Luke 11:5

Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Τίς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἕξει φίλον, καὶ πορεύσεται πρὸς αὐτὸν μεσονυκτίου, καὶ εἴπῃ αὐτῷ, Φίλε, χρῆσόν μοι τρεῖς ἄρτους,

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 2532; Kai; Καὶ; And; Conj

Strongs 2036; eipen; εἶπεν; said; V-AIA-3S

Strongs 4314; pros; πρὸς; toward; Prep

Strongs 846; autous; αὐτούς; themselves; PPro-AM3P

Strongs 5101; Tis; Τίς; who; IPro-NMS

Strongs 1537; ex; ἐξ; from out; Prep

Strongs 4771; hymōn; ὑμῶν; of yourselves; PPro-G2P

Strongs 2192; hexei; ἕξει; will have; V-FIA-3S

Strongs 5384; philon; φίλον; friend; Adj-AMS

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 4198; poreusetai; πορεύσεται; will go; V-FIM-3S

Strongs 4314; pros; πρὸς; toward; Prep

Strongs 846; auton; αὐτὸν; himself; PPro-AM3S

Strongs 3317; mesonyktiou; μεσονυκτίου; midnight; N-GNS

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 2036; eipē; εἴπῃ; should say; V-ASA-3S

Strongs 846; autō; αὐτῷ; to himself; PPro-DM3S

Strongs 5384; Phile; Φίλε; Friend; N-VMS

Strongs 5531; chrēson; χρῆσόν; lend; V-AMA-2S

Strongs 1473; moi; μοι; myself; PPro-D1S

Strongs 5140; treis; τρεῖς; three; Adj-AMP

Strongs 740; artous; ἄρτους; loaves; N-AMP

RBT Hebrew Literal:

And he said toward themselves, "Who from out of yourselves will hold a friend and will lead over toward himself of midnight, and say to himself, Friend, use for myself three bread loaves!³⁹

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and should say to him. Friend, lend me three loaves;

LITV Translation:
And He said to them, Who of you shall have a friend, and will come to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves.

ESV Translation:
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Footnotes

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The best translation of χρῆσόν μοι is generally rendered as “use me” or “employ me.” This rendering follows from the fact that χρῆσόν is the aorist imperative of χράω—a verb that, in its primary sense, means “to use” or “to employ.”

Who borrows food?

While there is a related semantic branch (attested in forms such as κίχρημι) that can convey the idea of “lending” or “borrowing,” the imperative form χρῆσόν belongs to the paradigm of χράω rather than to that of κίχρημι. Thus, unless the context specifically indicates the specialized “lending” usage, “use me” remains the most accurate and natural translation. The idea of "lending bread" is semantically out of place.

In summary, χρῆσόν μοι is best translated as “use me” in contexts where one is inviting someone to make use of one’s abilities, services, or presence.