### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **systenázō**, represented by `{{G4959}}`, means to "moan jointly" or "experience a common calamity." This specific term, built from the words for "with" and "to moan," appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, yet it conveys a profound and universal concept. It is defined as to **groan together**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single biblical use of `{{G4959}}` is found in [[Romans 8:22]], where it describes the state of the entire created order. The verse states, "For we know that the whole creation **groaneth** and travaileth in pain together until now." Here, the word is used figuratively to depict a shared, collective suffering and longing that affects all of creation as it awaits its ultimate redemption. It is not an isolated or individual distress, but a unified experience.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Romans 8:22]] help illuminate the meaning of `{{G4959}}`:
* `{{G4944}}` **synōdínō** (travail in pain together): This term, meaning "to have (parturition) pangs in company... in expectation of relief from suffering," is used alongside **systenázō** to describe a suffering that is like the shared pains of childbirth [[Romans 8:22]].
* `{{G2937}}` **ktísis** (creation): Defined as "original formation... the thing, literally or figuratively," this word identifies the subject of the collective groaning as the entire **creation** [[Romans 8:22]]. It is also used to note that in Christ, a believer is a "new **creature**" [[2 Corinthians 5:17]].
* `{{G3956}}` **pâs** (the whole): This word for "all, any, every, the whole" emphasizes the universal scope of the groaning. The statement is not about a part of creation, but the **whole** of it [[Romans 8:22]].
* `{{G1492}}` **eídō** (to see, to know): Meaning "to see" or by implication "to know," this word establishes that the truth of creation's groaning is an observable and understood reality for believers, as stated in the phrase "we **know**" [[Romans 8:22]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4959}}` is significant despite its single appearance. It provides a key insight into the biblical view of the fallen world and its hope.
* **Universal Suffering:** The word encapsulates the idea that the consequences of the fall are not limited to humanity. The "whole creation" `{{G2937}}` joins in a collective **groan**, indicating a shared state of distress and incompletion [[Romans 8:22]].
* **Expectant Longing:** By pairing this groaning with the imagery of labor pains `{{G4944}}`, the suffering is characterized not by despair but by anticipation. It is a groaning that expects deliverance and the revealing of a future glory.
* **A Present Reality:** The experience of this joint groaning is a condition that persists "until now" `{{G3568}}`, framing it as a defining characteristic of the current age, distinct from the age to come.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4959}}` **systenázō** is a uniquely powerful word that, in its sole biblical instance, paints a vivid picture of cosmic solidarity in suffering. It conveys the profound idea that all of creation is united in a state of longing, groaning together in anticipation of its final redemption. This single term powerfully expresses a foundational element of the Christian hope described in Romans 8.
TRV