As could only be expected, the Greek New Testament word we are trying to understand has also, and above all, a Hebrew root. The Hebrew word chaburah corresponds to the Greek κοινωνία (koinonia) and, like that word, denotes a business partnership, a “cooperative”. Yet the specific situations of Hebrew society are obviously reflected in this term and lend particular shades to its application. There are above all three aspects to this. As early as the first century before Christ,