μέρος G3313
Part, portion, share; region, district; section, side; turn in sequence; piece or fragment of something.
Meros is Greek's workhorse noun for 'part' in nearly every dimension the word can carry. Its 42 New Testament occurrences range from a piece of broiled fish (Luke 24:42) and the four parts of a garment (John 19:23) to the geographic ('the parts of Galilee,' Matt 2:22) and the deeply abstract ('in part we know,' 1 Cor 13:9). Its most theologically charged use comes in John 13:8, where Jesus tells Peter 'you have no part with me' unless he submits to footwashing -- here meros carries the weight of covenant share and spiritual inheritance. Spanish parte, German Teil, and French partie all mirror this breadth.
Senses
1. part, portion, share — A part, portion, or share of a whole -- the dominant sense at 29 occurrences. This covers both concrete partitions (the master cuts the unfaithful servant's portion, Matt 24:51; the prodigal asks for his share of the estate, Luke 15:12) and abstract uses like ek merous ('in part,' 1 Cor 13:9-12) and en to merei touto ('in this respect,' 2 Cor 3:10). The theological apex is John 13:8, where 'having a part' with Jesus means sharing in his salvific work. Korean 부분/몫 and Spanish parte/porcion both differentiate the abstract from the allotment sub-senses. 29×
AR["جُزءًا", "جُزءٍ", "جُزْءًا", "جُزْءٌ", "جُزْءٍ", "جِهَةِ", "نَصيبَهُ", "نَصِيبٌ", "نَصِيبَ", "نَصِيبَهُ"]·ben["অংশ", "অংশ,", "অংশ-র", "অংশে", "অংশে,", "অংশের", "অংশের;", "অংশের।", "কিছুটা"]·DE["Teil"]·EN["a-part", "part", "portion"]·FR["partie"]·heb["בְּ-חֵלֶק", "חֵלֶק", "חֶלְקוֹ", "מִקְצָת"]·HI["-पैरों-के-पास", "अंश", "भअग", "भाग", "भाग-में", "भागके"]·ID["bagian", "bagian,", "dari", "sebagian", "sebagian,"]·IT["meros", "parte"]·jav["bagean", "bageyan", "pandom", "perangan", "péranganing", "péranganing,", "saperangan", "saperangan,", "sapérangan", "sapérangan.", "sepérangan,"]·KO["몶을", "부분", "부분-을", "부분으로", "부분은", "부분을", "부분의,", "부분적으로", "부분적인-것은", "분깃을", "편-의"]·PT["em-parte", "parte", "parte,", "parte.", "parte;"]·RU["-Израилю", "-части", "части", "части.", "часть", "часть,", "частью", "члена,"]·ES["en-parte", "parte", "partido"]·SW["sehemu", "sehemu,", "sehemu.", "yake"]·TR["-yi-", "den-", "geçersiz kılınacak", "kısmen", "kısmı", "kısmından", "kısımdan", "parça", "payın", "payını"]·urd["حصّہ", "حصہ", "حصے", "کچھ-حد-تک", "کچھ-حصہ"]
Matt 24:51, Luke 11:36, Luke 12:46, Luke 15:12, John 13:8, John 19:23, Acts 5:2, Acts 19:27, Acts 23:6, Acts 23:9, Rom 11:25, Rom 15:15 (+17 more)
2. region, district — A geographic region, district, or territory -- 7 occurrences concentrated in Matthew and Acts. Herod's son rules 'in the region of Galilee' (Matt 2:22); Jesus withdraws 'into the parts of Tyre and Sidon' (Matt 15:21); Paul passes through 'the upper parts' of Asia Minor (Acts 19:1). Spanish regiones, German Gegend, and the LXX tradition of using meros for Hebrew territorial language all confirm this as a genuine spatial-geographic sense rather than a loose metaphor of 'part.' 7×
