ἐπιτήδ-ειος G2006
necessary, suitable, needful, what is required
This adjective describes what is necessary, suitable, or needful—that which is required for a purpose or fits a situation. In James 2:16, it refers to the bodily necessities—food and clothing needed for daily survival. Classical usage emphasized fitness for purpose: a suitable place for cavalry exercises, a fit person to associate with, or things deserving certain treatment. The multilingual evidence shows interpretive choice: English 'necessary' emphasizes requirement, Spanish 'cosas-necesarias' makes the practical needs explicit. The word carries both senses: what is suitable and what is needful.
Senses
1. sense 1 — James 2:16 highlights the bitter irony of wishing someone well without providing necessities—the needful things like food and clothing that embodied love would supply. The cross-linguistic glosses emphasize the required or necessary quality of these things: they're not luxuries but genuine needs. Classical usage of 'fit for purpose' reminds us that in this context, what's necessary is what's suitable to sustain life—the material provisions that demonstrate faith working through love. 1×
AR["احتياجاتِ"]·ben["প্রয়োজনীয়"]·DE["notwendig"]·EN["necessary"]·FR["ἐπιτήδεια"]·heb["צְרָכִים"]·HI["आवश्यक-वस्तुएँ"]·ID["yang-diperlukan"]·IT["epitēdeia"]·jav["kabetahan"]·KO["필요한-것들-을"]·PT["necessidades"]·RU["необходимое"]·ES["cosas-necesarias"]·SW["hitajika"]·TR["gerekenleri"]·urd["ضروری"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπιτήδ-ειος, α, ον: Ionic dialect ἐπιτήδ-εος, έη, εον Refs 5th c.BC+: Doric dialect -τάδειος [ᾱ] Refs 5th c.BC+; -έστερος, -έστατος, Refs 5th c.BC+: (ἐπιτηδές):— made for an end or purpose, fit or adapted for it, suitable, convenient, νομαί Refs, etc.; πρός τι Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive, χωρίον -ότατον ἐνιππεῦσαι most fit to ride in, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. ὑπεξαιρεθῆναι convenient to be put out of the…