δάνειον
dáneion
G1156 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A sum of money lent with the obligation to repay; a loan. Specifically, an amount given on the condition of return, often implying a formal or informal agreement of indebtedness between a lender and a recipient. In broader usage, denotes any form of borrowed asset or debt incurred by borrowing, whether monetary or material.
Semantic Range
loan, sum lent, borrowed asset, debt resulting from a loan
Root / Etymology
From δανείζω (“to lend, to make a loan”), itself derived from δάνω, an old term for ‘I give.’ The base is related to the root of δίδωμι ('to give'), indicating the act of giving something temporarily. The form δάνειον is a neuter noun indicating the thing given (the loan) rather than the action of lending.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, the verb δανείζω and related nouns such as δάνειον referred to loans in everyday economic and legal transactions. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, δάνειον continued to denote a loan, typically but not exclusively of money. In the Septuagint, the word reflects Israelite and wider Ancient Near Eastern practices of lending, including both interest-bearing and interest-free loans (see Exod 22:25; Deut 15:8). In the New Testament (Matt 18:27), δάνειον refers specifically to a monetary debt incurred by borrowing, not to general or metaphorical debt. English translations often render the term as 'loan' or 'debt,' but 'loan' is more precise, as it focuses on the original act of lending and the existence of an obligation. This distinguishes δάνειον from ὀφείλημα ('that which is owed'), which centers on the state of being in debt rather than the original transaction.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from (a gift); probably akin to the base of δίδωμι; a loan:--debt.
Root Family
δάνειον (dáneion) — loan, sum lent, borrowed asset, debt from borrowing
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1156-01 |
δάνιον | danion | N ACC N SG |
a loan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1156-01 |
Matthew 18:27 | δάνιον | danion | N ACC N SG |
a loan |