AR["أَجزاءِ", "الأَجْزَاءَ", "الْأَجْزَاءَ", "نَوَاحِي"]·ben["অংশসমূহে", "অঞ্চল", "অঞ্চলে"]·DE["Teil"]·EN["parts", "region", "regions"]·FR["partie"]·heb["-", "אֶזְרוֹר", "אַזְיוֹרוֹת", "חֲלָקִים", "חֶלְקֵי"]·HI["कशेत्रोन", "क्षेत्रों", "प्रदेशों", "प्रदेशों-में", "भअग"]·ID["bagian-bagian", "daerah"]·IT["mere", "parte"]·jav["daerah", "dhaérah", "laladan", "péranganing", "tlatah", "wewengkon"]·KO["곳들에", "지역", "지역들", "지역들을", "지역으로", "지역을"]·PT["regiões", "regiões,"]·RU["области", "области,", "пределы", "части"]·ES["partes", "regiones"]·SW["sehemu"]·TR["bölgeleri", "bölgelerine", "kisimlaira"]·urd["حصوں", "علاقوں", "علاقوں-میں", "علاقہ", "علاقے"]
3. section, division, side — A section, division, or side of a physical structure or group -- 4 occurrences. The soldiers divide Jesus' garments 'into four parts' (John 19:23); the disciples cast the net on 'the right side' of the boat (John 21:6); Revelation 16:19 splits Babylon 'into three parts.' Spanish partes and Korean 부분 handle this straightforwardly. The emphasis is on constituent divisions of a single larger entity, distinct from the share/allotment sense of sense 1. 4×
AR["أَجزاءٍ", "أَجْزَاءٍ", "أَقْسَامَ", "الجانِبِ"]·ben["অংশ,", "অংশগুলির", "অংশে", "দিকের"]·DE["Teil"]·EN["parts"]·FR["partie"]·heb["חֲלָקִים", "חֶלְקֵי", "צְדָדִים"]·HI["और", "तरफ़", "भाग", "भागों"]·ID["bagian", "daerah-daerah"]·IT["mere", "parte"]·jav["peréngan", "prantunipun", "péranganing", "sisih"]·KO["그-", "부분", "부분-으로", "부분들"]·PT["parte", "partes"]·RU["сторону", "части,", "части;", "частях"]·ES["partes"]·SW["sehemu", "sehemu;", "wa"]·TR["bölgelerini", "parça", "tarafına"]·urd["حصے", "طرف"]
4. turn, succession — One's turn in a sequence -- a single occurrence at 1 Cor 14:27 where Paul instructs that tongue-speakers should speak 'in turn' (ana meros). This idiomatic use with the preposition ana creates a rotational-sequential meaning found already in classical Greek (Herodotus, Thucydides). Spanish turno and Korean 차례로 both select dedicated sequence vocabulary, confirming this is not merely a contextual shade of 'part' but a genuine adverbial idiom. 1×
AR["جُزءٍ"]·ben["অংশে,"]·DE["Teil"]·EN["turn"]·FR["partie"]·heb["חֵלֶק"]·HI["अंश"]·ID["bergiliran,"]·IT["parte"]·jav["gantosan"]·KO["부분으로"]·PT["em-turno,"]·RU["части"]·ES["turno"]·SW["zamu"]·TR["biri"]·urd["باری"]
5. piece, fragment — A physical piece or fragment -- a single occurrence at Luke 24:42 where the risen Jesus is given 'a piece of broiled fish.' Here meros is concrete and tangible: not a division of an abstract whole but a broken-off fragment of food. Spanish parte de and Korean 한 조각 ('one piece') both specify a material fragment. The post-resurrection meal setting gives this humble sense unexpected theological resonance -- the risen Lord eats real food in real pieces. 1×
AR["قِطْعَةً"]·ben["অংশ"]·DE["Teil"]·EN["a-piece"]·FR["partie"]·heb["חֵלֶק"]·HI["टुकड़ा"]·ID["sepotong"]·IT["meros"]·jav["sapérangan"]·KO["한-조각을"]·RU["часть"]·ES["parte"]·SW["kipande"]·TR["parçasını"]·urd["ٹکڑا"]
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
μέρος, εος, τό, (μείρομαι) first in Refs:— share, portion, Refs 5th c.BC+; of work put out to contract, allotment, Refs __2 heritage, lot, destiny, μεθέξειν τάφου μ. Refs 5th c.BC+; τοῦτο γὰρ.. σπάνιον μ. is a rare portion, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπὸ μέρους προτιμᾶσθαι from considerations of rank or family, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II one's turn, ἐπείτε αὐτῆς μ. ἐγίνετο τῆς ἀπίξιος Refs 5th c.BC+; ὅταν ἥκῃ μ.…