Original Word: συμπαθέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: sumpatheó
Pronunciation: soom-path-eh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (soom-path-eh'-o)
KJV: have compassion, be touched with a feeling of
NASB: showed sympathy, sympathize
Word Origin: [from G4835 (συμπαθής - sympathetic)]

1. to feel "sympathy" with
2. (by implication) to commiserate

sympathize, have compassion

From sumpathes; to feel "sympathy" with, i.e. (by implication) to commiserate -- have compassion, be touched with a feeling of.

see GREEK sumpathes

Word Origin
from sumpathés
Definition
to have a fellow feeling with, i.e. sympathize with
NASB Translation
showed sympathy (1), sympathize (1).

STRONGS NT 4834: συμπαθέω

συμπαθέω (T WH συνπαθέω (cf. σύν, II. at the end)), συμπάθω: 1 aorist συνεπάθησα; (συμπαθής);

a. to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathize with (Aristotle, Plutarch).

b. in reference to the wretched, to feel for, have compassion on, (Vulg.compatior): τίνι, Hebrews 4:15 (A. V. to be touched with the feeling of); Hebrews 10:34 (Isocrates, p. 64 b.; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Plutarch).

Definition and Conceptual Scope

Strong’s Greek 4834 expresses the action of entering into another’s pain so fully that it becomes one’s own. It is more than emotional concern; it is a personal participation in suffering that moves the heart to redemptive action. The term presumes a shared life, a fellowship that feels what the other feels.

Biblical Occurrences

Hebrews 4:15 uses the verb for the Son of God: “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.” The inspired writer underscores that the Messiah’s sympathy is not sentimental benevolence but experiential understanding gained through real temptation and obedience.

Hebrews 10:34 extends the same verb to the church: “For you sympathized with the prisoners and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and lasting possession.” Believers mirrored their Lord’s character by making the suffering of fellow Christians their own, even at economic cost.

Christological Significance

The word showcases the unique priesthood of Jesus Christ. Under the old covenant, priests offered sacrifices for sins they themselves also committed. In contrast, the incarnate Son shares every human limitation—yet remains sinless—so that His compassion is coupled with perfect righteousness. His sympathy therefore guarantees that His intercession is both powerful and tender (Hebrews 7:25-26).

Pastoral and Ecclesial Implications

The church is called to embody the same participatory compassion. Hebrews presents the community as a family that embraces persecution together, countering isolation with identification. Genuine fellowship is measured not by social proximity but by the willingness to suffer loss for another’s sake (Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26).

Historical Context

The addressees of Hebrews faced expulsion from synagogues, loss of property, and imprisonment. Their acts of sympathy were public, risky, and costly. In the Roman world, visiting prisoners implicated visitors as accomplices. Early believers nevertheless chose identification with the marginalized, fulfilling the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 25:36.

Practical Application for Ministry

1. Intercessory Prayer: Because the High Priest feels our infirmities, Christians may “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). Prayer is grounded in the certainty of divine empathy.
2. Congregational Care: Elders and members alike are urged to cultivate presence rather than mere advice, reflecting Christ’s incarnational model (Galatians 6:2).
3. Mission to the Persecuted: Modern advocacy for imprisoned believers flows directly from Hebrews 10:34. Sympathy includes material aid and public identification.
4. Personal Holiness: Christ’s sinless sympathy refutes the notion that shared experience requires shared failure. Compassion grows alongside obedience.

Related Themes and Cross References

Compassion: Isaiah 63:9; Matthew 9:36

Bearing Burdens: Galatians 6:2

Body Solidarity: 1 Corinthians 12:26

Merciful High Priest: Hebrews 2:17-18

Love in Deed: 1 John 3:17-18

συμπαθήσαι συμπαθῆσαι συνεπαθησατε συνεπαθήσατε συνπαθησαι συνπαθῆσαι sumpathesai sumpathēsai sunepathesate sunepathēsate sympathesai sympathêsai sympathēsai sympathē̂sai synepathesate synepathēsate synepathḗsateInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts