Greek word · G2024

ἐπιχορηγία

epichorēgia

supply

Supply, provision, support. It comes from chorēgos, the wealthy citizen in classical Athens who paid for and equipped a dramatic chorus as a public service. By the first century the word family meant generous provision in general, without the theatre sense.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament.

What it means

ἐπι-χορηγία, -ας, ἡ

(ἐπιχορηγέω),

a supply: Ephesians 4:16, Philippians 1:19.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ephesians 4:16

Range of meaning

Supply, provision, support. It comes from chorēgos, the wealthy citizen in classical Athens who paid for and equipped a dramatic chorus as a public service. By the first century the word family meant generous provision in general, without the theatre sense.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'that which every joint supplieth', YLT 'the supply of every joint', BSB/NIV 'supporting'. ESV turns the idea into the body being 'equipped'. 'Supporting' weakens the idea of something flowing through.

Used elsewhere in the period

The noun appears in the New Testament only here and in Philippians 1:19 ('the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ'). The verb appears in 2 Corinthians 9:10, Galatians 3:5 (God 'supplies the Spirit'), Colossians 2:19 (the body 'supplied' through joints and ligaments) and 2 Peter 1:5, 11. Moulton–Milligan notes the verb in papyrus marriage contracts for a husband's duty to provide for his wife.

From the study of Philippians 1:19

Range of meaning

Supply, provision, support. It comes from the verb chorēgeō, originally 'to lead/fund a chorus'. In classical Athens a wealthy citizen, the chorēgos, paid the costs of a festival chorus. By the first century the word family had broadened to 'supply generously, provide for'. The noun appears in the NT only here and Eph 4:16.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'supply', BSB/NASB 'provision', ESV 'help'. 'Help' is the weakest because it suggests assistance alongside Paul's own effort, while the word means provision given to him.

Used elsewhere in the period

The verb ἐπιχορηγέω is used in Gal 3:5 of God who 'supplies the Spirit to you', which is very close to this verse, and in 2 Cor 9:10 and 2 Pet 1:5, 11. Sermons sometimes claim that every first-century reader would hear 'chorus-sponsor', but the word's background was largely faded by Paul's day. The safe sense is 'ample provision'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 4:16 ἐπιχορηγίας supply

    From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

    Here: Generous provision of what is needed, a word whose roots lie in funding a public chorus. The joints are channels through which supply runs through the body. The source of that supply is Christ, named at the start of the verse.

Philippians · 1

  1. Philippians 1:19 ἐπιχορηγίας [the] provision

    because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.

    Here: A generous, full provision of what is needed. The prayer is answered by God giving out the Spirit of Jesus Christ, or by the Spirit providing what Paul needs (see debates).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.