Greek word · G2935
κτήτωρ
ktētōr
owner
Owner or possessor, especially of land and real property. In later Greek it can mean a founder or benefactor of an institution.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Owner or possessor, especially of land and real property. In later Greek it can mean a founder or benefactor of an institution.
- Against the English
KJV/YLT 'possessors' and BSB/WEB 'owned/owners' are accurate. The English does not show that the term is somewhat formal and suggests people of means.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Found in Hellenistic papyri and inscriptions for landholders. It does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament or in the canonical Greek Old Testament.
Where it appears
Acts · 1
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Acts 4:34 κτήτορες [were] owners
There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,
Here: A formal word for a property holder, common in documentary papyri for landowners. It is used only here in the New Testament. It points to people with real assets, not to day labourers.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.