verb
klēronomamō
Strong’sG2816
I inherit, obtain
stem klēronom-18 times in the New Testamentin 8 of 27 books11 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
κληρονομέω means to inherit — to receive something as a portion or possession, originally in the sense of receiving by lot 13. In the New Testament this most often broadens into the sense to obtain, acquire, or possess as one's own something granted or promised, rather than strictly property passed down at a death 134. In this wider sense it is used of receiving the land, the kingdom of God, eternal life, salvation, the promises, a blessing, and similar gifts 13.
The word can also describe being someone's heir, i.e. standing to inherit from a particular person 3, and, less commonly, leaving an heir behind 3. Strong's simply glosses it as "to be an heir to," used both literally and figuratively 2.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
κληρονομέω, -ῶ
(< κληρονόμος), [in LXX chiefly for ירשׁ, also for נחל, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2816 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidklay-ron-om-eh'-o
to be an heir to (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G2818;
King Jamesbe heir, (obtain by) inherit(-ance).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
inherit, with genitive of things, ὥσπερ τῆς οὐσίας, οὕτω καὶ τῆς φιλίας τῆς πατρικῆς κ. Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.: absolutely, Refs 1st c.BC+
2 acquire, obtain, τὴν ἐπ᾽ ἀσεβείᾳ δόξαν LXX+2nd c.BC+; τὴν γῆν receive possession of the promised land, Palestine,LXX (also, obtain all that God has promised,LXX+NT; obtain salvation, ζωὴν αἰώνιον NT
II to be an inheritor or heir, τινος of a person, Refs 2nd c.AD+: more frequently τινα, LXX+2nd c.BC+:—passive, to be succeeded in the inheritance, of parents, Refs 1st c.AD+
III leave an heir behind one, υἱοὺς υἱῶν LXX
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| klēronomatōκληρονομεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | inherit | 1× |
| klēronomamiκληρονομήσω | will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular | inherit | 2× |
| klēronomatiκληρονομήσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | inherit | 3× |
| klēronomaliκληρονομήσουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | inherit | 4× |
| klēronomatēκεκληρονόμηκεν | has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | inherited | 1× |
| klēronomameiaκληρονομήσω | happened · Iaorist active subjunctive 1st person singular | inherit | 1× |
| klēronomaveiaκληρονομήσητε | happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural | inherit | 1× |
| klēronomavarκληρονομήσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | inherit | 1× |
| klēronomarōκληρονομεῖν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | inherit | 1× |
| klēronomaraκληρονομῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | inherit | 2× |
| klēronomarōntoiuκληρονομούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | inherit | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 11 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klēronomamō | klēronomame | klēronomami2×κληρονομήσω | klēronomama | klēronomamē | klēronomamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | klēronomasō | klēronomase | klēronomasi | klēronomasa | klēronomasē | klēronomaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klēronomatō1×κληρονομεῖ | klēronomate | klēronomati3×κληρονομήσει | klēronomata | klēronomatē1×κεκληρονόμηκεν | klēronomatelē |
| we 1st person plural | klēronomanō | klēronomane | klēronomani | klēronomana | klēronomanē | klēronomanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | klēronomavō | klēronomave | klēronomavi | klēronomava | klēronomavē | klēronomavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | klēronomalō | klēronomale | klēronomali4×κληρονομήσουσιν | klēronomala | klēronomalē | klēronomalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klēronomameiō | klēronomameia1×κληρονομήσω | klēronomameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | klēronomaseiō | klēronomaseia | klēronomaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klēronomateiō | klēronomateia | klēronomateiē |
| we 1st person plural | klēronomaneiō | klēronomaneia | klēronomaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | klēronomaveiō | klēronomaveia1×κληρονομήσητε | klēronomaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | klēronomaleiō | klēronomaleia | klēronomaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | klēronomasōr | klēronomasar | klēronomasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klēronomatōr | klēronomatar | klēronomatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | klēronomavōr | klēronomavar1×κληρονομήσατε | klēronomavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | klēronomalōr | klēronomalar | klēronomalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klēronomamoiō | klēronomamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | klēronomasoiō | klēronomasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klēronomatoiō | klēronomatoia |
| we 1st person plural | klēronomanoiō | klēronomanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | klēronomavoiō | klēronomavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | klēronomaloiō | klēronomaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | klēronomarō1×κληρονομεῖν | klēronomari | klēronomara2×κληρονομῆσαι | klēronomarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | klēronomarōntos1× | klēronomarintos | klēronomarantos | klēronomarēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
klēronom is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
18 occurrences, every one of them listed
klēronomatō“inherit”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
1 Corinthians 15:50… dunotō, oude tas fthoras tan aftharsian klēronomatō.… of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
klēronomami“inherit”will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular2×
Luke 10:25… legarōntos; Didaskalor, tinem poiarantos zōan aiōnian klēronomami?… asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:18… Didaskalor agathor, tinem poiarantos zōan aiōnian klēronomami?… Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
klēronomati“inherit”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 19:29… mu, hekatontaplasiōneim labeti kai zōan aiōnian klēronomati.… will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Galatians 4:30“inherit”… ton huion autau, ouk gar mē klēronomati tos huios tau paidiskau meta tou …… woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s …
Revelation 21:7tos nikarōntos klēronomati houteim, kai emi auto theos kai …The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be …
klēronomali“inherit”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural4×
Matthew 5:5makariois tois prauois, hoti autois klēronomali tan gēan.… are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
1 Corinthians 6:9… oidavē hoti adikois theou basileian ouk klēronomali? mē planovōr; oute pornois oute eidōlolatrois …… know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not …
1 Corinthians 6:10… ouk loidorois, ouk harpagois basileian theou klēronomali.… nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:21… teim toiouteim prassarōntois basileian theou ouk klēronomali.… who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
klēronomatē“inherited”has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 1:4… toiu angeloiu hose diaforoterem para autoin klēronomatē onomem.… angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.
klēronomameia“inherit”happened · Iaorist active subjunctive 1st person singular1×
Mark 10:17… agathor, tinem poiameia hina zōan aiōnian klēronomameia?… asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
klēronomaveia“inherit”happened · yeaorist active subjunctive 2nd person plural1×
1 Peter 3:9… hoti eis houtem kaliva hina eulogian klēronomaveia.… were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
klēronomavar“inherit”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural1×
Matthew 25:34… Deute, tois eulogorēntoir tou patrou mu, klēronomavar tan hetoimazorēntan vi basileian apo katabolau …… who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from …
klēronomarō“inherit”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
Hebrews 1:14… eis diakonian apostelorōnteim dia toin mellarōntoin klēronomarō sōtērēan?… sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
klēronomara“inherit”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
1 Corinthians 15:50… hoti sarkas kai haimem basileian theou klēronomara ouk dunotō, oude tas fthoras tan …… brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does …
Hebrews 12:17oidavē gar hoti kai metepeita thelarōntos klēronomara tan eulogian apodokimazita, metanoiau gar topon …… that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He …
klēronomarōntoiu“inherit”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Hebrews 6:12… de toiu dia pistiau kai makrothumiau klēronomarōntoiu tain epangeliain.… those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.