The Word
Greek: κοινωνία
Greek (Transliterated): koinōnia
English: fellowship, partnership, communion, sharing
The Greek word koinōnia is often casually translated as “fellowship” in most English Bibles, which, for many people, evokes images of donuts after church or a room with bad coffee and folding chairs. You know what I’m talking about…
But koinōnia is way deeper than that. This word conveys a sense of deep, mutual participation in something shared. It’s what happens when people are united by a common life, not just a common location.
The History
In Greco-Roman culture, koinōnia referred to an intimate partnership. This is the kind of relationship people shared when they invested in something together, such as owning property, running a business, or being part of a household. It wasn’t surface-level. It involved shared risk, shared purpose, and shared benefit.
When the early Christians used koinōnia, they were making a radical claim… we are in this together. This is not just emotional, but spiritual, physical, and even financial.
In Acts 2, when it says the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship,” it wasn’t talking about potlucks. It meant they shared their lives, resources, and purpose. They were bound together in Jesus.
The Implications
We live in an age of curated relationships. Most people have digital “friends” and casual acquaintances, but very few partners in life.
Koinōnia invites us to something countercultural… mutual submission, shared burden, joyful sacrifice, and deep spiritual unity. This is why Paul talks about koinōnia not just with each other, but also with Christ himself.
To be a Christian is to be joined to a new family, not just on Sundays. In 1 John 1:7 (ESV), the disciple writes, “If we walk in the light… we have fellowship with one another…”
It’s not optional. It’s who we are! We don’t attend fellowship. We are fellowship.
The Fun Facts
Koinōnia appears 19 times in the New Testament.
It’s used to describe our relationship with God (1 Cor. 1:9), with the Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14), and with Christ’s sufferings (Phil. 3:10).
Paul uses it to talk about sharing money with struggling believers (Rom. 15:26).
Early Christians often used koinōnia as shorthand for the Eucharist (the Lord’s Supper).
The root word koinos means “common.” It’s the same root used in koine Greek—the everyday language of the people.
The Uses
Acts 2:42 (ESV): “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
1 Corinthians 10:16 (ESV): “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?”
Philippians 1:5 (ESV): “…because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
2 Corinthians 8:4 (ESV): “…begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.”