Quick Definition
τράπεζα, ης, ἡ n.f. a table for food or business
Strong's Definition
probably contracted from 5064 and 3979; a table or stool (as being four-legged), usually for food (figuratively, a meal); also a counter for money (figuratively, a broker's office for loans at interest)
KJV Usage: bank, meat, table
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ης | τέσσαρες + πεζεύω
6.113 · Artifacts · Furniture
table a generic expression for any type of table
MAT 15:27 · MAT 21:12 · MRK 7:28 · MRK 11:15 · LUK 16:21 · LUK 22:21 · LUK 22:30 · JHN 2:15 · ROM 11:9 · 1CO 10:21 · 1CO 10:21 · HEB 9:2
23.26 · Physiological Processes and States · Eat, Drink
a meal (a figurative extension of meaning of τράπεζα[a] ‘table,’ 6.113) a meal, with possible emphasis upon its being relatively bountiful
57.215 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Lend, Loan, Interest, Borrow, Bank
bank a place where money is kept or managed or where credit is established
34.32 · Association · Belong To, Be Included in the Membership of, Be Excluded From
Collocation: τραπέζης μετέχω
to belong to (a religious group), to eat at the table of (an idiom, literally: to share in a table) to belong to a particular religious group as evidenced by ceremonial eating
57.230 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Keep Records
Collocation: διακονέω τραπέζαις
to handle finances (an idiom, literally: to serve tables) to be responsible for financial aspects of an enterprise It is also possible to interpret the phrase διακονέω τραπέζαις not as an idiom but simply as ‘to wait on tables, to serve meals’ (see 23.26 and 46.13), but even so the context relates to caring for needs.
1 It is not possible to determine on the basis of existing evidence whether the expression τραπέζης μετέχω is a genuine idiom or a phrase which is to be taken in a literal sense as referring to the ordinance of Holy Communion in contrast to banqueting in heathen temples.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
τράπεζα, -ης, ἡ, (fr. rérpa, and πέζα a foot), fr. Hom. down, Sept. for mow, a table; -- a. a table on which food is placed, an eating-table: Mt. xv. 27; Mk. vii. 28; Lk. xvi. 21; xix. 23; xxii. 21, 30; the table in the temple at Jerusalem on which the consecrated loaves were placed (see πρόθεσις, 1), Heb. ix. 2. b. equiv. to the food placed upon the table (cf. Fritzsche on Add. to Esth. iv. 14): παρατιθέναι τράπεζαν, (like the Lat. mensam apponere [ οἵ. our ‘to set a good table’]), to set a table, i.e. food, before one (Thue. 1,130; Ael. v. h. 2,17), Acts xvi. 34; διακονεῖν ταῖς τραπέζαις (see διακονέω, 3), Acts vi. 2. ce. a banquet, feast, (fr. Hdt. down): Ro. xi. 9 (fr. Ps. Ixviii. (Ixix.) 23); μετέχειν τραπέζης δαιμοviev, to partake of a feast prepared by [(?) see below] demons (the idea is this: the sacrifices of the Gentiles inure to the service of demons who employ them in preparing feasts for their worshippers; accordingly one who participates in those feasts, enters into communion and fellowship with the demons); κυρίου, to partake of a feast prepared by [(?) see below] the Lord (just as when he first instituted the supper), 1 Co. x. 21 [but it seems more natural to take the genitives daz. and κυρ. simply as possessive (ef. W. 189 (178); Β. § 127, 27), and to modify the above interpretation accordingly ]. 2. the table or stand of a money-changer, where he sits, exchanging different kinds of money for a fee (agio), and paying back with interest loans or deposits, (Lys., Isocr., Dem., Aristot., Joseph., Plut., al.): Mt. xxi. 12; Mk. xi. 15; Jn. ii. 15; τὸ ἀργύριον διδόναι ἐπὶ (την) τράπεζαν, to put the money into a (the) bank at interest, Lk. xix. 23.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
τράπεζα trapeza 15x
a table, an eating table, Mt. 15:27; Mk. 7:28; Heb. 9:2; by impl. a meal, feast, Rom. 11:9; 1 Cor. 10:21; a table or counter of a money changer, Mt. 21:12; a bank, Lk. 19:23; by impl. pl. money matters, Acts 6:2
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
τράπεζα, -ης, ἡ
[in LXX chiefly for שֻׁלְחָן, also for לֶחֶם, etc. ;]
a table, dining-table: Mt 15:27, Mk 7:28, Lk 16:21 19:23 22:21, 30; of the table of shewbread, He 9:2. By meton., of food provided (v. DB, iv, 670 a): Ac 16:34, Ro 11:9 (LXX) I Co 10:21; διακονεῖν ταῖς τ., Ac 6:2 (cf. Page, in l., but v. infr.).
