Lot
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
G2819 names a lot that is cast and, by extension, the portion, share, inheritance, or entrusted people associated with an allotment. The word can describe the physical lot used in a decision, a share in ministry or salvation, an inheritance among Gods people, or those allotted to pastoral care, so the means of selection and the resulting portion must remain distinct.
Reader summary
Full entry for κλῆρος (G2819) · Open the biblical lexicon
G2819 names a lot that is cast and, by extension, the portion, share, inheritance, or entrusted people associated with an allotment. The word can describe the physical lot used in a decision, a share in ministry or salvation, an inheritance among Gods people, or those allotted to pastoral care, so the means of selection and the resulting portion must remain.
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include lots (5), . . . (1), [an] inheritance (1), inheritance (1), lot (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 27:35. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (5), 1 Peter (1), Colossians (1), John (1).
G2819 names a lot that is cast and, by extension, the portion, share, inheritance, or entrusted people associated with an allotment. The word can describe the physical lot used in a decision, a share in ministry or salvation, an inheritance among Gods people, or those allotted to pastoral care, so the means of selection and the resulting portion must remain distinct.
In Acts. 1. 26, after prayer and the presentation of qualified witnesses, the disciples cast lots and Matthias is numbered with the eleven apostles. In Col. 1. 12, paul calls believers to thank the Father who has qualified them to share the inheritance of the saints in the light. G2819 opens teaching on receiving a place or portion that is not self-created, from Matthias joining the apostles to believers sharing the saints inheritance and elders caring for people entrusted to them.
It corrects both superstitious decision-making and possessive leadership by showing that a cast lot is one historical use while an allotted share remains Gods gift and entrusted responsibility. G2819 moves from lot to allotted share without making chance sovereign: the gathered disciples cast lots after prayer and Matthias is numbered with the eleven, the Father qualifies believers to share the saints inheritance in light, and Peter forbids elders to lord it over those entrusted to them.
Appointment, inheritance, and oversight are received under God, never owned as personal status or power. For G2819, responsible teaching keeps lexical meaning, passage context, canonical synthesis, and present application distinguishable. G2819 does not command Christians to decide every question by casting lots, prove that every appointment reflects Gods approval, make salvation an accidental lottery, or give leaders ownership over people entrusted to their care.
G2819 appears across passages that develop providential appointment, ministry participation, gracious inheritance, sanctified belonging, stewardship, and noncoercive leadership. For G2819, the immediate setting decides which part of the range is active, so the witnesses must remain distinct rather than being merged into one formula.
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.
After prayer and the presentation of qualified witnesses, the disciples cast lots and Matthias is numbered with the eleven apostles.
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Paul calls believers to thank the Father who has qualified them to share the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
Peter forbids elders to dominate the people entrusted to them and instead requires leadership by faithful example to the flock.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Divinely determined portion or inheritance, often obtained through casting lots to discern God's will.
Divinely determined portion or inheritance, often obtained through casting lots to discern God's will.
a lot;
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read versea lot, portion
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 5 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
κλῆρος is built from this root:
The use of lots here is linked to God’s sovereign choice in a unique foundational moment. Later, ‘lot’ language will also describe believers’ inheritance, reminding the church that all we receive is ultimately assigned by God’s gracious hand.Acts 1:12-26
Indicates inclusion among the sanctified people of God.Acts 26:9-18
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
G2819 moves from lot to allotted share without making chance sovereign: the gathered disciples cast lots after prayer and Matthias is numbered with the eleven, the Father qualifies believers to share the saints inheritance in light, and Peter forbids elders to lord it over those entrusted to them. Appointment, inheritance, and oversight are received under God, never owned as personal status or power.
G2819 names a lot that is cast and, by extension, the portion, share, inheritance, or entrusted people associated with an allotment. The selected witnesses keep the teaching concrete: Acts. 1. 26 shows that after prayer and the presentation of qualified witnesses, the disciples cast lots and Matthias is numbered with the eleven apostles, while Col. 1. 12 shows that paul calls believers to thank the Father who has qualified them to share the inheritance of the saints in the light.
1Pet. 5. 3 adds that peter forbids elders to dominate the people entrusted to them and instead requires leadership by faithful example to the flock. G2819 opens teaching on receiving a place or portion that is not self-created, from Matthias joining the apostles to believers sharing the saints inheritance and elders caring for people entrusted to them. It corrects both superstitious decision-making and possessive leadership by showing that a cast lot is one historical use while an allotted share remains Gods gift and entrusted responsibility.
A church teaching G2819 faithfully will name both the promise and the boundary carried by these contexts, attend to vulnerable hearers, and refuse to make the lexical item prove more than its passages support. G2819 does not command Christians to decide every question by casting lots, prove that every appointment reflects Gods approval, make salvation an accidental lottery, or give leaders ownership over people entrusted to their care.
Acts.1.26
G2819 is a Greek noun for a lot and then for what is obtained or assigned by lot, including a portion, share, inheritance, ministry participation, or an allotted group.
Israels land, priestly portions, and covenant inheritance provide the biblical background for allotted-share language. In the New Testament, participation in ministry and the saints inheritance are received through Gods grace in Christ, while pastoral oversight is accountable stewardship rather than possession.