κλάσις (klasis)
klasis
breaking
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun klasis simply means "breaking." In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in Luke’s writings, and refers specifically to the physical act of breaking bread. This usage anchors the word in the concrete reality of a shared meal rather than an abstract concept.
Its first occurrence is in Luke 24:35, where the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognize Jesus when he breaks the bread with them. The second instance appears in Acts 2:42, describing the early church’s devotion to fellowship and the breaking of bread. In both cases, the word highlights a simple, tangible gesture that signifies community and recognition.
While often associated with the Eucharist in later Christian tradition, the text itself uses klasis to describe a common meal practice. The word does not carry complex theological jargon here; instead, it points to the intimate, everyday act of sharing food as a marker of fellowship and identity among believers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word klasis simply means breaking. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in Luke’s writings. It refers specifically to the physical act of breaking bread. This usage anchors the word in the concrete reality of a shared meal rather than an abstract concept.
In Luke 24:35, the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognize Jesus when he breaks the bread with them. In Acts 2:42, it describes the early church’s devotion to fellowship and the breaking of bread. In both cases, the word highlights a simple, tangible gesture that signifies community and recognition.
While often associated with the Eucharist in later Christian tradition, the text itself uses klasis to describe a common meal practice. The word does not carry complex theological jargon here; instead, it points to the intimate, everyday act of sharing food as a marker of fellowship and identity among believers.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- breaking2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κλάσει2×
Key Verses
-
Luke 24:35
They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
This occurrence shows how the physical act of breaking bread serves as the moment of recognition for the risen Christ, linking the ordinary meal to divine presence.
-
Acts 2:42
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
Here the term anchors the early church’s communal life, placing the shared meal alongside teaching and prayer as a core practice of fellowship.