UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: brother

Semantic entry: 10.49

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Kinship Relations of the Same Generation

Definition: a male having the same father (and, usually, mother) as the reference person

Notes: In a number of languages it is necessary to indicate the difference between older and younger brothers, and this can usually be done on the basis of Semitic usage, since the older brother was normally named first. Therefore, in RV MAT 4:18 · LV MAT 4:18 · Read together MAT 4:18 one may translate ‘Simon and his younger brother Andrew.’|The interpretation of ἀδελφός[a] in such passages as RV MAT 12:46 · RV MRK 3:31 · RV JHN 2:12 · LV MAT 12:46 · LV MRK 3:31 · LV JHN 2:12 · Read together MAT 12:46 · Read together MRK 3:31 · Read together JHN 2:12 as meaning cousins (on the basis of a corresponding Hebrew term, which is used in certain cases to designate masculine relatives of various degrees) is not attested in Greek nor affirmed in the Greek-English lexicon edited by Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker. Such an interpretation depends primarily on ecclesiastical tradition.|Though the plural of ἀδελφός[a] (namely, ἀδελφοί) can mean both brothers and sisters, there is no reason to believe that in RV MAT 12:46 · RV MRK 3:31 · RV JHN 2:12 · RV JHN 7:3 · RV JHN 7:5 · RV ACT 1:14 · LV MAT 12:46 · LV MRK 3:31 · LV JHN 2:12 · LV JHN 7:3 · LV JHN 7:5 · LV ACT 1:14 · Read together MAT 12:46 · Read together MRK 3:31 · Read together JHN 2:12 · Read together JHN 7:3 · Read together JHN 7:5 · Read together ACT 1:14 the reference is to both brothers and sisters.|In RV LUK 8:21 · LV LUK 8:21 · Read together LUK 8:21 (μήτηρ μου καὶ ἀδελφοί μου οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκούοντες καὶ ποιοῦντες my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act accordingly) ἀδελφοί is used figuratively as a qualification of Jesus followers. In some languages, however, it is necessary to make more evident the qualifying relationship, for example, those who hear the word and act accordingly are my mother and my brothers or … are just like a mother and brothers to me.

Sense 2: fellow believer, (Christian) brother

Semantic entry: 11.23

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Religious

Definition: a close associate of a group of persons having a well-defined membership (in the NT ἀδελφός[b] refers specifically to fellow believers in Christ)

Notes: The masculine form ἀδελφός[b] may include both men and women, but see also 11.24: ἀδελφή.|Though in a number of languages it is possible to use a corresponding term meaning ‘brother’ or ‘brothers’ in the sense of fellow believers, in some languages this cannot be done, and one must employ other types of expressions. In some instances it is possible to generalize a term meaning ‘relative’ and therefore to address or to speak of fellow Christians as ‘relatives’ rather than specifically ‘brothers and sisters.’ In most instances, however, one may only employ a phrase such as ‘those who also believe’ or ‘those who believe in Christ even as we do.’

Sense 3: brother, fellow countryman, fellow Jew, associate

Semantic entry: 11.25

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Religious

Definition: a person belonging to the same socio-religious entity and being of the same age group as the so-called reference person

Sense 4: fellow countryman

Semantic entry: 11.57

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Political

Definition: a person who is a member of the same πατριά [source selector 000001][b] or φυλή [source selector 000001][b] ‘nation’ (11.56: πατριά / 11.56: φυλή)

Notes: The term ἄνδρες is often added to ἀδελφοί[d], constituting a lexical unit having essentially the same meaning as ἀδελφοί[d], but with the connotation of greater formality: ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐξὸν εἰπεῖν μετὰ παρρησίας πρὸς ὑμᾶς ‘fellow countrymen, I can speak to you quite plainly’ RV ACT 2:29 · LV ACT 2:29 · Read together ACT 2:29.|συμφυλέτης [source selector 000001][b], and ἀδελφός[d] may often be translated by a phrase, for example, ‘a person of the same country’ or ‘a man who belongs to the same nation’ or ‘one who is part of the same tribe.’

Sense 5: neighbor, brother

Semantic entry: 11.89

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Political

Definition: a person who lives close beside others and who thus by implication is a part of a so-called in-group, that is, the group with which an individual identifies both ethnically and culturally

Notes: Though in RV MAT 5:22 · LV MAT 5:22 · Read together MAT 5:22 and RV LUK 6:41 · LV LUK 6:41 · Read together LUK 6:41 one may translate ἀδελφός as ‘brother,’ the evident meaning is not a reference to a sibling, but to a close associate or neighbor, so that the denotation of ἀδελφός is very similar to that of γείτων, περίοικος, and πλησίον[b].|It may be that of the three terms γείτων, περίοικος, and πλησίον[b], the last is somewhat broader in meaning. At least πλησίον is used in RV LUK 10:27 · LV LUK 10:27 · Read together LUK 10:27 in a somewhat extended sense of ‘fellow man,’ while ἀδελφός[e] probably suggests a more intimate or close relationship.