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κτῆμα

ktēma

G2933 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Κτῆμα primarily means 'a possession' or 'something acquired,' particularly through one's own effort, purchase, or inheritance. Its core sense is that of a tangible asset—such as land, property, or goods—acquired as private property. In broader Hellenistic usage, it can refer to anything regarded as a lasting possession, whether material (estate, land, money) or occasionally immaterial (a benefit, advantage).

Semantic Range

property, possession, estate, acquired land, goods, material asset, inheritance, lasting acquisition

Root / Etymology

Derived from the verb κτάομαι ('to acquire, obtain, get for oneself'); the noun form denotes that which has been acquired or is possessed.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Κτῆμα appears in classical Greek from at least the 5th century BCE (e.g., Herodotus, Thucydides) in reference to land, estates, treasures, and goods considered as property. In the period of the Septuagint and New Testament, it retains this basic meaning, usually denoting material property—specifically land or fields (e.g., Acts 2:45, 5:1). Whereas other terms like ὕπαρξις or περιουσία may refer to broader wealth or riches, κτῆμα emphasizes a concrete, possessed object or estate. Standard English translations often render it as 'possession' or 'property,' but the sense in Greek can include acquired land or inherited estate, not merely any item in one's ownership. In Hellenistic and Roman law, κτῆμα can have specific implications for rights of ownership and inheritance. The term sometimes contrasts with τὸ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν ('what is up to us', i.e., skill or virtue, as opposed to external possessions).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κτάομαι; an acquirement, i.e. estate:--possession.

Root Family

κτῆμα (ktēma) — possession, acquired property, estate, tangible asset

Root κτημ- to acquire, to possess, to obtain

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2933-02 κτήματα ktemata N ACC N PL possessions acquired properties acquired properties 3
G2933-01 κτῆμα ktema N ACC N SG a possession an acquired possession a possession 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2933-02 Matthew 19:22 κτήματα ktemata N ACC N PL possessions acquired properties possessions
G2933-02 Mark 10:22 κτήματα ktemata N ACC N PL possessions acquired properties acquired properties
G2933-02 Acts 2:45 κτήματα ktemata N ACC N PL possessions acquired properties acquired properties
G2933-01 Acts 5:1 κτῆμα ktema N ACC N SG a possession an acquired possession a possession
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