Lexical Summary sundoxazó: To glorify together, to share in glory Original Word: συνδοξάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance glorify together, join in praiseFrom sun and doxazo; to exalt to dignity in company (i.e. Similarly) with -- glorify together. see GREEK sun see GREEK doxazo HELPS Word-studies 4888 syndoksázō (from 4862 /sýn, "closely identified with" and 1392 /doksázō, "glorify") – properly, be glorified together, emphasizing close identity with the Lord, the factor which specifically correlates to the unique glorification believers experience at His return (cf. Phil 3:11; 1 Jn 3:2, Gk text). 4888 /syndoksázō ("glorified with Christ") only occurs in Ro 8:17. Ro 8:17: "Moreover if (1487 /ei) children, heirs also; indeed heirs of God even fellow-heirs with Christ – if indeed (1512 /eí per) we suffer with Him in order that (2443 /hína) we may also be glorified with Him (4888 /syndoksázō)." NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sun and doxazó Definition to join in approving, hence to glorify together NASB Translation glorified (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4888: συνδοξάζωσυνδοξάζω: 1 aorist passive συνεδοξασθην; 1. to approve together, join in approving: νόμοι συνδεδοξάσμενοι ὑπό πάντων, Aristotle, pol. 5, 7 (9), 20, p. 1310a, 15. 2. to glorify together (Vulg.conglorifico): namely, σύν Χριστῷ, to be exalted to the same glory to which Christ has been raised, Romans 8:17. Topical Lexicon Term Overview The verb rendered “be glorified together” in Romans 8:17 signals a shared participation in divine honor that Christ Himself enjoys. It gathers two ideas—union with Christ and eschatological glory—into one forward-looking promise for every believer. Biblical Usage Romans 8:17 stands alone in the New Testament for this precise verb form, yet its idea reverberates across Scripture. Paul links adoption (“children … heirs”) with a corporate glorification: “if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17). The “with Him” (συν–) preposition stresses solidarity; salvation is not an individual achievement but a shared destiny inside the body of Christ (compare John 17:22; Colossians 3:4). Suffering and Shared Glory Paul’s conditional clause presents suffering as the appointed path to glory, reflecting Christ’s own journey (Luke 24:26; Philippians 2:8–11). The immediate context drives the point home: “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Thus, συνδοξάζω does not invite believers to pursue pain for its own sake; it assures them that whatever they endure for Christ inevitably culminates in glory with Christ. Union with Christ and the Inheritance Motif The verb appears in a verse that also speaks of being “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” The Old Testament inheritance theme (Numbers 26:55; Psalm 16:5) finds its climax here: believers, united to the Son, receive what belongs to the Son—His Father, His Kingdom, His glory (Matthew 13:43; Hebrews 1:2). The glorification is therefore covenantal, familial, and legal rather than merely experiential. Eschatological Horizon Romans 8 places συνδοξάζω within cosmic renewal. Creation “waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). The glorification of believers is inseparable from the liberation of creation itself (Romans 8:21). The verb thus carries a creational dimension: glorified saints signal a restored universe where God’s glory fills all in all (Habakkuk 2:14; Revelation 21:23). Historical Interpretation 1. Early Church: Irenaeus saw the text as proof that redeemed humanity will be “accustomed to receive God” and so shine with borrowed splendor. Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Perseverance: Suffering believers find assurance that present trials are preparatory, not punitive. Related Concepts and Passages Glory with Christ: John 17:22; Colossians 3:4 Suffering with Christ: 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 4:13 Adoption and Inheritance: Galatians 4:6–7; Ephesians 1:14 Creation’s Renewal: Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:5 Summary Strong’s Greek 4888 encapsulates the believer’s future: a guaranteed co-glorification that matches and completes union with the crucified and risen Lord. It ties personal perseverance to cosmic restoration and anchors Christian hope in the unstoppable faithfulness of God. Forms and Transliterations συνδοξασθωμεν συνδοξασθώμεν συνδοξασθῶμεν sundoxasthomen sundoxasthōmen syndoxasthomen syndoxasthômen syndoxasthōmen syndoxasthō̂menLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |