"use; need, necessity, requisiteness, Eph. 4:29; Heb. 7:11; personal need, an individual want, Acts 20:34; Rom. 12:13; Phil. 2:25; 4:16, 19; χρείαν ἔχω, to need, require, want, Mt. 6:8; 14:16; Mk. 2:25; Jn. 2:25; ἐστὶ χρεία, there is need, Lk. 10:42; τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν, necessary ..."
Definition and meaning
use; need, necessity, requisiteness, Eph. 4:29; Heb. 7:11; personal need, an individual want, Acts 20:34; Rom. 12:13; Phil. 2:25; 4:16, 19; χρείαν ἔχω, to need, require, want, Mt. 6:8; 14:16; Mk. 2:25; Jn. 2:25; ἐστὶ χρεία, there is need, Lk. 10:42; τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν, necessary things, Acts 28:10; a necessary business, affair, Acts 6:3
In the original Greek the word is written: χρεία
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of chreia (G5532) across the King James Bible.
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?
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Common questions
Strong's G5532 (chreia) is a Greek word that means: use; need, necessity, requisiteness, Eph. 4:29; Heb. 7:11; personal need, an individual want, Acts 20:34; Rom. 12:13; Phil. 2:25; 4:16, 19; χρείαν ἔχω, to need, require, want, Mt. 6:8; 14:16; Mk. 2:25... It appears 44 times in the King James Bible.
The word chreia (G5532) appears 44 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5532 is chreia, a Greek word defined as: use; need, necessity, requisiteness, Eph. 4:29; Heb. 7:11; personal need, an individual want, Acts 20:34; Rom. 12:13; Phil. 2:25; 4:16, 19; χρείαν ἔχω. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
chreia is a Greek word found in the New Testament.