χρῆμα (G5536) — Greek Lexicon

χρῆμα

chrēma

G5536 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A thing used or needed; frequently, a thing of value or possession, most commonly referring to money, property, or material goods. More generally, denotes anything used to serve a purpose or meet a need, extending to objects, resources, or instruments.

Semantic Range

thing used, object, possession, property, money, wealth, goods, resource, instrument

Root / Etymology

From the verb χράομαι (chraomai, 'to use, to employ'), indicating that which is used or has use; the suffix -μα indicates the result of an action. Related to χρῆσις (chrēsis, 'use') and χρῆσιμον (chrēsimon, 'useful thing').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, χρῆμα referred broadly to anything used, needed, or useful (Herodotus, Thucydides). Over time, especially from the Classical to Hellenistic periods, it increasingly took on the sense of 'possession','goods', or specifically 'money, wealth' (cf. Plato, Xenophon). In legal and economic contexts, χρῆμα often denoted property or assets. In the Septuagint and Koine Greek, the term retained this material or financial nuance, commonly contrasting with more abstract values or non-material resources. By the New Testament period, χρῆμα typically denotes material wealth, property, or money, but can still, depending on context, mean general 'things' or 'objects.' Standard English Bibles most often translate χρῆμα as 'money,' 'goods,' or 'property,' which may obscure its broader sense of 'anything useful or used.' χρῆμα is distinct from νόμισμα (nomisma, 'currency, coin') in that it may refer to any kind of useful material thing, not just legal tender.

Translation Consistency

primary "thing" 4 occurrences

χρῆμα most often denotes a concrete object, possession, or resource (including money or goods). "Thing" is the most natural, flexible English noun that covers the full semantic range — object, possession, property, goods, instrument — and can be inflected to "things" or specified in context when narrower senses (money, possessions) are intended.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):

"money" (2x)

Root Family

χρῆμα (chrēma) — thing used, possession, property, resource, wealth

Root χρη- to use, to employ, to need

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G5536-02`	χρήματα	chremata	`N ACC N PL`	money	material goods	material things	4
`G5536-01`	χρῆμα	chrema	`N ACC N SG`	money	a useful possession	money	1
`G5536-03`	χρημάτων	chrematon	`N GEN N PL`	money	of resources	of money	1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G5536-02`	Mark 10:23	χρήματα	chremata	`N ACC N PL`	riches	material goods	material things
`G5536-02`	Luke 18:24	χρήματα	chremata	`N ACC N PL`	riches	material goods	material things
`G5536-01`	Acts 4:37	χρῆμα	chrema	`N ACC N SG`	money	a useful possession	money
`G5536-02`	Acts 8:18	χρήματα	chremata	`N ACC N PL`	money	material goods	material things
`G5536-03`	Acts 8:20	χρημάτων	chrematon	`N GEN N PL`	money	of resources	of money
`G5536-02`	Acts 24:26	χρήματα	chremata	`N NOM N PL`	money	material goods	material things

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