What does μέρος (méros) mean in the Bible?
Μέρος (méros) means part, share, portion, region, or respect. Matthew uses it geographically for the district of Galilee.
Greek · G3313
μέρος
A division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)
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μέρος G3313
Pronunciation méros
What does μέρος (méros) mean in the Bible?
Μέρος (méros) means part, share, portion, region, or respect. Matthew uses it geographically for the district of Galilee.
Reader summary
Full entry for μέρος (G3313) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3313?
The BSB source-word alignment has 42 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include part (7), parts (4), . . . (3), district (3), place (2).
Where does μέρος (méros) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:22. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (7), Acts (7), 2 Corinthians (4), John (4).
Are there verse guides for μέρος (méros)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Μέρος (méros) means part, share, portion, region, or respect. Matthew uses it geographically for the district of Galilee. John says soldiers divide Jesus' garments into four parts while leaving the seamless tunic undivided. Paul writes boldly on some points, marking the limited scope of a reminder rather than criticizing the whole church without qualification.
In another comparison, former glory has no glory in one respect because surpassing glory eclipses it. Revelation warns that anyone who removes words from the prophecy will lose a share in the tree of life and holy city. A part belongs within a larger whole but can relate to it spatially, materially, rhetorically, comparatively, or covenantally. The phrase surrounding the noun determines whether it means region, piece, selected topic, aspect, or allotted participation.
How the Bible Uses It
Μέρος identifies a bounded part or share: a geographic district, divided garment pieces, selected points in a letter, one respect within a comparison, or participation in the tree of life and holy city.
- Matt.2.22
But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
Joseph withdraws to the district of Galilee after a warning, so μέρος marks a geographic region within the larger land and advances God's protective guidance.
- John.19.23
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, one for each soldier, with the tunic remaining. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
The soldiers divide Jesus' outer garments into four parts, one for each man, while the seamless tunic remains a single piece and fulfills Scripture.
- Rom.15.15
However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me
Paul says he has written more boldly on some points, limiting the scope of his reminder and grounding even that ministry in grace given by God.
- 2Cor.3.10
Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
The old covenant's glory is said to have no glory in this respect because the surpassing glory so overwhelms it, making comparison rather than absolute denial the point.
- Rev.22.19
And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
The closing warning concerns losing one's share in the tree of life and holy city, treating participation in promised blessing as something God guards against tampering with prophecy.
Passage contextBook context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It part 7× John 13:8, Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 13:9, 1 Corinthians 13:12
parts 4× John 19:23, Acts 2:10, Ephesians 4:9, Revelation 16:19
. . . 3× Acts 19:1, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Revelation 20:6
district 3× Matthew 2:22, Matthew 15:21, Mark 8:10
place 2× Luke 12:46, Revelation 21:8
share 2× Luke 15:12, Revelation 22:19
[one] 1× John 19:23
a piece 1× Luke 24:42
a place 1× Matthew 24:51
a while 1× Romans 15:24
area 1× Acts 20:2
business 1× Acts 19:27
comparison to 1× 2 Corinthians 3:10
detail 1× Hebrews 9:5
in part 1× 1 Corinthians 11:18
matter 1× 2 Corinthians 9:3
part [of it] 1× Luke 11:36
partial 1× 1 Corinthians 13:10
party 1× Acts 23:9
portion 1× Acts 5:2
regard to 1× Colossians 2:16
region 1× Matthew 16:13
side 1× John 21:6
some degree 1× 2 Corinthians 2:5
some of them 1× Acts 23:6
some points 1× Romans 15:15
turn 1× 1 Corinthians 14:27
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 2:22 μέρη to district Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Matthew 15:21 μέρη to district Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Matthew 16:13 μέρη to region Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Matthew 24:51 μέρος to a place Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Mark 8:10 μέρη to district Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Luke 11:36 μέρος to part [of it] Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Luke 12:46 μέρος to place Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Luke 15:12 μέρος to share Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Luke 24:42 μέρος to a piece Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular John 13:8 μέρος to part Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 2:22
Aligned rows 42
Books represented 12
Matthew 4 Mark 1 Luke 4 John 4 Acts 7 Romans 3 1 Corinthians 7 2 Corinthians 4 Ephesians 2 Colossians 1 Hebrews 1 Revelation 4
Source forms
μέρος 16x meros Matthew 24:51, Luke 11:36, Luke 12:46, Luke 15:12
μέρους 12x merous Acts 23:9, Romans 11:25, Romans 15:15, Romans 15:24
μέρη 11x merē Matthew 2:22, Matthew 15:21, Matthew 16:13, Mark 8:10
μέρει 3x merei 2 Corinthians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:3, Colossians 2:16
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular 14x Matthew 24:51, Luke 11:36, Luke 12:46, Luke 15:12
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular 12x Acts 23:9, Romans 11:25, Romans 15:15, Romans 15:24
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural 11x Matthew 2:22, Matthew 15:21, Matthew 16:13, Mark 8:10
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular 3x 2 Corinthians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:3, Colossians 2:16
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular 2x Acts 23:6, Revelation 21:8
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not flatten “in this respect” into an unrestricted claim; preserve the comparison or qualification that limits the statement.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that Paul regarded everything about the Roman church as deficient when he specifies boldness on some points.
