Greek word · G6079

σιτίον

sition

food

A diminutive form (a word with a 'little' ending) of σῖτος, 'grain, wheat'. In practice it was not a 'small' word: in the plural it meant food or provisions in general, especially grain-based rations such as bread-corn, food for a journey, or soldiers' rations.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 21, 2026

What it means

1. grain, corn: food made from grain, bread , ποιεῖσθαι σιτία ἀπὸ ὀλυρέων to feed off spelt, (Herdotus Historicus)

2. generally, food, victuals, provisions , (Herdotus Historicus); σιτία ἡμερῶν τριῶν three days' provision , of soldiers, (Aristophanes Comicus); σιτία καὶ ποτά meat and drink, (Plato Philosophus)

3. τἀν Πρυτανείῳ σιτία public maintenance in the Prytaneum, (Aristophanes Comicus); compare σίτησις.

4. rarely food for dogs, (Xenophon Historicus) (ML)

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 Acts 7:12

Range of meaning: A diminutive form (a word with a 'little' ending) of σῖτος, 'grain, wheat'. In practice it was not a 'small' word: in the plural it meant food or provisions in general, especially grain-based rations such as bread-corn, food for a journey, or soldiers' rations.
Against the English: Most modern versions say 'grain', which is right. The KJV and YLT say 'corn', which in 1611 English meant any cereal grain (see drift).
How it drifted: No drift in the Greek word itself. The only drift is in the English word 'corn' (see drift section).
Used elsewhere in the period: Classical and Koine Greek use the plural σιτία for rations and provisions (Herodotus, Xenophon, the papyri; BDAG). The Greek Old Testament at Genesis 42:2 has σῖτος ('grain'). Stephen's choice of σιτία, or σῖτα in later manuscripts, is a natural variation. It is not a direct quotation.

Where it appears

Acts · 1

Acts 7:12 σιτία grain

When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.

Here: Plural of a word built on 'sitos' (wheat or grain). It means stored food or provisions, especially grain. This is the food the brothers would buy and carry home in sacks.

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