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χρεία

chreía

G5532 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Primary meaning: need, necessity; refers to the state or condition of lacking something essential, or the requirement for something. In broader contexts, denotes an urgent or compelling need, necessity, or requirement for action, object, or circumstance. Also used for business, duty, or task which arises out of necessity.

Semantic Range

need, necessity, requirement, lack, occasion, want, duty, urgent demand, task arising from necessity

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root χρα-/χρη-, present in the verbs χράομαι (to use) and χρή (it is necessary). χρεία is a noun form denoting the idea of what is needed or required. Related to the concept of utility or necessity.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, χρεία originally denoted what is needed for use, a useful thing or implement, and more abstractly, necessity or requirement (cf. Aristotle, Plato). By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, particularly in the Septuagint and New Testament, its meaning extended to urgent need (e.g., hunger), specific requirements (as in 'there is no need'), and even obligation or duty. The word frequently denotes a deficiency or a lack that calls for fulfillment, but also refers to responsibilities ('necessity') or tasks arising from urgent demand. In the New Testament, usage most often emphasizes necessity and urgent need rather than the simple idea of employment or business. The English terms 'business,' 'use,' or 'want' found in some older translations may fail to capture the prevalent sense of necessity or requirement as understood in Koine contexts. Distinct from more neutral terms for employment (e.g., ἔργον, work), χρεία conveys the aspect of pressing requirement or lack. Common in medical texts of the period to indicate a clinical need; also seen in ethical writings to denote a required or appropriate action.

Translation Consistency

primary "need" 49 occurrences

'Need' is the most natural, versatile rendering and matches the majority usage (26 of 49 occurrences). It covers the primary senses—lack, requirement, urgent demand, duty or task arising from necessity—more fluidly in everyday English than the more formal 'necessity.' Using 'need' allows consistent, idiomatic translation across contexts while still accommodating related senses (requirement, want, duty) through phrasing and inflection.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the base of χράομαι or χρή; employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:--business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.

Root Family

χρᾰ-/χρη- (chreía) — to use, to need, to be necessary

Root χρᾰ-/χρη- to use, to need, to be necessary

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5532-03 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need 40
G5532-04 χρείας chreias N GEN F SG need of need of need 5
G5532-01 χρεία chreia N NOM F SG needful necessity need 2
G5532-02 χρείαις chreiais N DAT F PL needs for necessities needs 2

Occurrences in Scripture

49 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5532-03 Matthew 3:14 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Matthew 6:8 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Matthew 9:12 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Matthew 14:16 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Matthew 21:3 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Matthew 26:65 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Mark 2:17 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Mark 2:25 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Mark 11:3 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Mark 14:63 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Luke 5:31 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Luke 9:11 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-01 Luke 10:42 χρεία chreia N NOM F SG needful necessity need
G5532-03 Luke 15:7 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Luke 19:31 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Luke 19:34 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Luke 22:71 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 John 2:25 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 John 13:10 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 John 13:29 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 John 16:30 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Acts 2:45 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Acts 4:35 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-04 Acts 6:3 χρείας chreias N GEN F SG task of need of need
G5532-02 Acts 20:34 χρείαις chreiais N DAT F PL needs for necessities needs
G5532-04 Acts 28:10 χρείας chreias N ACC F PL needs of need needs
G5532-02 Romans 12:13 χρείαις chreiais N DAT F PL needs for necessities needs
G5532-03 1 Corinthians 12:21 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 1 Corinthians 12:21 χρείαν chreian-2 N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 1 Corinthians 12:24 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Ephesians 4:28 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-04 Ephesians 4:29 χρείας chreias N GEN F SG need of need of need
G5532-04 Philippians 2:25 χρείας chreias N GEN F SG need of need of need
G5532-03 Philippians 4:16 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Philippians 4:19 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 1 Thessalonians 1:8 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 1 Thessalonians 4:9 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 1 Thessalonians 4:12 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 1 Thessalonians 5:1 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-04 Titus 3:14 χρείας chreias N ACC F PL needs of need needs
G5532-03 Hebrews 5:12 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Hebrews 5:12 χρείαν chreian-2 N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-01 Hebrews 7:11 χρεία chreia N NOM F SG need necessity need
G5532-03 Hebrews 10:36 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 1 John 2:27 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 1 John 3:17 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
G5532-03 Revelation 3:17 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Revelation 21:23 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity a need
G5532-03 Revelation 22:5 χρείαν chreian N ACC F SG need a necessity need
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