What does μερίς (merís) mean in the Bible?
Meris names a part or portion, with the object and setting identifying the share. Jesus says Mary has chosen the good portion while she listens to His message and Martha is troubled by preparations.
Greek · G3310
μερίς
Meris names a part or portion, with the object and setting identifying the share. Jesus says Mary has chosen the good portion while she listens to His message and Martha is troubled by preparations.
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.
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μερίςG3310
Pronunciationmerís
What does μερίς (merís) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for μερίς (G3310) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3310?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include district (1), have in common (1), part (1), portion (1), to share (1).
Where does μερίς (merís) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 10:42. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (2), 2 Corinthians (1), Colossians (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Meris names a part or portion, with the object and setting identifying the share. Jesus says Mary has chosen the good portion while she listens to His message and Martha is troubled by preparations. Colossians gives thanks to the Father who qualifies His people to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. Peter tells Simon he has no part or share in the ministry after Simon tries to buy the gift of God, then calls him to repent and pray.
Second Corinthians uses share language within its contrast between Christ and Belial, believers and unbelievers, and God's temple and idols. Acts also uses the noun geographically for a district of Macedonia. These applications cannot be compressed into one claim about possessions or belonging. The noun supports attention to attentive hearing, gracious qualification, accountable ministry and holy allegiance while retaining an ordinary geographical use.
It does not price God's gifts or make listening and practical service enemies.
How the Bible Uses It
Five direct BSB portion witnesses describe Mary's good portion, sharing the saints' inheritance, Simon's denied ministry share, allegiance contrasts and a geographic district of Macedonia.
- Luke.10.42
But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Mary's good portion follows her listening at Jesus' feet and His response to Martha's worry, without condemning every act of hospitality.
- Col.1.12
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
The Father qualifies His people for a share in the saints' inheritance, followed by rescue, the Son's kingdom and forgiveness.
- Acts.8.21
You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
Simon's denied ministry share follows his money offer for God's gift, and Peter continues with a call to repent and pray.
- 2Cor.6.15
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
The believer/unbeliever share contrast is joined to Christ versus Belial and God's temple versus idols, within an appeal to open hearts.
- Acts.16.12
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
The noun names a district of Macedonia in the narrated arrival at Philippi, retaining an ordinary geographic use rather than an inheritance claim.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itdistrict1×Acts 16:12
have in common1×2 Corinthians 6:15
part1×Acts 8:21
portion1×Luke 10:42
to share1×Colossians 1:12
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 10:42μερίδαtoportionNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularActs 8:21μερὶςtopartNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularActs 16:12μερίδοςtodistrictNoun - Genitive Feminine Singular2 Corinthians 6:15μερὶςtohave in commonNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularColossians 1:12μερίδαtoto shareNoun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLuke 10:42
Aligned rows5
Books represented4
Luke1Acts22 Corinthians1Colossians1
Source forms
μερίδα2xmeridaLuke 10:42, Colossians 1:12
μερὶς2xmerisActs 8:21, 2 Corinthians 6:15
μερίδος1xmeridosActs 16:12
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular2xLuke 10:42, Colossians 1:12
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular2xActs 8:21, 2 Corinthians 6:15
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular1xActs 16:12
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Offer room for attentive hearing alongside realistic sharing of practical responsibilities.
- Keep gifts and ministry access free from manipulation, purchase promises or status pressure.
Avoid claiming...
- The portion noun cannot guarantee prosperity or assign another person's final destiny.
- A geographic district is not a hidden theological identity or spiritual rank.
Evidence Summary
CovenantMessiah
Greek word. An allotted share or portion, often implying one's rightful inheritance or destined lot in a division.
Strong'sG3310
Lexical occurrences5 versesGreek text appearances5 timesWord forms3 forms5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 10:38–42Source Gloss
part
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
An allotted share or portion, often implying one's rightful inheritance or destined lot in a division.
2In later Gk (see MM, xvi), as geographical term, a division, district: Act.16:12.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 10:42Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
μερίδαmerida
a part, portion
Read verseActs 8:21Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
μερὶςmeriv
a part, portion
Read verseActs 16:12Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
μερίδοςmeridov
a part, portion
Read verse2 Corinthians 6:15Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
μερὶςmeriv
a part, portion
Read verseColossians 1:12Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
μερίδαmerida
a part, 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.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 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.
Form patterns3Aligned forms5Case patternAccusative (2)Number patternSingular (5)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · FeminineActs 8:21 · 2 Cor 6:152×
Genitive · Singular · FeminineActs 16:121×
Accusative · Singular · FeminineLuke 10:42 · Col 1:122×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
portion
Showing 1 selected witness from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
μερίς is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Reflects covenant inheritance imagery fulfilled in Christ.Luke 10:38–42
Canonical Themes
CovenantMessiah
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Colossians names the Father as the One who qualifies His people to share in the saints' inheritance. The following rescue, kingdom and forgiveness language keeps the portion grounded in His gracious action rather than the price or status of its recipients. Acts exposes the opposite approach when Simon offers money for power to confer the Spirit. Peter rejects the purchase, denies the ministry share and calls for repentance and prayer; the noun is not a device for selling belonging.
Luke's good portion belongs to Mary listening at Jesus' feet while Martha's welcome and troubled preparations are also narrated. Jesus protects the listening response without declaring every necessary household task spiritually worthless. Second Corinthians' contrast requires allegiance to Christ rather than idols, while Paul's appeal for open hearts resists contemptuous distance.
Acts' geographic district completes the range without a theological meaning attached to every use. Teachers can invite thankful reception, attentive hearing and accountable service without assigning a neighbor's final destiny from the noun.
Anchor passage
Col.1.12
Doctrinal connections
- The Father qualifies His people to share the saints' inheritance in light.
- Colossians joins that gift to rescue into the beloved Son's kingdom.
- Redemption and forgiveness follow the rescue statement in the Colossians unit.
- Peter rejects Simon's attempt to purchase the gift of God with money.
- Jesus affirms Mary's listening while responding to Martha's worry and distraction.
- Second Corinthians grounds holy allegiance in God's promised presence and fatherly welcome.
The feminine noun occurs in nominative, accusative and genitive singular forms. Acts 16:12 uses the genitive for a geographical district; syntax and stated object distinguish that use from inheritance, ministry or the good portion.
From Old to New Testament
Psalm 73:23-28 names God as the speaker's enduring portion even when flesh and heart fail, joining nearness to Him with refuge and proclamation. This source-bound comparison can accompany thankful inheritance language without promising material wealth, bodily immunity or a transfer of its Hebrew noun into the Greek count.