Original Word: χρεία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: chreia
Pronunciation: khray'-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (khri'-ah)
Definition: Need, necessity, lack, requirement
Meaning: need, necessity, business.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb χράομαι (chraomai), meaning "to use" or "to need."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often associated with "chreia" is צָרַךְ (tsarakh), which also means "to need" or "to require."

Usage: The Greek word "chreia" primarily denotes a state of need or necessity. It is used in the New Testament to describe situations where there is a lack or requirement for something essential. This term can refer to physical needs, such as food or clothing, as well as spiritual or moral necessities.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of "chreia" was significant in both philosophical and practical contexts. Philosophers often discussed the idea of necessity in relation to human desires and the pursuit of the good life. In everyday life, "chreia" would have been understood in terms of the basic needs required for survival and well-being. The early Christian community, as reflected in the New Testament, emphasized the importance of addressing both physical and spiritual needs, often encouraging believers to support one another in times of lack.

Word Origin
akin to chraomai
Definition
need, business
NASB Translation
necessary (1), need (40), needed (1), needs (6), task (1).

STRONGS NT 5532: χρεία

χρεία, χρείας, ἡ (χρή), from Aeschylus and Sophocles down;

1. necessity, need: τά πρός τήν χρείαν (L T Tr WH πρός τάς χρείας (cf. below)), such things as suited the exigency, such things as we needed for sustenance and the journey, Acts 28:10; εἰς τάς ἀναγκαίας χρείας (A. V. for necessary uses), i. e. to supply what is absolutely necessary for life ((cf. Babrius fab. 136, 9); others understand the 'wants' here as comprising those of charity or of worship), Titus 3:14; πρός οἰκοδομήν τῆς χρείας, for the edification of souls, of which there is now special need, Ephesians 4:29 (cf. R. V. and marginal reading); ἐστι χρεία, there is need, followed by an accusative with infinitive Hebrews 7:11; ἐστι χρεία τίνος, there is need of something, Revelation 22:5 Griesbach; Luke 10:42 ((but not WH marginal reading)); ἔχω χρείαν τίνος, to have need of (be in want of) something (often in the Greek writings from Aeschylus down, cf. Passow, under the word, 1; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 1)), Matthew 6:8; Matthew 21:3; Mark 11:3; Luke (); ; John 13:29; 1 Corinthians 12:21, 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; Hebrews 10:36; Revelation 3:17 R G (see below); (not Griesbach); τοῦ with an infinitive Hebrews 5:12 (Winers Grammar, § 44, 4 a.; cf. τίς, 2 b., p. 626a bottom); the genitive of the thing is evident from the context, Acts 2:45; Acts 4:35; with the genitive of a person whose aid, testimony, etc., is needed, Matthew 9:12; Matthew 26:65; Mark 2:17; Mark 14:63; Luke 5:31; ἔχω χρείαν, followed by an infinitive (cf. Buttmann, § 140, 3), I, etc. have need to etc., Matthew 3:14; Matthew 14:16; John 13:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 (with which cf. 5:1 (see Winers Grammar, 339 (318); Buttmann, § 140, 3)); followed by ἵνα (see ἵνα, II. 2 c. (Buttmann, § 139, 46; cf. Epictetus diss. 1, 17, 18)), John 2:25; John 16:30; 1 John 2:27; χρείαν ἔχω, absolutely, to have need: Mark 2:25; (Ephesians 4:28); 1 John 3:17; οὐδέν χρείαν ἐηξω, to have need as to nothing (cf. Buttmann, § 131, 10), Revelation 3:17 L T Tr WH. ἡ χρεία with a genitive of the subjunctive the condition of one deprived of those things which he is scarcely able to do without, want, need: λειτουργός τῆς χρείας μου (see λειτουργός, 2 at the end), Philippians 2:25; πληροῦν τήν χρείαν τίνος (Thucydides 1. 70), Philippians 4:19; (add, εἰς (Lachmann brackets εἰς) τήν χρείαν μοι ἐπέμψατε, unto (i. e. to relieve, cf. εἰς, B. II. 3 c. γ., p. 185b top) my need, Philippians 4:16); plural one's necessities: ταῖς χρείαις ... ὑπηρέτησαν, to provide for one's necessities, Acts 20:34; κοινωνεῖν ταῖς χρείαις (cf. p. 352{a} top), Romans 12:13.

2. duty, business (so especially from Polybius down (cf. Judith 12:10; 1 Macc. 12:45 1 Macc. 13:37; 2 Macc. 7:24, etc.)): Acts 6:3.

need, want

From the base of chraomai or chre; employment, i.e. An affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution -- business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.

see GREEK chre

see GREEK chraomai

εχρεμέτιζεν χρεια χρεία χρειαις χρείαις χρειαν χρείαν χρειας χρείας χρεμετίσατε χρεμετισμός χρεμετισμού χρεμετισμώ χρεμέτισον χρέος χρέους chreia chreía chreiais chreíais chreian chreían chreias chreíasInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts