Quick Definition
need, necessity, business
Strong's Definition
employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution
Derivation: from the base of G5530 (χράομαι) or G5534 (χρή);
KJV Usage: business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
χρεία, χρείας, ἡ (χρή), from Aeschylus and Sophocles down;
1. necessity, need: τά πρός τήν χρείαν (L T Tr WH πρός τάς χρείας (cf. below)), such things as suited the exigency, such things as we needed for sustenance and the journey, Act_28:10; εἰς τάς ἀναγκαίας χρείας (A. V. for necessary uses), i. e. to supply what is absolutely necessary for life ((cf. Babrius fab. 136, 9); others understand the 'wants' here as comprising those of charity or of worship), Tit_3:14; πρός οἰκοδομήν τῆς χρείας, for the edification of souls, of which there is now special need, Eph_4:29 (cf. R. V. and marginal reading); ἐστι χρεία, there is need, followed by an accusative with infinitive Heb_7:11; ἐστι χρεία τίνος, there is need of something, Rev_22:5 Griesbach; Luk_10:42 ((but not WH marginal reading)); ἔχω χρείαν τίνος, to have need of (be in want of) something (often in the Greek writings from Aeschylus down, cf. Passow, under the word, 1; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 1)), Mat_6:8; Mat_21:3; Mar_11:3; Luke (); ; Joh_13:29; 1Co_12:21; 1Co_12:24; 1Th_4:12; Heb_10:36; Rev_3:17 R G (see below); (not Griesbach); τοῦ with an infinitive Heb_5:12 (Winers Grammar, § 44, 4 a.; cf. τίς, 2 b., p. 626a bottom); the genitive of the thing is evident from the context, Act_2:45; Act_4:35; with the genitive of a person whose aid, testimony, etc., is needed, Mat_9:12; Mat_26:65; Mar_2:17; Mar_14:63; Luk_5:31; ἔχω χρείαν, followed by an infinitive (cf. Buttmann, § 140, 3), I, etc. have need to etc., Mat_3:14; Mat_14:16; Joh_13:10; 1Th_1:8; 1Th_4:9 (with which cf. 5:1 (see Winers Grammar, 339 (318); Buttmann, § 140, 3)); followed by ἵνα (see ἵνα, II. 2 c. (Buttmann, § 139, 46; cf. Epictetus diss. 1, 17, 18)), Joh_2:25; Joh_16:30; 1Jn_2:27; χρείαν ἔχω, absolutely, to have need: Mar_2:25; (Eph_4:28); 1Jn_3:17; οὐδέν χρείαν ἐηξω, to have need as to nothing (cf. Buttmann, § 131, 10), Rev_3:17 L T Tr WH. ἡ χρεία with a genitive of the subjunctive the condition of one deprived of those things which he is scarcely able to do without, want, need: λειτουργός τῆς χρείας μου (see λειτουργός, 2 at the end), Php_2:25; πληροῦν τήν χρείαν τίνος (Thucydides 1. 70), Php_4:19; (add, εἰς (Lachmann brackets εἰς) τήν χρείαν μοι ἐπέμψατε, unto (i. e. to relieve, cf. εἰς, B. II. 3 c. γ., p. 185b top) my need, Php_4:16); plural one's necessities: ταῖς χρείαις ... ὑπηρέτησαν, to provide for one's necessities, Act_20:34; κοινωνεῖν ταῖς χρείαις (cf. p. 352{a} top), Rom_12:13.
2. duty, business (so especially from Polybius down (cf. Jdt_12:10; 1Ma_12:45 1Ma_13:37; 2Ma_7:24, etc.)): Act_6:3.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
χρεία chreia 49x
use; need, necessity, requisiteness, Eph_4:29 ; Heb_7:11 ;
personal need, an individual want, Act_20:34 ; Rom_12:13 ; Php_2:25 ; Php_4:16 ; Php_4:19 ;
χρείαν ἔχω , to need, require, want, Mat_6:8 ; Mat_14:16 ; Mar_2:25 ; Joh_2:25 ;
ἐστὶ χρεία , there is need, Luk_10:42 ;
τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν , necessary things, Act_28:10 ;
a necessary business, affair, Act_6:3 need.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
χρεία , -ας , ἡ ,
[in LXX : 2Ch_2:16 (15) ( H6878 ), Ezr_7:20 ( H2819 ) freq . in Sir_1:1-30 -2 Mac;]
1. need, necessity: Act_28:10 , Tit_3:14 ; πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χ . ( RV , txt ., for edifying as the need may be; but v. Field, Notes , 192), Eph_4:29 ; ἕστι χ ., Luk_10:42 , Heb_7:11 ; χ . ἔχειν , c . gen ., Mat_6:8 ; Mat_21:3 , Mar_11:3 , Luk_9:11 ; Luk_15:7 ; Luk_19:31 ; Luk_19:34 ; Luk_22:71 , Joh_13:29 , 1Co_12:21 ; 1Co_12:24 , 1Th_4:12 , Heb_10:36 , Rev_21:23 ; Rev_22:5 ; seq . τοῦ , c . inf . (Bl., § 71, 3), Heb_5:12 ; absol. ( sc . gen .), Act_2:45 ; Act_4:35 ; c . gen . pers ., Mat_9:12 ; Mat_26:65 , Mar_2:17 ; Mar_14:63 , Luk_5:31 ; c . inf . (Bl., § 69, 5), Mat_3:14 ; Mat_14:16 , Joh_13:10 , 1Th_1:8 ; 1Th_4:9 ; seq . ἵνα , Joh_16:30 , 1Jn_2:27 ; absol. , Mar_2:25 , Eph_4:28 , 1Jn_3:17 ; οὐδὲν χ . ἔχειν , Rev_3:17 ; ἡ χ ., c . gen . subjc ., Php_2:25 ; Php_4:16 ; Php_4:19 ; pl ., Act_20:34 , Rom_12:13 .
2. matter, business (so esp . in late writers, Polyb ., al. ; 1Ma_12:45 , al. ): Act_6:3 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
χρεία [page 691]
(1) necessity, need, or occasion of need : PH b I. 54 .13 ( c. B.C. 245) χρεία γάρ ἐστι ταῖς γυναιξὶν πρὸς τὴν θυσίαν , for he is wanted by the women for the sacrifice (Edd.), P Grenf II. 14 ( c ) .6 (iii/B.C.) πρὸς τινὰ χρείαν ἀ̣ν̣α̣γ̣κ̣α̣ι̣α̣ν (cf. Tit. 3:4), P Fay 117 .8 (A.D. 108) πέμσαι αὐτῷ . . εἰκθύδιν ( l. ἰχθύδιον ), ἐπὶ ( l. ἐπεὶ ) χρίαν αὐτοῦ ἔχωμον ( l. ἔχομεν ), send him some fish, as we want to make use of him (Edd.), P Michigan Inv. No. 2798 .5 (time of Hadrian) περ ]ὶ ὧ̣ν ἐὰν χρείαν ἔχῃς γράφε μοι , do you write to me about what you may need, P Tebt II. 416 .17 (iii/A.D.) μετάδε̣ς ( l. μετάδος ) καὶ Ἀκουτᾶτι τῷ ἀδελφῷ ὅτι ἐὰν χρίαν τινὸς ἔχῃ ἡ γυνή μου ποίησον αὐτῆς̣ τὴν χρίαν ἕως ἔλθω , μηδὲν ἐπιζητείτω , tell my brother Akoutas also to do anything that my wife requires until I come, and let her want for nothing (Edd.), and P Grenf II. 72 .6 (A.D. 290 304) εἰς ἰδίαν μου χρείαν . . . τάλαντα δύο .
For χρείαν ἔχω treated as an active verb and followed by the acc, as in Rev. 3:17, cf. P Oxy VII. 1068 20 (iii/A.D.) εἴ τι ἂν ἄλλου ( l. ἄλλο ) σου χρίαν σκῶσιν ( l. σχῶσιν ), with anything else they may need from you (Ed.), ib. XIV. 1683 .17 f. (late iv/A.D.) δὸς οὖν αὐτά , ἐπιδὲ χρείαν αὐτὰ ὁ υἱός μου <ἔχει >, give them to her, since my son needs them, ib. XVI. 1929 .3 (iv/v A.D.) χρίαν ἔχομεν τὰ πλοῖα , and P Lond 1918 .16 (A.D. 330 340) εἴ τι χρείαν ἔχεις πέμψον σοι , with Bell s note.
