Exploring the Meaning of Homothumadon in Greek

ὁμοθυμαδόν expresses unity of action or purpose, depicting people acting together in a shared resolve. In the New Testament it is concentrated in Acts, with a single occurrence in Romans, and it regularly marks the corporate posture of a group—whether in prayer, worship, listening, petition, or even collective hostility.

Occurrences

Acts 1:14 — “All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Here ὁμοθυμαδόν gathers a diverse set of participants (“the women, and Mary… and with his brothers”) into one shared practice: they “continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication.” The adverb colors the perseverance as corporate, emphasizing not merely simultaneous praying but a united persistence in it.

Acts 2:46 — “Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,”

In this snapshot of daily life, ὁμοθυμαδόν qualifies ongoing patterns: temple attendance and shared meals. The unity is lived out publicly (“in the temple”) and privately (“at home”), and the verse pairs this group-unity with inward dispositions (“gladness and singleness of heart”), presenting united practice as the outward shape of their common life.

Acts 4:24 — “When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;”

The word frames a moment of immediate communal response: “When they heard it… they lifted up their voice… with one accord.” ὁμοθυμαδόν highlights that the prayer is voiced as a united appeal; the group does not fragment into competing reactions but speaks together, addressing God in a shared confession of his sovereign creative power.

Acts 5:12 — “By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.”

Here ὁμοθυμαδόν describes united gathering and presence: “They were all… in Solomon’s porch.” The adverb underscores a collective cohesion located in a particular place, set alongside the public activity of “signs and wonders… among the people.” The unity is visible and spatially embodied.

Acts 7:57 — “But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.”

ὁμοθυμαδόν can also mark a united surge of opposition. The crowd’s actions intensify in a coordinated sequence—crying out, stopping their ears, rushing—culminating in their rushing “with one accord.” The word points to a single, shared impulse driving the group toward a common aggressive action.

Acts 8:6 — “The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did.”

In this evangelistic setting, the adverb modifies reception: “The multitudes listened… with one accord.” ὁμοθυμαδόν depicts a united attentiveness to “the things… spoken,” reinforced by shared experience of evidence (“when they heard and saw the signs”). Unity here is expressed as a collective readiness to hear.

Acts 12:20 — “Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.”

ὁμοθυμαδόν describes political coordination: “They came… to him” as a unified delegation. The verse sketches their concerted strategy—securing an intermediary (“Blastus… their friend”) and making a single request (“they asked for peace”) motivated by shared need (“depended… for food”). Their unity is practical, focused on one outcome.

Acts 15:25 — “it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,”

Here the word marks agreement reached in deliberation: “having come to one accord.” ὁμοθυμαδόν portrays the decision to “choose out men and send them” as the fruit of unified judgment. The unity is not merely a mood but a settled common stance that authorizes a concrete action.

Acts 18:12 — “But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,”

Again ὁμοθυμαδόν characterizes coordinated opposition, now within legal action: the group “rose up against Paul” and “brought him before the judgment seat.” The adverb frames this as a unified movement toward a single target, channeling hostility into a public accusation.

Acts 19:29 — “The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.”

This occurrence places united action inside civic turmoil: “The whole city was filled with confusion,” yet “they rushed… with one accord into the theater.” ὁμοθυμαδόν marks a paradoxical cohesion—confused as a city, but still capable of acting in a unified rush toward a single focal space, accompanied by the seizing of specific individuals.

Romans 15:6 — “that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In Romans the adverb is paired with “with one mouth,” shaping a picture of unified worship. ὁμοθυμαδόν contributes the idea of corporate oneness that expresses itself vocally and publicly in the act of glorifying “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Unity is presented as the fitting posture for shared praise.

Sense and Usage

Across these passages, ὁμοθυμαδόν functions as a social adverb: it does not describe a solitary inner state, but the shared orientation of a plurality acting as one. In Acts 1:14; 2:46; and 4:24 it binds a community together in religious action—steadfast prayer, daily devotion, and lifted voices—so that corporate worship is depicted not only as concurrent participation but as united participation. In Acts 5:12 it similarly tightens a scene of gathering, presenting unity as something visible in how “all” are together in one place.

The word’s range in Acts also shows that unity is morally neutral as a descriptor: it can characterize both receptive listening (Acts 8:6) and hostile movement against individuals (Acts 7:57; 18:12) or mass agitation (Acts 19:29). In these conflict settings, ὁμοθυμαδόν stresses the force that comes from coordinated action—many persons propelled by a single collective impulse—whether that impulse leads to violence, litigation, or a stampede into a public venue.

Several occurrences portray unity as the outcome of intent and planning. Acts 12:20 depicts a unified approach to a ruler, strengthened by diplomacy (“having made Blastus… their friend”) and focused request (“they asked for peace”). Acts 15:25 presents unity as something arrived at (“having come to one accord”) that legitimizes a decision and mission. Romans 15:6 then draws the corporate dimension into worship language: oneness is not only organizational but expressive—unity becomes audible “with one mouth” as a community glorifies God together.

Imagery in Context

The scenes attached to ὁμοθυμαδόν repeatedly picture a group moving, speaking, or assembling in a single direction: voices lifted together in prayer (Acts 4:24), people gathered in a recognized public place (Acts 5:12), multitudes listening as one (Acts 8:6), delegations approaching authority with a shared request (Acts 12:20), or crowds surging toward a target (Acts 7:57; 19:29). The adverb thus carries the imagery of many becoming one in action—sometimes peaceful and worshipful, sometimes volatile—yet always emphasizing a united front.

Sources: Lexical data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Translators Brief Lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (STEPBible, CC BY). Occurrence data from the Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (STEPBible, CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).