Greek
κοινωνία
koinōnia
Fellowship, communion, sharing, partnership
The Greek word for shared life — fellowship that is more than friendly association, used for the church's life together and for sharing in Christ.
Koinonia (Greek: κοινωνία) comes from the adjective koinos meaning 'common' or 'shared.' The word covers a wide range of meanings: fellowship, communion, partnership, sharing, contribution, participation. Unlike the English 'fellowship' (which can be shallow — 'church fellowship time' as coffee and conversation), koinonia denotes a profound shared life. To have koinonia with someone is to share something with them — substance, life, mission, suffering, or possessions. The word appears 20 times in the New Testament and is one of the foundational vocabulary words of Christian community.
Koinonia appears across the New Testament. Key uses: (1) The early Christian community in Acts 2:42 — 'And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship (koinonia), and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.' The fellowship is listed alongside teaching, sacrament, and prayer as foundational to church life. (2) Sharing in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:9 — 'God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship (koinonia) of his Son Jesus Christ.' Christian fellowship is first horizontal (with each other) but rooted in vertical fellowship with Christ himself. (3) The Lord's Supper. 1 Corinthians 10:16 — 'The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (koinonia) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (koinonia) of the body of Christ?' In the Eucharist, Christians have koinonia with Christ's body and blood and with each other. (4) Sharing of material resources. 2 Corinthians 9:13 — 'your liberal distribution (koinonia) unto them' refers to a financial collection. Hebrews 13:16 — 'But to do good and to communicate (koinonia) forget not.' Material sharing is a form of koinonia. (5) Sharing in suffering. Philippians 3:10 — 'the fellowship (koinonia) of his sufferings.' To know Christ is to share in his suffering as well as his resurrection.
“They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
Foundational practice
“That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?”
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.”
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”
Koinonia is not a feeling of friendliness or church social events. It is shared life — sharing substance, mission, suffering, possessions, the body and blood of Christ. To pursue koinonia is to pursue real Christian community: bearing each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2), confessing sins to each other (James 5:16), sharing material needs (Acts 4:32), suffering with those who suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26). Casual association is not koinonia. The believer who has only attended church but not been known by anyone has not yet experienced what the New Testament calls fellowship.
Koinonia (Greek: κοινωνία) is the New Testament's word for fellowship, communion, and shared life. Unlike the casual English 'fellowship,' koinonia denotes a profound sharing — of substance, mission, suffering, possessions, the body and blood of Christ. The word appears 20 times in the New Testament and is one of the foundational vocabulary words of Christian community.
Friendship can be shallow or deep; koinonia is by definition deep. Koinonia involves real sharing — material, spiritual, missional. Acts 2:44-45 records the earliest Christians 'had all things common (koinonia-related word).' 1 Corinthians 10:16 calls the Eucharist a koinonia of Christ's body and blood. Philippians 3:10 speaks of koinonia in Christ's sufferings. Koinonia is fellowship at the level of shared life, not just shared affection or shared meals.
'Communion' is one of the standard English translations of koinonia (along with 'fellowship,' 'sharing,' and 'participation'). In 1 Corinthians 10:16, communion is used of the Lord's Supper: 'the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?' In 2 Corinthians 13:14, communion is used of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer. Both senses point to real sharing — in Christ's atoning work and in the Spirit's ongoing presence.