The noun Adelphos in its various forms occurs approximately 343
times in the Greek N.T. It is sometimes used in its literal sense to mean a
"brother;" one from the same womb. (John 1:41) It can also mean "one who
shares a common ethnic heritage. (Acts 22:13). It sometimes means
"neighbor." (Mat. 7:3-5) It can also refer to "one who shares the same faith
in Christ; a fellow-believer." (Col. 4:7)
Adelphoi, the plural form of adelphos is used frequently in the
Greek N.T. of spiritual siblings in the family of God. Males and females
who have believed, repented, confessed, and were immersed into Christ
(Gal. 3:26-29) They were "born again," (Jno. 3:3-5; Tit. 3:5-7), and are
therefore adopted into the family of God. (Eph. 1:5; 1 Tim. 3:15) Adelphoi
identifies those who are in this spiritual relationship as "brothers and sisters."
The older English versions (KJV, RV, ASV) and some relatively recent
versions (NASB, RSV, NKJV) translate adelphoi with the word "brethren."
This word is generally used only in religious circles. Other versions such as
the original NIV, ESV, and HCSB use the word "brothers." One of the
problems with using "brethren" is the fact that it is a somewhat archaic
word. Many times "brothers" is too gender specific. The modern reader
may be misled into thinking only males are being addressed in certain
contexts, when in reality they are not. So, modern English versions, in an
effort to be accurate, especially when a congregation is addressed translate
adelphoi with the phrase "brothers and sisters." (cf. New Living Translation;
New Revised Standard Version; NET; Today's New International
Version; and the NIV 2011)
Some people object to translating adelphoi with the phrase "brothers
and sisters," because in their view it is an effort to be "gender inclusive,"
and to give women equal roles and authority with men in religion. This is
an unfair judgment. The N.T. itself teaches that God does not give a woman
the right to "have authority over the man." (1 Cor. 14:34-35;1 Tim. 2:11-15)
The phrase "brothers and sisters" (adelphoi) is not designed to blur the
distinctive roles that God has assigned to men and women, but it seeks to
accurately convey the meaning of adelphoi by indicating the familial
relationship shared by those of the same faith.
It has long been proven by Greek lexicons that adelphos/adelphoi are
used in this manner in secular Greek literature and in the N.T. (Thayer's
Greek-English Lexicon, pages 10-11; Alexander Souter's Pocket
Lexicon, p. 6; A Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament And
Other Early Christian Literature, Introduction, p. 24 and pages 15-16
of the lexicon,1952 edition.)
It is accurate to translate adelphoi with the phrase "brothers and sisters"
when a congregation is addressed, when the universal group of Jesus'
followers is under discussion, and when it can be shown from the context
that a religious group consisting of both males and females is under
consideration. Translators have not accurately translated God's word, until
they have selected the word or phrase in the target language,
that means the same as the word or phrase in the source language. They
must also convey the meaning in an understandable manner. "Brothers and
sisters" for adelphoi in English translations is both accurate and
understandable. A gentleman who objected to the rendering "brothers and
sisters" was asked which translation of adelphoi he believed to be the
correct one, and he responded, "Brethren." He was then asked "What does
'brethren' mean, and he replied, "Brothers and sisters."
R. Daly
Copyright 2011
times in the Greek N.T. It is sometimes used in its literal sense to mean a
"brother;" one from the same womb. (John 1:41) It can also mean "one who
shares a common ethnic heritage. (Acts 22:13). It sometimes means
"neighbor." (Mat. 7:3-5) It can also refer to "one who shares the same faith
in Christ; a fellow-believer." (Col. 4:7)
Adelphoi, the plural form of adelphos is used frequently in the
Greek N.T. of spiritual siblings in the family of God. Males and females
who have believed, repented, confessed, and were immersed into Christ
(Gal. 3:26-29) They were "born again," (Jno. 3:3-5; Tit. 3:5-7), and are
therefore adopted into the family of God. (Eph. 1:5; 1 Tim. 3:15) Adelphoi
identifies those who are in this spiritual relationship as "brothers and sisters."
The older English versions (KJV, RV, ASV) and some relatively recent
versions (NASB, RSV, NKJV) translate adelphoi with the word "brethren."
This word is generally used only in religious circles. Other versions such as
the original NIV, ESV, and HCSB use the word "brothers." One of the
problems with using "brethren" is the fact that it is a somewhat archaic
word. Many times "brothers" is too gender specific. The modern reader
may be misled into thinking only males are being addressed in certain
contexts, when in reality they are not. So, modern English versions, in an
effort to be accurate, especially when a congregation is addressed translate
adelphoi with the phrase "brothers and sisters." (cf. New Living Translation;
New Revised Standard Version; NET; Today's New International
Version; and the NIV 2011)
Some people object to translating adelphoi with the phrase "brothers
and sisters," because in their view it is an effort to be "gender inclusive,"
and to give women equal roles and authority with men in religion. This is
an unfair judgment. The N.T. itself teaches that God does not give a woman
the right to "have authority over the man." (1 Cor. 14:34-35;1 Tim. 2:11-15)
The phrase "brothers and sisters" (adelphoi) is not designed to blur the
distinctive roles that God has assigned to men and women, but it seeks to
accurately convey the meaning of adelphoi by indicating the familial
relationship shared by those of the same faith.
It has long been proven by Greek lexicons that adelphos/adelphoi are
used in this manner in secular Greek literature and in the N.T. (Thayer's
Greek-English Lexicon, pages 10-11; Alexander Souter's Pocket
Lexicon, p. 6; A Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament And
Other Early Christian Literature, Introduction, p. 24 and pages 15-16
of the lexicon,1952 edition.)
It is accurate to translate adelphoi with the phrase "brothers and sisters"
when a congregation is addressed, when the universal group of Jesus'
followers is under discussion, and when it can be shown from the context
that a religious group consisting of both males and females is under
consideration. Translators have not accurately translated God's word, until
they have selected the word or phrase in the target language,
that means the same as the word or phrase in the source language. They
must also convey the meaning in an understandable manner. "Brothers and
sisters" for adelphoi in English translations is both accurate and
understandable. A gentleman who objected to the rendering "brothers and
sisters" was asked which translation of adelphoi he believed to be the
correct one, and he responded, "Brethren." He was then asked "What does
'brethren' mean, and he replied, "Brothers and sisters."
R. Daly
Copyright 2011
