Bible Dictionaries
Partake, Partaker

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

an adjective, signifying "having in common" (koinos, "common"), is used as a noun, denoting "a companion, partner, partaker," translated "partakers" in Matthew 23:30; 1 Corinthians 10:18 , AV (see COMMUNION , B); 2 Corinthians 1:7; Hebrews 10:33 , RV (see COMPANION , No. 2); 2 Peter 1:4; "partaker" in 1 Peter 5:1 . See PARTNER.

denotes "partaking jointly with" (sun, and No. 1), Romans 11:17 , RV, "(didst become) partaker with them" (AV, "partakest"); 1 Corinthians 9:23 , RV, "a joint partaker," i.e., with the Gospel, as cooperating in its activity; the AV misplaces the "with" by attaching it to the superfluous italicized pronoun "you;" Philippians 1:7 , "partakers with (me of grace)," RV, and AV marg.; not as AV text, "partakers (of my grace);" Revelation 1:9 , "partaker with (you in the tribulation, etc.)," AV, "companion." See COMPANION.

see FELLOW , No. 3, PARTNER.

"partaking together with" (sun, "with," and No. 3), is used as a noun, a joint partaker, Ephesians 3:6 , RV, "fellow partakers" (AV, "partakers"); in Ephesians 5:7 , RV and AV, "partakers."

Notes: (1) For antilambano, "to partake of," rendered "partakers" in 1 Timothy 6:2 , AV, see B, No. 4. (2) For the phrase "to be partakers," Colossians 1:12 , see PART , A, No. 2.

"to have a share of, to share with, take part in" (akin to A, No. 1), is translated "to be partaker of" in 1 Timothy 5:22; Hebrews 2:14 (1st part), AV, "are partakers of," RV, "are sharers in" (for the 2nd part see No. 3); 1 Peter 4:13; 2 John 1:11 , RV, "partaketh in" (AV, "is partaker of"); in the Passive Voice in Romans 15:27 . See COMMUNICATE , DISTRIBUTE.

see FELLOWSHIP , B, No. 2.

"to partake of, share in" (meta, "with," echo, "to have"), akin to A, No. 3, is translated "of partaking" in 1 Corinthians 9:10 , RV (AV, "be partaker of"); "partake of" in 1 Corinthians 9:12 , RV (AV, "be partakers of"); so in 1 Corinthians 10:17,21; in 1 Corinthians 10:30 "partake;" in Hebrews 2:14 , the AV "took part of" is awkard; Christ "partook of" flesh and blood, RV; cp. No. 1 in this verse; in Hebrews 5:13 , metaphorically, of receiving elementary spiritual teaching, RV, "partaketh of (milk)," AV, "useth;" in Hebrews 7:13 , it is said of Christ (the antitype of Melchizedek) as "belonging to" (so RV) or "partaking of" (RV marg.) another tribe than that of Levi (AV, "pertaineth to"). See PERTAIN, USE. See PARTNER , Note.

"to take hold of, to lay hold of" something before one, has the meaning "to partake of" in 1 Timothy 6:2 , RV, "partake of," marg., "lay hold of," AV, "are ... partakers of" (anti, "in return for," lambano, "to take or receive"); the benefit mentioned as "partaken" of by the masters would seem to be the improved quality of the service rendered; the benefit of redemption is not in view here. See HELP.

"to have, or get, a share of," is translated "to be partaker (or partakers) of" in 2 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 12:10 . See EAT , HAVE , RECEIVE , TAKE.

primarily, "to distribute in shares" (sun, "with," meros, "a part"), in the Middle Voice, "to have a share in," is used in 1 Corinthians 9:13 , AV, "are partakers with (the altar)," RV, "have their portion with," i.e., they feed with others on that which, having been sacrificed, has been placed upon an altar; so the believer feeds upon Christ (who is the altar in Hebrews 13:10 ).