is a full stakeholder in the gospel. This undercuts racial or social hierarchies and fosters mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21).

Discipleship and Holiness

Because symmétokhos can be either righteous or sinful partnership, discipleship must guide believers toward godly alliances and away from compromising ones (1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Timothy 2:22). Small-group structures, accountability partnerships, and clear church discipline policies help protect the fellowship from becoming “partakers” in evil.

Mission and Evangelism

The promise that Gentiles are “fellow partakers” legitimizes global mission. Evangelists can assure new converts that they are not second-class citizens in the kingdom but full participants, encouraging rapid integration into local congregations and leadership pipelines (Acts 13:1).

Christological Focus

All sharing is “in Christ Jesus.” He is the locus of promise (2 Corinthians 1:20) and the moral standard to which believers must conform (1 Peter 2:21-24). Union with Him creates the dual dynamic of inclusion and separation: inclusion in His life, separation from sin.

Contemporary Application

• Racial reconciliation initiatives should root their efforts in the symmétokhos reality rather than sociopolitical ideologies.
• Ethical decision-making in business, media, and digital engagement requires asking, “With whom am I becoming a partaker?” (cf. Psalm 1:1).
• Inter-church partnerships thrive when congregations view one another as “fellow partakers” in the same gospel mission, leading to collaborative prayer, resource sharing, and mercy outreach.

Summary

Strong’s 4830, symmétokhos, encapsulates the believer’s shared inheritance in Christ and the call to holy distinctiveness. By affirming equal participation in the gospel while warning against participation in sin, the term provides a balanced framework for ecclesiology, ethics, and mission.