3307. merizó
Lexical Summary
merizó: To divide, to distribute, to apportion

Original Word: μερίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: merizó
Pronunciation: meh-REE-zoh
Phonetic Spelling: (mer-id'-zo)
KJV: deal, be difference between, distribute, divide, give participle
NASB: divided, apportioned, allotted, assigned, divide
Word Origin: [from G3313 (μέρος - part)]

1. to part
2. (literally) to apportion, bestow, share
3. (figuratively) to disunite, differ

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
apportion, divide

From meros; to part, i.e. (literally) to apportion, bestow, share, or (figuratively) to disunite, differ -- deal, be difference between, distribute, divide, give participle

see GREEK meros

HELPS Word-studies

3307 merízō(from 3313 /méros, "a single part, member") – properly, to divide, distribute into parts (portions), i.e. separate (distinguish) one part from another.

[3307 /merízō can be used positively meaning "distribute as properly needed" (1 Cor 7:17.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from meros
Definition
to divide
NASB Translation
allotted (1), apportioned (2), assigned (1), divide (1), divided (9).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3307: μερίζω

μερίζω: 1 aorist ἐμέρισα; perfect μεμερικα (1 Corinthians 7:17 T Tr text WH text); passive, perfect μεμερισμαι; 1 aorist ἐμερίσθην; middle, 1 aorist infinitive μερίσασθαι; (from μέρος, as μελίζω from μέλος); from Xenophon down; the Sept. for חָלַק; to divide; i. e.

a. to separate into parts, cut into pieces: passive μεμέρισται Χριστός; i. e. has Christ himself, whom ye claim as yours, been like yourselves divided into parts, so that one has one part and another another part? 1 Corinthians 1:13 (L WH text punctuate so as to take it as an exclamatory declaration; see Meyer in loc.); tropically, μεμέρισται γυνή καί παρθένος, differ in their aims, follow different interests (A. V. there is a difference between; but L Tr WH connect μεμέρισται with what precedes), 1 Corinthians 7:33 (34); to divide into parties, i. e. be split into factions (Polybius 8, 23, 9): καθ' ἐμαυτοῦ to be at variance with oneself, to rebel (A. V. divided) against oneself, Matthew 12:25; also ἐπ' ἐμαυτόν, Matthew 12:26; Mark 3:24-26.

b. to distribute: τί τισί, a thing among persons, Mark 6:41; to bestow, impart: τίνι, 1 Corinthians 7:17; τί τίνι, Romans 12:3; 2 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 7:2 (Sir. 45:20; Polybius 11, 28, 9); middle μερίζομαι τί μετά τίνος, to divide (for oneself) a thing with one, Luke 12:13 (Demosthenes, p. 913, 1). (Compare: διαμερίζω, συμμερίζω.)

Topical Lexicon
Scope of the Word

Strong’s Greek 3307 (merizō) centers on the idea of dividing, distributing, or apportioning. Its New Testament appearances span narrative, parable, exhortation, and doctrinal argument, giving the term a rich range of connotations that together communicate both God’s orderly generosity and the self-destructive nature of sinful division.

In the Miracle of the Loaves (Mark 6:41)

At the feeding of the five thousand Jesus “kept giving the loaves to His disciples to set before them, and He divided the two fish among them all”. The verb highlights Christ’s sovereign ability to portion out limited resources until every need is met (Mark 6:42). The action is intentional and measured; the same Lord who created abundance in Genesis deliberately parcels food through His servants, foreshadowing the apostolic distribution of spiritual gifts and practical aid in Acts 2:45; 6:1.

Warnings Against Spiritual Schism (Matthew 12:25-26; Mark 3:24-26)

In answering accusations that He cast out demons by Beelzebul, Jesus states, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste” (Matthew 12:25). Here merizō underscores the self-defeating nature of internal conflict. Division is not simply unfortunate; it is ruinous. The teaching grounds later apostolic pleas for unity, revealing that spiritual warfare cannot be waged effectively when the household of God fragments.

Is Christ Divided? (1 Corinthians 1:13)

Paul presses the same principle upon the Corinthian church: “Is Christ divided?” The question expects an emphatic negative. Merizō exposes party spirit as an assault on the indivisible person and work of Christ. Any attempt to portion Christ among competing leaders—Paul, Apollos, Cephas—denies the single sacrifice and unified headship that bind believers together (compare Ephesians 4:4-6).

Gifts and Ministry Allotments (Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Corinthians 10:13)

God’s purposeful distribution is equally prominent. “God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3), encouraging believers to serve within their appointed spheres without envy or pride. Paul applies the same truth to marital status (1 Corinthians 7:17) and apostolic field (2 Corinthians 10:13). Merizō therefore functions positively, teaching contentment with God’s particular calling while affirming the diversity of service that flourishes under Christ’s lordship.

An Illustration of Earthly Stewardship (Luke 12:13)

When an onlooker requests Jesus to “tell my brother to divide the inheritance,” merizō surfaces in the context of family assets. Jesus declines arbitration, then warns against covetousness (Luke 12:14-15). Earthly partitions of wealth pale beside the eternal riches found in being “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). The incident redirects attention from human calculations of fairness to divine priorities of generosity and trust.

Typology in the Priest-King Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:2)

Melchizedek “apportioned a tenth of everything” to Abram, prefiguring Christ’s greater priesthood. The term highlights the transfer of blessing and ownership: what was Abram’s is willingly handed back to God’s representative. Merizō here connects worship with tangible giving, underscoring that stewardship flows from recognizing Christ’s superiority.

Singleness, Marriage, and Undivided Devotion (1 Corinthians 7:34)

Paul notes that the unmarried woman “is divided” in her concerns—whether to attend to the Lord or to a husband. The verb surfaces to contrast earthly obligations with undistracted service. Far from denigrating marriage, the passage clarifies that each state, divinely assigned, carries its own distribution of responsibilities; spiritual attentiveness must govern them all.

Systematic Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty in Distribution

Merizō portrays God as the deliberate Allocator—of food, faith, fields of ministry, and even covenantal roles—affirming meticulous providence that leaves no believer overlooked.

2. Call to Unity

Whenever humans divide what God means to keep whole—whether kingdoms, households, or the body of Christ—the result is decay. Merizō becomes a warning sign flashing against factionalism.

3. Stewardship and Contentment

Whether in inheritances or life situations, believers are summoned to trust God’s portions, avoid greed, and redirect divided attention toward undivided devotion.

4. Christological Center

All rightful division (of bread, gifts, tithes) originates from and points back to the undivided Christ, whose body was “broken” yet whose person remains the single sufficient Savior.

Pastoral Implications

• Encourage congregations to receive their God-given measure of faith and ministry without comparison.
• Guard church life from parties and cliques that would portion Christ into separate loyalties.
• Model equitable distribution of material resources, reflecting the orderly generosity evident in Christ’s feeding of the multitude.
• Teach stewardship that prioritizes eternal wealth over temporal inheritances, promoting freedom from covetousness.

By tracing merizō across Scripture, one sees both the beauty of God’s ordered generosity and the peril of human self-segmentation. Embracing the divine portion and shunning divisive attitudes preserves the church’s unity and magnifies the sufficiency of Christ.

Forms and Transliterations
εμέρισα εμερίσαν εμερίσαντο εμερίσατό εμέρισε εμερισεν εμέρισεν ἐμέρισεν εμερισθη εμερίσθη ἐμερίσθη μεμερισμένην μεμερισται μεμέρισται μεριεί μεριείς μερίζειν μερίζεται μερίζουσι μεριούνται μερισασθαι μερίσασθαι μερίσατε μερισθεισα μερισθείσα μερισθεῖσα μερισθη μερισθή μερισθῇ μερισθήσεται μέρισον μερίσω μεριώ emerisen emérisen emeristhe emeristhē emerísthe emerísthē memeristai meméristai merisasthai merísasthai meristhe meristhē meristhêi meristhē̂i meristheisa meristheîsa
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 12:25 V-APP-NFS
GRK: Πᾶσα βασιλεία μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυτῆς
NAS: kingdom divided against
KJV: Every kingdom divided against itself
INT: Every kingdom having divided against itself

Matthew 12:25 V-APP-NFS
GRK: ἢ οἰκία μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυτῆς
NAS: or house divided against itself
KJV: or house divided against itself
INT: or house having divided against itself

Matthew 12:26 V-AIP-3S
GRK: ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη πῶς οὖν
NAS: out Satan, he is divided against
KJV: Satan, he is divided against
INT: against himself he was divided How then

Mark 3:24 V-ASP-3S
GRK: ἐφ' ἑαυτὴν μερισθῇ οὐ δύναται
NAS: a kingdom is divided against
KJV: a kingdom be divided against
INT: against itself be divided not is able

Mark 3:25 V-ASP-3S
GRK: ἐφ' ἑαυτὴν μερισθῇ οὐ δυνήσεται
NAS: If a house is divided against itself,
KJV: if a house be divided against itself,
INT: against itself be divided not is able

Mark 3:26 V-AIP-3S
GRK: ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἐμερίσθη οὐ δύναται
NAS: himself and is divided, he cannot
KJV: and be divided, he cannot
INT: himself and has been divided not he is able

Mark 6:41 V-AIA-3S
GRK: δύο ἰχθύας ἐμέρισεν πᾶσιν
NAS: to set before them; and He divided up the two
KJV: fishes divided he among them all.
INT: two fish he divided among all

Luke 12:13 V-ANM
GRK: ἀδελφῷ μου μερίσασθαι μετ' ἐμοῦ
NAS: my brother to divide the [family] inheritance
KJV: brother, that he divide the inheritance
INT: brother of me to divide with me

Romans 12:3 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ὁ θεὸς ἐμέρισεν μέτρον πίστεως
NAS: as God has allotted to each
KJV: God hath dealt to every man
INT: God divided a measure of faith

1 Corinthians 1:13 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: μεμέρισται ὁ χριστός
NAS: Has Christ been divided? Paul
KJV: Is Christ divided? was
INT: Has been divided Christ

1 Corinthians 7:17 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἑκάστῳ ὡς ἐμέρισεν ὁ κύριος
NAS: as the Lord has assigned to each
KJV: God hath distributed to every man,
INT: to each as divided the Lord

1 Corinthians 7:34 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: καὶ μεμέρισται καὶ ἡ
NAS: and [his interests] are divided. The woman
KJV: There is difference [also] between a wife
INT: and Divided are both the

2 Corinthians 10:13 V-AIA-3S
GRK: κανόνος οὗ ἐμέρισεν ἡμῖν ὁ
NAS: God apportioned to us as a measure,
KJV: God hath distributed to us,
INT: area which divided to us the

Hebrews 7:2 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἀβραάμ πρῶτον
NAS: Abraham apportioned a tenth part
KJV: also Abraham gave a tenth part of
INT: of all divided Abraham first

Strong's Greek 3307
14 Occurrences


ἐμέρισεν — 5 Occ.
ἐμερίσθη — 2 Occ.
μεμέρισται — 2 Occ.
μερίσασθαι — 1 Occ.
μερισθῇ — 2 Occ.
μερισθεῖσα — 2 Occ.

3306
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