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Greek

Counsel/council

συμβούλιονStrong’s G4824

sumboulion

Appears in 8 verses of the New Testament

In short

Sumboulion is the Greek word usually translated “counsel” and “council”. It appears in 8 verses of the New Testament.

“Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.”
Matthew 12:14 KJV
Meaning

Usually translated “counsel” and “council”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated
  • counsel 5
  • a counsel 2
  • council 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most
  • Matthew 5
  • Mark 2
  • Acts 1

3 books in all.

Explore in Scripture
All 8 verses, by book
Mark 2
3:615:1
Acts 1
25:12
Greek dictionary

συμβούλιον sumboulion · counsel/council

συμβούλιον, -ου, τό (σύμβουλος), [in LXX: 4Ma.17:17 א * ;] a word of the Græco-Roman period (of. Lat. consilium, and see Deiss., BS, 238) = cl. συμβουλία (Arist., Xen.), 1. counsel: σ. λαμβάνειν, Mat.12:14 22:15 27:7 28:12; διδόναι, Mrk.3:6 (ποιεῖν, Rec.); ποιεῖν, Mrk.15:1 (ἑτοιμάζειν, WH, mg.). 2. By meton., a council (4Mac, l.with א; συνέδριον, AR): Act.25:12 (see MM, xxiv).† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “counsel” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

COUNSEL, noun

[Latin, to consult; to ask, to assail.]

  1. Advice; opinion, or instruction, given upon request or otherwise, for directing the judgment or conduct of another; opinion given upon deliberation or consultation.“Every purpose is established by counsel” Proverbs 20:18“Thou hast not hearkened to my counsel” 2 Chronicles 25:16
  2. Consultation; interchange of opinions.“We took sweet counsel together” Psalms 55:14
  3. Deliberation; examination of consequences.
  4. Prudence; deliberate opinion or judgment, or the faculty or habit of judging with caution.“The law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients” Ezekiel 7:26
All definitions and other forms of “counsel”
  1. In a bad sense, evil advice or designs; art; machination.“The counsel of the froward is carried headlong” Job 5:13
  2. Secresy; the secrets entrusted in consultation; secret opinions or purposes.
  3. In a scriptural sense, purpose; design; will; decree.“What thy counsel determined before to be done” Acts 4:28
  4. Directions of Gods word.“Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel” Psalms 73:24
  5. The will of God or his truth and doctrines concerning the way of salvation.“I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God” Acts 20:27
  6. Those who give counsel in law; any counselor or advocate, or any number of counselors, barristers or sergeants; as the plaintiffs counsel or the defendants counsel The attorney-general and solicitor-general are the kings counsel In this sense, the word has no plural; but in the singular number, is applicable to one or more persons.

COUNSEL, verb transitive

[Latin]

  1. To give advice or deliberate opinion to another for the government of his conduct; to advise.
  2. To exhort, warn, admonish, or instruct.
  3. To advise or recommend; as, to counsel a crime. [Not much used.]

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.