Greek word · G3335

μεταλαμβάνω

metalambanō

to partake

To receive a share of, have a part in, partake of (food, blessing, benefit). Sometimes simply 'to receive' or 'to get'.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

μετα-λαμξάνω

[in LXX: Esther 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 18:9; 4Ma.12:1-19 * ;]

to have or get a share of, partake of: with genitive of thing(s), 2 Timothy 2:6, Hebrews 6:7 12:10; τροφῆς, Acts 2:46 27:33-34; with accusative of thing(s) (of the whole), to get: καιρόν, Acts 24:25 (see Bl., § 36, 1; MM, xvi).†

(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 2 Timothy 2:6

Range of meaning

To receive a share of, have a part in, partake of (food, blessing, benefit). Sometimes simply 'to receive' or 'to get'.

Against the English

'Partake' (BSB, KJV) is accurate but sounds formal. WEB's 'get a share' and the NIV/NASB phrasing about receiving a share bring out the 'with others' sense of the prefix meta- more clearly.

Used elsewhere in the period

Acts 2:46 uses it for sharing food; Acts 27:33–34 for taking food; Heb 6:7 has land that 'receives a blessing from God' after producing a crop, a close farming parallel; Heb 12:10 speaks of sharing God's holiness. In 1 Cor 9:10 Paul uses the related verb metechō: the thresher threshes 'in hope of sharing in the crop'.

From the study of Hebrews 12:10

Range of meaning

To receive a share of, to partake in, to get one's portion of something. It takes the thing shared in the genitive. It is used for sharing food (Acts 2:46), sharing a harvest (2 Tim 2:6), and receiving blessing (Heb 6:7).

Against the English

KJV/WEB "partakers of" and BSB/NIV "share in" are accurate. ESV "share his holiness" drops "in", which can sound like copying God's holiness rather than being given a part in it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrews 6:7 has land that "receives (metalambanei) blessing from God". Hebrews uses the related noun metochoi, "sharers/partners", for believers: "partners in a heavenly calling" (3:1), "partners of Christ" (3:14), "partners of the Holy Spirit" (6:4), and even sons who are "partakers" of discipline (12:8).

From the study of Hebrews 6:7

Range of meaning

To receive a share of, partake of, get one's portion of something, such as food (Acts 2:46; 27:33) or a benefit.

Against the English

KJV, BSB and WEB have 'receiveth/receives'. YLT 'doth partake of' and the sense 'shares in' bring out the 'share/portion' idea better.

Used elsewhere in the period

Heb 12:10: God disciplines us 'that we may share (μεταλαβεῖν) in his holiness'. Acts 2:46: believers 'partook of' food. 2 Tim 2:6: the hardworking farmer should be first to 'receive a share' of the crops.

Where it appears

Acts · 4

  1. Acts 2:46 μετελάμβανον they were partaking

    With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

    Here: The main verb. Its imperfect tense describes a habit ('they kept taking their food'). The prefix meta- carries a note of sharing in something with others.

  2. Acts 24:25 μεταλαβὼν having found

    As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

    Here: "Having gotten" an opportunity. With καιρός it is an everyday phrase for "when I find the time."

  3. Acts 27:33 μεταλαβεῖν to partake

    Right up to daybreak, Paul kept urging them all to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.

  4. Acts 27:34 μεταλαβεῖν to partake

    So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

    Here: "To take some," an everyday way of saying "have something to eat." The word pictures taking a portion, and it needs no religious colouring here.

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 2:6 μεταλαμβάνειν· to partake;

    The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.

    Here: 'To take a share with others' (*meta-* = 'with'). The farmer does not take everything. He is the first to get his portion of a harvest that others will share too.

Hebrews · 2

  1. Hebrews 6:7 μεταλαμβάνει partakes

    For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.

    Here: 'Gets its share of'. It is the main verb of the sentence: everything before it describes the land, and this says what happens to such land.

  2. Hebrews 12:10 μεταλαβεῖν to share

    Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

    Here: "To receive a share in". The verb form views the receiving as one complete event, the goal the whole training is aiming at.

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