κλάω G2806
to break (bread) — the physical act of tearing a loaf apart, especially in communal and sacramental meals
Klao describes the simple but ritually freighted act of breaking bread by hand. In classical Greek it could mean to break off any branch or object, but in the New Testament all fourteen occurrences are narrowly focused on bread. Jesus breaks loaves at the feeding of the five thousand (Matt 14:19) and four thousand (Matt 15:36; Mark 8:6), and again at the Last Supper (Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19). The early church continued this gesture as a defining communal practice (Acts 2:46, 20:7, 20:11). Spanish 'partir,' French 'rompre,' and German 'brechen' all preserve the physical-action core, but the sacramental overtone is unmistakable in every NT context.
Senses
1. break (bread) — To break bread by hand, referring to the physical act of tearing a loaf into portions for distribution. Used exclusively of bread in the NT: during the feeding miracles (Matt 14:19; Mark 8:6, 8:19), at the institution of the Lord's Supper (Matt 26:26; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24), and in early church communal meals (Acts 2:46; 20:7). The multilingual glosses — Spanish 'partir,' French 'rompre,' German 'brechen' — consistently render the physical snapping action, while the liturgical context elevates every instance beyond mere food preparation. 14×
AR["كَاسِرِينَ", "كَسَرَ", "كَسَرْتُ", "لَمَّا-كَسَرَ", "لِنَكْسِرَ", "نَكسِرُهُ"]·ben["আমরা-ভাঙি,", "তিনি-ভাঙলেন,", "ভাঙতে", "ভাঙলেন", "ভাঙিয়া", "ভাঙ্গিয়া", "ভেঙে", "ভেঙেছিলাম"]·DE["brechen", "bricht"]·EN["I-broke", "breaking", "broke", "having-broken", "he-broke", "to-break", "we-break"]·FR["rompre"]·heb["בָּצַע", "בָּצַעְתִּי", "בּוֹצְעִים", "בּוֹצְעִים-אֲנַחְנוּ", "לִשְׁבֹּר", "פָּרַס", "שָׁבַר"]·HI["-घरों-में", "तोड़कर", "तोड़ते-हैं", "तोड़ने-को", "तोड़ा", "तोड़ी", "तोद", "तोदकर"]·ID["Aku-pecah-pecahkan", "Dia-memecahkan", "kita-pecahkan", "memecah-mecah", "memecahkan", "memecahkan,"]·IT["spezzare"]·jav["Kawula-nyuwil", "Panjenenganipun-nyuwil,", "kangge-nyuwil", "kita-nyuwil,", "mecah", "medhot", "nyuwil", "nyuwil,", "nyuwir", "nyuwir,", "sampun-nyuwil"]·KO["둔-다", "떡기-위해", "떡어", "떼셔서", "떼시어", "떼어", "떼어서", "떼었다", "떼었을-때", "우리가-떼는"]·PT["para-partir", "parti", "partimos,", "partindo", "partiu", "partiu,", "tendo-partido", "tendo-partido,"]·RU["преломив", "преломивши", "преломил", "преломил,", "преломить", "преломляем,", "преломляя-"]·ES["habiendo-partido", "lo-partió", "para-partir", "partiendo", "partimos", "partió", "partí"]·SW["akaivunja", "akimega", "akiumega", "akiuvunja", "alimega", "aliuumega", "aliuvunja", "aliuvunja,", "kumega", "niliivunja", "tunaouumega,", "wakimega"]·TR["-de", "böldü", "bölmek", "bölüp", "kırdı", "kırdım", "kırıp", "mi değil-"]·urd["توڑ-کر", "توڑا", "توڑتے-ہوئے", "توڑتے-ہیں", "توڑنا", "توڑی"]
Matt 14:19, Matt 15:36, Matt 26:26, Mark 8:6, Mark 8:19, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, Luke 24:30, Acts 2:46, Acts 20:7, Acts 20:11, Acts 27:35 (+2 more)
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κλάω [ᾰ], __A imperfect ἔκλων (κατ-) Refs 8th c.BC+: future κλάσω [ᾰ] Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist 1 ἔκλᾰσα, Epic dialect κλάσε Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, poetry aorist κλάσσατο Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, future κλασθήσομαι Refs 4th c.BC+: aorist ἐκλάσθην Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect κέκλασμαι Refs 4th c.BC+aorist 2 participle κλάς (as if from κλῆμι) Refs 6th c.BC+:—break, break off, ἐξ ὕλης πτόρθον κλάσε Refs…