κληρονομία (klēronomia)
klēronomia
inheritance
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun klēronomia refers to an inheritance, specifically property or land passed down through family lines. In the Gospels, it appears in literal contexts where characters dispute ownership or discuss how assets are divided after a death (Matthew 21:38; Luke 12:13). The term captures the legal right to possess what another has left behind.
Beyond physical goods, the New Testament frequently applies this word to spiritual realities. It describes the blessings of the Messianic Kingdom and the eternal life believers receive through Christ (Ephesians 1:14; 1 Peter 1:4). This usage shifts the focus from earthly wealth to a secure, future hope granted by God’s promise rather than human effort.
The word connects closely with the concept of being an heir. While an heir is the person who receives, klēronomia is what they receive. This distinction highlights that the inheritance is a gift, not something earned. It underscores the security of the believer’s position in God’s kingdom, offering a tangible picture of future blessedness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word klēronomia points to something far more stable than the shifting values of this world. In its literal sense, it describes property passed down through family lines, a legal right to possess what another has left behind. Yet in the New Testament, the focus shifts from earthly wealth to a secure, future hope granted by God’s promise rather than human effort. This distinction highlights that the inheritance is a gift, not something earned.
Christians have understood this passage to mean that believers receive an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in Heaven (1 Peter 1:4). Unlike material assets that can be lost or stolen, this spiritual reality cannot fade away. It offers a tangible picture of future blessedness, grounding our faith in the security of God’s covenant rather than our own performance.
When we consider the hope of his calling, we find that the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18) are already ours by grace. This truth invites us to rest in the assurance that our standing before God is secure, anchored in the redemption accomplished through Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- inheritance6×
- inheritance.4×
- an inheritance3×
- inheritance;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κληρονομίαν6×
- κληρονομίας2×
- κληρονομία.2×
- κληρονομίας·1×
- κληρονομίας.1×
- κληρονομίαν.1×
- κληρονομία1×
Key Verses
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Ephesians 1:18
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Paul prays for believers to understand the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
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Hebrews 9:15
For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The text identifies Christ as the mediator who enables called individuals to receive the promise of the eternal inheritance through redemption.
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Matthew 21:38
But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his inheritance.’
This literal use illustrates the human desire to seize an heir's inheritance, contrasting sharply with the divine gift described elsewhere.