(2) matter in hand, business (Act. 6:3 : cf. 1Ma. 12:45, 2Ma. 7:34, Jdt. 12:10) : P Tebt I. 35 .2 (B.C. 111) τοῖς ἐπὶ χρειῶν τεταγμένοις χαίρειν , to the other officials, greeting, BGU I. 18 .14 (A.D. 169) παραγ [γ ]έλεται ( l. παραγγέλλετε ) ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῆς ἐνχιρισθίσης α [ὐ ]τοῖς χρε [ία ]ς ὑγιῶς καὶ πιστῶς , P Iand 33 .12 (time of Commodus) ὀμνύομεν . . . ἀντιλήμψασθαι τῆς χρίας καὶ φυλάξιν (= -ειν ) διὰ νυκτὸς τὴ̣ν̣ κ̣ω̣μ̣[ην ] ἀνεγκλή [τως , P Tebt II. 327 .23 (late ii/A.D.) κε ]κελευσμένου οὖν , κύριε , γ [υ ]ναῖκας ἀφεῖσθαι τῶν τ [οιο ]ύτων χρειῶν , wherefore, my lord, it has been decreed that women should be freed from such burdens (Edd.), and P Oxy VII. 1063 .8 (ii/iii A.D.) εἶπας οὐδένα ἐκείνων εἰς τὴν χρείαν ἔδωκα , you said I have not given in any of them ( sc. certain names) for the office (Ed.).
In Mar. 11:3, Mat. 21:3, Luk. 19:31; Luk. 19:34 ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ (αὐτῶν ) χρείαν ἔχει , Nicklin ( CR xv. (1901), p. 203) thinks that, in view of the order of the words, the natural translation is, Its (their) owner needs (it or them). Various translations of Eph. 4:29 ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις ἀγαθὸς πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας are discussed by Field, Notes p. 192, with a preference for that which is good for the improvement of the occasion. J. A. Robinson ( Comm. ad l. ) renders for building up as the matter may require or as need may be.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
χρεία χρεία, ionic χρείη, ἡ, [Etym: χράομαι, χρέος] "use, advantage, service", Theogn. , Plat. ; τὰ οὐδὲν εἰς χρείαν things of no "use or service", Dem. ; χρείαν ἐρευνᾶν, v. ἐρευνάω 1: —pl. "services", Pind. , Dem. as an action, "using, use", κτῆσις καὶ χρ. having and "using", Xen. , Plat. ; πρὸς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην χρ. Xen. of persons, "familiarity, intimacy, intercourse", πρός τινα "with" one, Plat. like Lat. opus, need, want, necessity, Aesch. , etc.; ἵν᾽ ἕσταμεν χρείας considering in what great "need" we are, Soph. ; χρείᾳ πολεμεῖν to war with "necessity", id=Soph. :—c. gen. "want or lack of" a thing, Aesch. , etc.; ἐν χρείᾳ δορός in the "need or stress" of war, Soph. ; χρεία ἐστί [γίγνεταί] μοι τινός, Lat. opus est mihi aliqua re, Plat. ; ἔτι μου χρείαν ἕξει "will have need of" my help, Aesch. ; ἐν χρείᾳ εἶναί or γίγνεσθαί τινος Plat. ; pl., αἱ τοῦ σώματος χρ. Xen. ; αἱ ἀναγκαῖαι χρ. Dem. "the result of need, want, poverty", Soph. , Eur. "a request of necessity", opp. to ἀξίωσις (a claim of merit), Thuc. : generally, "a request", Aesch. "a needful business, a need, requirement", ὡς πρὸς τί χρείας; for what "purpose?" Soph. ; ἡ πολεμικὴ χρ. καὶ ἡ εἰρηνική "the requirements" of war and of peace, Arist. generally, "a business, employment", Polyb. , NTest.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
χρεία, -ας, ἡ
[in LXX: 2Ch.2:16 (15) (צֹרֶךְ), Est.7:20 (חַשְׁחוּת) frequently in Sir.1:1-30 -2 Mac ;]
__1. need, necessity: Act.28:10, Tit.3:14; πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χ. (RV, txt., for edifying as the need may be; but see Field, Notes, 192), Eph.4:29; ἕστι χ., Luk.10:42, Heb.7:11; χ. ἔχειν, with genitive, Mat.6:8 21:3, Mrk.11:3, Luk.9:11 15:7 19:31, 34 22:71, Jhn.13:29, 1Co.12:21 12:24, 1Th.4:12, Heb.10:36, Rev.21:23 22:5; before τοῦ, with inf. (Bl., § 71, 3), Heb.5:12; absol. (sc. genitive), Act.2:45 4:35; with genitive of person(s), Mat.9:12 26:65, Mrk.2:17 14:63, Luk.5:31; with inf. (Bl., § 69, 5), Mat.3:14 14:16, Jhn.13:10, 1Th.1:8 4:9; before ἵνα, Jhn.16:30, 1Jn.2:27; absol., Mrk.2:25, Eph.4:28, 1Jn.3:17; οὐδὲν χ. ἔχειν, Rev.3:17; ἡ χ., with genitive subjc., Php.2:25 4:16, 19; pl., Act.20:34, Rom.12:13.