- Do not soften Revelation 22:19 into a trivial editorial warning; the verse names loss of a share in promised blessing.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)
Source Gloss
a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 43 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 2:22 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Matthew 15:21 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Matthew 16:13 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Matthew 24:51 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse Mark 8:10 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Luke 11:36 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse Luke 12:46 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse Luke 15:12 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse Luke 24:42 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος, merov
a part, portion
Read verse John 13:8 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse John 19:23 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη, merh
a part, portion
Read verse John 19:23 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος, merov
a part, portion
Read verse John 21:6 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Acts 2:10 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
a part, portion
Read verse Acts 5:2 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
μέρος merov
a part, portion
Read verse Acts 19:1 Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
μέρη merh
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 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.
Form patterns 5 Aligned forms 42 Case pattern Accusative (25) Number pattern Singular (31)
Nominative · Singular · Neuter Acts 23:6 · Rev 21:8 2×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter Acts 23:9 · Rom 11:25 · Rom 15:15 · Rom 15:24 · 1 Cor 12:27 · 1 Cor 13:9 · 1 Cor 13:10 · 1 Cor 13:12 · 2 Cor 1:14 · 2 Cor 2:5 · Eph 4:16 12×
Dative · Singular · Neuter 2 Cor 3:10 · 2 Cor 9:3 · Col 2:16 3×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Matt 24:51 · Luke 11:36 · Luke 12:46 · Luke 15:12 · Luke 24:42 · John 13:8 · John 19:23 · Acts 5:2 · Acts 19:27 · 1 Cor 11:18 · 1 Cor 14:27 · Heb 9:5 · Rev 20:6 · Rev 22:19 14×
Accusative · Plural · Neuter Matt 2:22 · Matt 15:21 · Matt 16:13 · Mark 8:10 · John 19:23 · John 21:6 · Acts 2:10 · Acts 19:1 · Acts 20:2 · Eph 4:9 · Rev 16:19 11×
Word Origins
μέρος is from an obsolete root - no further derivation.
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
Attention to parts protects readers from careless totalizing. Galilee is one district within a wider geography, and God's warning directs Joseph to that particular refuge. At the cross, soldiers divide garments into shares, while the seamless tunic resists division and the scene unfolds according to Scripture. Paul's phrase “on some points” models pastoral proportion: bold reminder need not imply wholesale condemnation, and ministry remains a gift of grace.
Second Corinthians makes qualification essential, because former glory is not denied in every sense; it is eclipsed in the respect under comparison by a glory that surpasses it. Revelation turns “share” toward final participation. The book's words may not be subtracted from without grave covenant warning. Μέρος therefore helps teachers locate claims within their proper limits while taking seriously the portion God assigns and protects.
Anchor passage
Matt.2.22
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 2:19-23, guidance to the district of Galilee
- John 19:23-24, divided garments and fulfilled Scripture
- Romans 15:14-21, bold reminder on selected points by grace
- 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, glory surpassed in a specified respect
- Revelation 22:18-21, a guarded share in promised blessing
- Numbers 18:20, the Lord as the inheritance and portion of His servants
Μέρος is a neuter noun whose range includes part, piece, region, share, and respect. Prepositions and genitives often specify relation to the whole. Idiomatic phrases may mean “in part,” “in this respect,” or “on certain points.”
From Old to New Testament
Land, inheritance, offerings, and spoils are divided into portions throughout Scripture. The Lord Himself is His people's portion, while the New Testament speaks of shares in ministry, judgment, and promised life.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain