3310. meris

Lexical Summary

meris: Part, Portion, Share

Original Word: μερίς
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: meris
Pronunciation: meh-REES
Phonetic Spelling: (mer-ece')
KJV: part (X -akers)
NASB: part, common, district, share
Word Origin: [feminine of G3313 (μέρος - part)]

1. a portion, i.e. province, share or (abstractly) participation

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

part, portion

Feminine of meros; a portion, i.e. Province, share or (abstractly) participation -- part (X -akers).

see GREEK meros

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
fem. noun from meros
Definition
a part, portion
NASB Translation
common (1), district (1), part (2), share (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3310: μερίς

μερίς, μερίδος, ἡ (see μέρος), the Sept. chiefly for חֵלֶק, חֶלְקָה, מָנָה; (from Antiphon and Thucydides down); a part, equivalent to

1. a part as distinct from the whole: (τῆς) Μακεδονίας, Acts 16:12 (on which see Hort in WH's Appendix at the passage).

2. an assigned part, a portion, share: Luke 10:42 (see ἀγαθός, 2); ἐστι μοι μερίς μετά τίνος, I have a portion, i. e. fellowship, with one, 2 Corinthians 6:15. οὐκ ἐστι μοι μερίς ἤ κλῆρος ἐν τίνι, I have neither part nor lot, take no share, in a thing, Acts 8:21; ἱκανουν τινα εἰς τήν μερίδα τίνος, to make one fit to obtain a share in a thing (i. e. partitive genitive; others, genitive of apposition), Colossians 1:12.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Scope

The term rendered “portion,” “share,” or “district” points to something that is allotted, whether tangible (land, inheritance) or intangible (spiritual privilege, commonality). In every New Testament occurrence it marks a clear boundary between what belongs to one party and what does not, thus serving both to include and to exclude.

Occurrences and Contextual Notes

• Luke 10:42 – “Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” The Lord contrasts Martha’s many distractions with the single, irrevocable share Mary secured by sitting at His feet. The word underscores the permanence of spiritual communion that surpasses temporal service.
• Colossians 1:12 – “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Here the believer’s portion is placed within the realm of eschatological inheritance. The verb “qualified” stresses that the portion is God-granted, not self-earned.
• Acts 8:21 – “You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.” Peter’s rebuke of Simon the sorcerer shows that an unregenerate heart disqualifies a person from any portion in gospel work. The term functions as a boundary marker guarding the purity of ministry.
• Acts 16:12 – “From there we traveled to Philippi, a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.” The word denotes an official civil division. Luke’s usage ties the gospel’s advance to actual geopolitical regions, reminding readers that Christ lays claim to every earthly district.
• 2 Corinthians 6:15 – “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” Paul employs the term rhetorically to underline the utter incompatibility between two spiritual domains. The believer’s portion is exclusively in Christ.

Thematic Significance

1. Portion Chosen versus Portion Assigned
• Mary’s deliberate choice (Luke 10:42) aligns with the Father’s gracious assignment (Colossians 1:12). Human response and divine initiative converge.
2. Inclusion, Exclusion, and Purity
• Acts 8:21 and 2 Corinthians 6:15 emphasize that the believer’s share is bounded by holiness; participation is impossible where the heart or creed is alien to God.
3. Spatial and Missional Reach
• Acts 16:12 reminds the Church that the gospel presses into every “district,” extending Christ’s lordship across tangible territories as well as hearts.

Old Testament Resonance

The concept echoes Israel’s tribal allotments (Joshua 13–19) and the Levites’ unique portion being the Lord Himself (Deuteronomy 10:9). The Septuagint frequently uses the same term to translate the Hebrew cheleq, reinforcing continuity between covenants: God assigns portions and guards their integrity.

Doctrinal Implications

• Assurance of Inheritance – Because the believer’s share is God-qualified (Colossians 1:12), it is secure and cannot be “taken away” (Luke 10:42).
• Separation unto Holiness – Fellowship with darkness forfeits one’s participation in holy service (Acts 8:21; 2 Corinthians 6:15).
• Missional Obligation – Every geographic “district” (Acts 16:12) falls within the Church’s mandate, countering parochialism.

Practical Applications

• Cultivate undistracted devotion, valuing Christ Himself as the “good portion.”
• Give thanks regularly for the Father’s qualifying grace that grants a share in the saints’ inheritance.
• Guard ministry from those whose hearts remain unconverted, maintaining doctrinal and moral purity.
• Pursue gospel advance in every sphere—family, workplace, community—confident that no district is outside Christ’s claim.

Summary

This word consistently delineates the believer’s privileged share and the boundaries that protect it. Whether referring to intimate fellowship with Christ, the future inheritance of the saints, the purity of ministry, or the reach of the gospel across regions, it testifies that God both assigns and safeguards His people’s portion.

Forms and Transliterations

μεριδα μερίδα μερίδας μερίδες μερίδι μεριδος μερίδος μερίδων μερις μερίς μερὶς merida merída meridos merídos meris merìs

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 10:42 N-AFS
GRK: τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις
NAS: the good part, which
KJV: that good part, which
INT: the good part chose which

Acts 8:21 N-NFS
GRK: ἔστιν σοι μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος
NAS: You have no part or portion
KJV: hast neither part nor lot
INT: there is to you part nor lot

Acts 16:12 N-GFS
GRK: πρωτης τῆς μερίδος Μακεδονίας πόλις
NAS: city of the district of Macedonia,
KJV: city of that part of Macedonia,
INT: [the] leading of [that] district of Macedonia city

2 Corinthians 6:15 N-NFS
GRK: ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ
NAS: has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
KJV: what part hath he that believeth
INT: or what part to a believer with

Colossians 1:12 N-AFS
GRK: εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου
NAS: who has qualified us to share in the inheritance
KJV: to be partakers of the inheritance
INT: for the share of the inheritance

Strong's Greek 3310
5 Occurrences

μερίδα — 2 Occ.
μερίδος — 1 Occ.
μερὶς — 2 Occ.