σύνδεσμος

σύνδεσμος — sýndesmos

σύνδεσμος, συνδεσμου, ὁ (συνδέω);

1. that which binds together, a band, bond: of the ligaments by which the members of the human body are united together (Euripides, Hipp. 199; Tim. Locr., p. 100 b. (i. e., 3, 3, p. 386, Bekker edition); Aristotle, h. a. 10, 7, 3, p. 638b, 9; Galen), Col 2:19 (where see Lightfoot); tropically: τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης, i. e. τῇ εἰρήνη ὡς συνδέσμῳ, Eph 4:3 (σύνδεσμος εὐνοίας καί φιλίας, Plutarch, Num 6:1-27); ἥτις ἐστι σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος, that in which all the virtues are so bound together that perfection is the result, and not one of them is lacking to that perfection, Col 3:14 (cf. Lightfoot at the passage). εἰς σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας ὁρῶ σε ὄντα, I see that you have fallen into (cf. εἰμί, V. 2 a., p. 179a, and see below) the bond of iniquity, i. e. forged by iniquity to fetter souls, Act 8:23 (the phrase σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας occurs in another sense in Isa 58:6).

2. that which is bound together, a bundle: properly, σύνδεσμος ἐπιστολῶν, Herodian, 4, 12, 11 (6, Bekker edition); hence, some interpreters think that by σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας, in Act 8:23 above, Simon is described as a bundle of iniquity, compacted as it were of iniquity (just as Cicero, in Pison. 9, 21 calls a certain man animal ex omnium scelerum importunitate... concretum); but besides the circumstance that this interpretation is extremely bold, no examples can be adduced of this tropical use of the noun.