Biblical Lexicon

μεταλαμβάνω G3335

V-PNA | 7× in 2 senses

To partake of, receive a share of; to take food, eat

The verb μεταλαμβάνω — built from μετά ('with, after') and λαμβάνω ('take') — means to get a share of something, to participate in it. In the New Testament it splits neatly into two senses. The more abstract one covers receiving a portion of anything from divine discipline (Heb 12:10) to a farmer's share of the harvest (2 Tim 2:6). The concrete one narrows to eating food: the early believers shared meals with glad hearts (Acts 2:46), and Paul urged storm-tossed sailors to eat for survival (Acts 27:33-34). Both senses hold the same structural idea — receiving one's portion — but the food sense is distinct enough that multilingual glosses consistently mark it.

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Senses

1. receive, partake of, share in — To receive a share of, partake in, or obtain something, typically abstract — an opportunity, a blessing, a harvest, or divine chastening. In Acts 24:25 Felix dismisses Paul, saying he will summon him at a convenient time (having 'obtained' an occasion); in 2 Tim 2:6 the hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops; in Heb 6:7 the ground receives blessing; and in Heb 12:10 God disciplines believers so they might share in his holiness. The French 'recevoir' and German 'empfangen' confirm a receiving-and-participating core distinct from physical eating. 4×

ECONOMICS_PROPERTY › Possess, Transfer, Exchange › Receiving and Taking

AR["تَنَالُ", "مُسْتَغِلًّا", "نَشْتَرِكَ-فِي", "يَشْتَرِكَ"]·ben["অংশ-নেওয়ার", "পাইয়া", "পায়", "ভাগ-পাওয়া।"]·DE["empfangen", "μεταλαβὼν"]·EN["having-obtained", "receives", "to-partake", "to-share"]·FR["recevoir"]·heb["לְ-קַבֵּל", "מְקַבֵּל", "מְקַבֶּלֶת", "קַבֵּל"]·HI["पाकर", "प्राप्त-करती-है", "प्राप्त-करने", "मेइन-भगि-होन."]·ID["mendapat,", "menerima", "mengambil-bagian"]·IT["metalabein", "metalambanei", "metalambanein", "ricevere"]·jav["nampi", "ngraosaken.", "pikantuk", "sampun-nampi,"]·KO["나누어-가지도록", "받는다", "얻으면", "참여하기를."]·PT["participar", "participarmos", "recebe"]·RU["получает", "получив", "причаститься", "причащаться"]·ES["habiendo-tomado", "participar", "recibe"]·SW["hupokea", "kupokea", "kushiriki", "ukipata"]·TR["bulunca", "pay-alması", "paylaşmak", "paylaşır"]·urd["حاصل-کرتی-ہے", "حصہ-لینا", "حصہ-لینے", "پا-کر"]

Acts 24:25, 2 Tim 2:6, Heb 6:7, Heb 12:10

2. partake of food, eat — To partake of food, take nourishment, eat a meal. This concrete sense appears three times: in Acts 2:46 the early Jerusalem community shared food (μετελάμβανον τροφῆς) with gladness and simplicity of heart, and in Acts 27:33-34 Paul twice urges the shipwrecked passengers μεταλαβεῖν τροφῆς for their survival. Spanish 'participaban' and 'tomar,' alongside the repeated genitive τροφῆς ('of food'), mark this as a distinct usage where the object of participation is specifically physical sustenance. 3×

ECONOMICS_PROPERTY › Possess, Transfer, Exchange › Receiving and Taking

AR["أَنْ-تَتَنَاوَلُوا", "أَنْ-يَتَنَاوَلُوا", "تَنَاوَلُوا"]·ben["অংশগ্রহণ-করিতেছিলেন", "গ্রহণ-করিতে"]·DE["μεταλαβεῖν", "μετελάμβανον"]·EN["they-were-partaking", "to-take"]·FR["recevoir"]·heb["אָכְלוּ", "לֶאֱכֹל"]·HI["लेने", "सरलता-से"]·ID["makan", "mereka-makan"]·IT["ricevere"]·jav["dhahar", "nedha"]·KO["나눠먹었다", "먹기를"]·PT["a-tomar", "tomar", "tomavam"]·RU["принимали", "принять"]·ES["participaban", "tomar"]·SW["kula", "walishiriki"]·TR["almak", "içinde-"]·urd["کھاتے-تھے", "کھانا"]

Acts 2:46, Acts 27:33, Acts 27:34

BDB / Lexicon Reference

μεταλαμβάνω, future - λήψομαι Refs 5th c.BC+:—have or get a share of, partake of, with genitive of things, ληΐης, καμάτου, μιαρίας, NT+5th c.BC+middle, μεταλαμβάνεσθαί τινος lay claim to, τοῦ οὐνόματος Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 with the part received added in accusative, Ἄρεως μοῖραν μ. Refs 5th c.BC+ __3 with accusative of things, ἢν μὴ μεταλάβῃ τοὐπίπεμπτον Refs 5th c.BC+ __4 in Platonic Philos., with…