A money-changer's table, a bank (Dem., Arist., al.): Mt 21:12, Mk 11:15, Lk 19:23, Jo 2:15; so also acc to Dr. Field (Notes, 113), Ac 6:2 (but v. supr.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
τράπεζα, (1) ‘‘a table,” lit. ‘‘four-footed (table)’’: P Eleph 515 (B.c. 284-3) τράπεΐϊα a, PSI IV. 391% (B.c. 242-1) τράπεζαν πυξίνην, “a table made of box-wood,” Chrest. I. τι ΑΝ. 58 (B.C, 123) Kal τούτων... συνκωθωνισθέντων καὶ ἁλὸς [ἐπ]. τραπέζης μεταξὺ ὄντων (/. ὄντος), and P Lond 462 (1ν.1}.} (=I. p. 71) ἐπὶ παπυρίνης τραπέζης. (2) From the ‘‘table” at which the money-changers sat, τράπεζα came to mean “ἃ bank,” as in Mt 211%, Lk 19°% al.; P Eleph 27° (iii/B.c.) τετάγμεθα τὸ ἀργύριον kal τοὺς τόκους ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν τράπεζαν, P Tebt II. 280% (B.c. 126) πέ(πτωκεν) ἐπὶ τὴν ἐν Κρο(κοδείλων) πόί(λει) τρά(wetav) Ἡρακλείδει τρα(πεζίτῃ) ὥστε βασιλεῖ παρὰ Σοκονώπιος.. . . τέ(λος) τόπου ψιλί(οῦ) τοῦ ὄντος ἐν Τεβτύ(ve), ‘‘ Sokonopis has paid into the bank at Crocodilopolis to Heraclides the banker for the King the tax upon a vacant space situated at Tebtunis” (Edd.), 26. 483 (A.D. 94) acknowledgment of a loan paid διὰ τὴς ᾿Αφροδισίου τραπέζης Pavy[otjov, and P Tebt II. 29417(A.p. 146) ἂς (δραχμὰς) κ[αὶ] διαγράψω κυρωθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τόπων δημοσίαν τράπεζαν τοῖς συνήθεσι προθεσμίαις, ‘which (drachmae) I will, as soon as my appointment is ratified, pay into the local public bank at the accustomed dates’’ (Edd.). In P Fay 964 (A.D. 122) a receipt is issued διὰ τῆς Σαραπίωνος τραπέζης stating that a certain payment had been made. As the payment was not in money but in kind (‘‘oil ”), this τραπεζ(ε) της has led to the conjecture by Preisigke (Gzvowesen, p. 222) that the τράπεζα may not have been an ordinary bank but a revenue-office (see Wilcken’s note ad ἃ Chrest. I. Pp: 372). (3) For τράπεζα = ‘‘nether-stone’’ of a mill, see P Ryl II. 167¥% (a.b. 39) μυλαῖον ἐνεργὸν ἐν ᾧ μύλοι Θηβαικοὶ τρεῖς σὺν κώπαις καὶ τραπέζαις, “a mill in full working order, containing 3 Theban mill-stones, with handles and nether-stones,” and the other exx. collected by the editors ad 1. Im the Christian P Grenf 11. 1110 (v/vi A.D.) (= Chrest. I. p. 76r) τράπεζ(α) pappap(a) ἃ, τράπεζα refers to ‘the slab of the altar which was supported by the τρίπους (line 11)”: see the editors’ note. MGr τραπέζι, “table ’’; τράπεζα, “‘altar-table”: see Thumb Hand). p- 358 f. τραπεζ(ε)ίτης, ‘¢money-changer,’’ ‘‘banker’’ (Mt 2527): P Eleph 10? (B.C. 223-2) ἐπιλαβὼν παρὰ τῶν τραπεζιτῶν τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς τὰ] πεπτωκ[ό]τα εἰς τὸ ἐν ᾿Απόλλωῳν[ος] πόλει TALL μ]εγάληι ἱερόν, where, however, Wilcken thinks the reference is to treasury officials rather than bankers (see Chres¢. I. p. 275), P Oxy I. 501 (a receipt—a.p. 100) Θέων καὶ ot μέ(τοχοι) τρα(πεζῖται) τῷ ἀγο(ρανόμῳ) χαίρειν. τέτακί( ται) νον, 2. X. 12845 (A.D. 250) δημ[ο]σίων τραπί(ζιτῶν), “public bankers,” and 20. 1253'° (iv/A.D.) certain sums δοθέντα αὐτοῖς διὰ Σαραπίωνος HvdSalpovos γενομ(ένου) τραπεζ(ίτου), ‘‘paid through Sarapion son of Eudaemon, formerly banker.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