__2. matter, business (so esp. in late writers, Polyb., al.; 1Ma.12:45, al.): Act.6:3.†
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Need (5532) chreia
Need (5532)(chreia from chraomai = to use, make use of or chreos = a debt) means a necessity, what is needed or the occasion of need.
Chreia refers in (Acts 6:3) to the needful matter, duty or task.
In Ephesians chreia refers to an abstract need, the thing that is needed...
Ephesians 4:29 (note) Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Chreia can also convey the idea of something which is lacking and therefore is needed as in ...
Mark 2:25 And He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and became hungry, he and his companions:
Acts 2:45 and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
Romans 12:13 (note) contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Philippians 4:19 (note) And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Chreia can refer to that which should happen or be supplied because there is a need...
Matthew 3:14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"
Chreia is used 49 times in the NT (Matt. 3:14; 6:8; 9:12; 14:16; 21:3; 26:65; Mk. 2:17, 25; 11:3; 14:63; Lk. 5:31; 9:11; 10:42; 15:7; 19:31, 34; 22:71; Jn. 2:25; 13:10, 29; 16:30; Acts 2:45; 4:35; 6:3; 20:34; 28:10; Rom. 12:13; 1 Co. 12:21, 24; Eph. 4:28, 29; Phil. 2:25; 4:16, 19; 1Th 1:8; 4:9, 12; 5:1; Titus 3:14; Heb 5:12; 7:11; 10:36; 1Jn. 2:27; 3:17; Rev 3:17; 21:23; 22:5) and is translated necessary (1), need (40), needed (1), needs (6), task (1).
Chreia is used 4 times in this letter...
1 Thessalonians 1:8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
1Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
1Thessalonians 4:12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
1Thessalonians 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
You yourselves - is emphatic. The readers themselves are taught by God.
Taught by God to love one another - God's call to His own has always emphasized unselfish love, Moses recording...
you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. (Lev 19:18)
The concept of God teaching His children is found also in the NT John writing...
And as for you, the anointing (the Spirit) which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1John 2:27)
Comment: Do not misinterpret and misapply this passage. John is not saying we will never have need for human teachers. The present context refers to false teachers {1John 2:26}, so take care not to interpret this verse out of that context. In fact Scripture teaches that the church has a continual need to be edified by Spirit anointed and Spirit filled human teachers as seen in Paul's instructions to the church at Ephesus - Eph 4:11, 12, 13, 14 (see notes Ep 4:11; 12, 13; 14).
David prayed to be taught by God...
Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation. For Thee I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:5) (Spurgeon's Note)
Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 143:10)
Spurgeon comments: "How childlike -- "teach me"! How practical "Teach me to do"! How undivided in obedience -- "to do thy will"! To do all of it, let it be what it may. This is the best form of instruction, for its source is God, its object is holiness, its spirit is that of hearty loyalty. The man is hidden in the Lord, and spends his peaceful life in learning the will of his Preserver. A heart cannot long be desolate which is thus docile." Spurgeon's Full Note
The psalmist declared...
O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth; and I still declare Thy wondrous deeds. (Psalm 71:17) (Spurgeon's Note)
In the coming 1000 year earthly reign of the Messiah (see Millennium) the world will seek to be taught of God, Isaiah prophetically recording that...
(in the last days when the mountain of the house of the LORD is established as the chief of the mountains) many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD (in Jerusalem, the Holy City), to the house of the God of Jacob (the Millennial Temple described by Ezekiel beginning in Ezekiel 40) that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths. (Note that God's teaching is never to be just "head knowledge" but is to be transmitted into "show leather" obedience as we behave according to what we believe)" For the law will go forth from Zion, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Is 2:3, cp Mic 4:2 which speaks of the same time and same truth)
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