Word Study for G5486 (χάρισμα)

chárisma /khar'-is-mah/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom χαρίζομαι

Meaninga (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (specially), a (spiritual) endowment, i.e. (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty

KJV usage(free) gift.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chárisma — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word chárisma, represented by G5486, defines a (divine) gratuity or (free) gift. Derived from χαρίζομαι (to grant as a favor), it appears 17 times across 17 unique verses. The term specifically points to a spiritual endowment, a religious qualification, or a miraculous faculty given by God, not earned by human effort.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G5486 is used to describe both the ultimate gift from God and the specific abilities He gives to believers. It defines eternal life itself as the free gift of God, in direct contrast to the wages earned by sin Romans 6:23. It is also used for the diverse spiritual endowments distributed by the Holy Spirit, such as the gifts of healing 1 Corinthians 12:9, prophecy, and faith Romans 12:6. Believers are instructed to use their particular gift to minister to others 1 Peter 4:10 and are warned not to neglect the gift given to them 1 Timothy 4:14.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the nature and context of G5486:

G5485 cháris (grace): This is the root concept, meaning graciousness, favor, or divine influence. G5486 is an expression of this grace, with gifts differing G1313 according to the grace that is given Romans 12:6.
G1325 dídōmi (to give): This verb highlights the action of bestowing a gift. A G5486 is something that is given by God through prophecy and the laying on of hands 1 Timothy 4:14.
G4152 pneumatikós (spiritual): This adjective describes the nature of these gifts as non-carnal and supernatural. Paul expresses his desire to impart a spiritual gift to the Romans to establish them Romans 1:11.
G1247 diakonéō (to serve, minister): This shows the purpose of a gift. Believers are to minister the gift G5486 they have received as good stewards of God's grace 1 Peter 4:10.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of G5486 is profound, defining how God equips His people and provides salvation.

A Divine Gratuity: The term stands in stark opposition to earned payment. The wages G3800 of sin G266 is death G2288, but the free gift G5486 of God is eternal life G2222 Romans 6:23.
Sourced in God's Spirit: The various gifts are explicitly linked to the Holy Spirit as their source. There are diversities G1243 of gifts G5486, but it is the same Spirit G4151 who distributes them 1 Corinthians 12:4.
For the Common Good: These endowments are not for personal aggrandizement but for the service and establishment of the church. The list of roles and gifts, including helps and governments, are set in the church by God 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Summary

In summary, G5486 is a critical term that underscores the nature of God's unearned favor. It encompasses everything from the foundational gift of eternal life to the specific spiritual faculties given to believers for ministry. The word consistently reminds the reader that spiritual qualifications and ultimate salvation are not achievements but are divine gratuities, bestowed freely by the grace of God through His Spirit.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 17 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Accusative Plural Neuter 4×
Accusative Singular Neuter 4×
Nominative Singular Neuter 4×
Nominative Plural Neuter 2×
Dative Singular Neuter 1×
Genitive Plural Neuter 1×
Genitive Singular Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 17 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (7 verses); never once in the other 21.

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.