τράπεζα (trapeza) — table. τράπεζ-α [τρᾰ], ης, ἡ, Doric dialect τράπεσδα [Refs 7th c.BC+]:— table, especially dining-table, eating-table, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τ. εἰσφέρειν, ἐπάγειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ τ. εἰσῄρετο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; αἴρειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ξενίη τ. the hospitable board, ἴστω Ζεύς.. ξενίη τε τ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅρκον μέγαν, ἅλας τε καὶ τράπεζαν [Refs 7th c.BC+]; ἡ ξενικὴ τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δέξασθαι τραπέζῃ καὶ κοίτῃ entertain at bed and board, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τράπεζαν Περσικὴν παρετίθετο he kept a table in the Persian fashion, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀλλοτρίαν τ. ἀποβλέπειν live at other men's table, at their expense, [Refs]; τὴν τ. ἀνατρέπειν upset the table, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; proverbial of a spendthrift, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; table dedicated to the gods, on which meats and offerings were set out, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τ. Κυρίου, τ. δαιμονίων, [NT]
2. table, as implying what is upon it, meal, ἄνομος τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Συρακοσίων τ., proverbial of luxurious living, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Σικελικαὶ τ. proverbial cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δεύτεραι τ. the second course, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; compare τράγημα.
II. money-changer's counter, ἐν ἀγορᾷ ἐπὶ τῶν τ. [NT+5th c.BC+]; most frequently bank, [Refs], etc.; ἡ ἐργασία ἡ τῆς τ. the right to operate the bank, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ ἐγγύη ἡ ἐπὶ τὴν τ. security given to the bank, [NT+4th c.BC+]bankers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατασκευάζεσθαι τράπεζαν set up a bank, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τῆς τ. ἀνασκευασθείσης the bank having been broken, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δημοσία τ. public bank at Delos, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; in Egypt, [Refs]; βασιλικὴ τ. in Egypt, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; χειριστὴς τῆς ἐν τῇ Πολέμωνος μερίδι τ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; opposed to ἰδιωτικὴ τ. [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III. any table or flat surface on which a thing rests: as,
III.1. cross bench in which the mast is fixed, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τ. δολωνική, see at {δολωνικός}.
III.2. platform on which slaves were exposed for sale, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. tablet or slab with a relief or inscription, τ. χαλκῆ Oracle texts cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; at a tomb, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III.4. plinth of a statue, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III.4. b lamp-stand, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
III.5. nether millstone, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III.6. part of a torsion engine, probably the plinth, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
III.7. part of the liver, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
III.8. shoulder-blade, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.9. grinding surface of the teeth,[Refs 2nd c.AD+]. (The word is shortened from τετράπεζ; hence the question καὶ πόθεν ἐγὼ τρίπουν τ. λήψομα; as if this were an absurdity, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —so τρίπεζα, τρέπεδδα (which see), of three-legged tables.)