Greek word · G2801

κλάσμα

klasma

fragment

A piece broken off, a fragment. In the New Testament it is used almost only for pieces of bread broken at a meal: the feeding stories in all four Gospels.

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

κλάσμα, -τος, τό

(κλάω), [in LXX for פַּת, פֶּלַח ;]

a broken piece, fragment: Matthew 14:20 15:37, Mark 6:43 8:8, 19-20, Luke 9:17, John 6:12-13 †

(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 John 6:12

Range of meaning: A piece broken off, a fragment. In the New Testament it is used almost only for pieces of bread broken at a meal: the feeding stories in all four Gospels.
Against the English: The KJV's "fragments" can suggest crumbs. "Broken pieces" (WEB, YLT) is more exact. These were usable portions broken off flat loaves as Jesus distributed them.
How it drifted: "Fragments" now often means tiny bits. The Greek points to pieces broken by hand, the result of the act of "breaking bread."
Used elsewhere in the period: Mark 6:43; 8:8, 19–20; Matt 14:20; Luke 9:17. The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, a church manual from about AD 100) uses klasma for the broken bread of the thanksgiving meal and prays: "As this broken bread (klasma) was scattered upon the mountains and, being gathered together (synachthen), became one, so may your church be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom" (Did. 9.4).

From the study of John 6:13

Range of meaning: A piece broken off something; in food contexts a piece of bread broken off a loaf. It comes from klaō, 'to break', the regular verb for breaking bread at a Jewish meal (the host broke the loaf with a blessing and handed out pieces).
Against the English: KJV/ESV/NASB 'fragments', WEB 'broken pieces', BSB/NIV 'pieces', NLT 'scraps'. 'Fragments' and especially 'scraps' can suggest crumbs, waste or half-eaten bits. 'Broken pieces' (WEB, YLT) is closest.
How it drifted: English 'fragments' and 'scraps' have moved toward the idea of debris or rubbish. Greek klasma simply describes the shape: pieces broken off a loaf.
Used elsewhere in the period: Used for the leftovers in every feeding story (Mark 6:43; 8:8, 19-20; Matt 14:20; 15:37; Luke 9:17). In the LXX: Judges 9:53 (a broken piece of millstone); Ezekiel 13:19 ('pieces of bread'). Didache 9:3-4 (early 2nd century or earlier) uses klasma for the broken bread of the Christian thanksgiving meal: 'as this broken bread was scattered on the mountains and, gathered together, became one…'.

From the study of Mark 8:8

Range of meaning: A piece broken off, a fragment. It comes from κλάω, 'to break,' the verb for breaking bread.
Against the English: 'Broken pieces' (BSB, WEB, ESV) is right. KJV's 'broken [meat]' adds a word in brackets that misleads modern readers (see drift). 'Fragments' can sound like crumbs, but these are pieces Jesus himself broke for serving.
Used elsewhere in the period: Used of the leftovers in all the feeding stories (Mark 6:43; 8:19–20; John 6:12–13). In early Christian writing the Didache (9:3–4, around AD 100) uses κλάσμα for the broken bread of the community meal: 'As this broken bread was scattered on the mountains and, gathered together, became one…'

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

Matthew 14:20 κλασμάτων, fragments,

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Here: From the verb 'to break' (klaō), the same root as Jesus' act of 'breaking' (klasas) in v. 19. These are the pieces of bread Jesus broke for handing out that were not eaten. They are not crumbs swept off the ground.
Matthew 15:37 κλασμάτων fragments

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Mark · 4

Mark 6:43 κλάσματα of fragments

and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
Mark 8:8 κλασμάτων of fragments

The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Here: 'Of broken pieces.' These are pieces from the loaves Jesus broke (ἔκλασεν, verse 6), not crumbs off the ground. They are the unused portions of what he broke and handed out.
Mark 8:19 κλασμάτων of fragments

When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.
Mark 8:20 κλασμάτων of fragments

“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said.

Luke · 1

Luke 9:17 κλασμάτων of fragments

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

John · 2

John 6:12 κλάσματα fragments

And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”

Here: Pieces broken off the loaves as they were handed out. These were real chunks of bread, not crumbs on the ground. The noun comes from klaō, "to break [bread]."
John 6:13 κλασμάτων of fragments

So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

Here: From klaō, 'to break (bread)'. These are pieces broken off the loaves for distributing, not crumbs swept off the ground or half-eaten scraps. Genitive: baskets 'full of' such pieces.

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