Greek word · G4121

πλεονάζω

pleonazō

to increase

pleonazō: to become more, increase, multiply; occasionally to have too much. pleiōn: comparative 'more'; with the article (οἱ πλείονες), 'the majority' or 'the greater number'.

Appears 9 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

πλεονάζω

(πλέον), [in LXX for עֲדַף, רָבָה, etc. ;]

I. Intrans.

1. Of persons;

(a) to abound in (Arist.);

(b) to superabound: 2 Corinthians 8:15 (LXX).

2. Of things, to abound, superabound: Romans 5:20 6:1, 2 Corinthians 4:15, Philippians 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:8.

II. Trans. (Numbers 26:54, Psalms 71:21; not cl, see Lft., Notes, 48 f.), to make to abound: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 (cf. ὑπερ-πλεονάζω).†

SYN.: περισσεύω, q.v (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Corinthians 4:15

Range of meaning

pleonazō: to become more, increase, multiply; occasionally to have too much. pleiōn: comparative 'more'; with the article (οἱ πλείονες), 'the majority' or 'the greater number'.

Against the English

Translations nearly all render it 'more and more people'. KJV and WEB say 'the many', and YLT keeps the bare comparative, 'the more'.

Used elsewhere in the period

οἱ πλείονες means 'the majority' in 2 Cor 2:6 and 1 Cor 10:5. pleonazō appears with grace in Rom 5:20 ('where sin increased, grace abounded even more') and Rom 6:1.

From the study of Philippians 4:17

Range of meaning

To become more, increase, multiply, abound; with an object, to make something increase.

Against the English

KJV 'may abound' and BSB 'may be credited' make it sound possible or hoped-for. The Greek is a present participle, 'which is increasing', and describes a return that is already growing. YLT 'is overflowing' and WEB 'increases' are closer.

Used elsewhere in the period

Rom 5:20 (sin 'increased', grace abounded more); 2 Cor 4:15 (grace 'extending' to more people); 1 Thess 3:12 ('make you increase in love'); 2 Thess 1:3.

From the study of Romans 5:20

Range of meaning

To be or become more, to increase, to multiply. Used intransitively of growing in number or amount, and occasionally transitively, 'to cause to increase'. Related to pleon, 'more'.

Against the English

'Abound' (KJV, WEB, YLT) is a good word, but modern English mostly uses it for good things ('blessings abound'). 'Increase' (BSB, NIV, ESV) is clearer. NLT's paraphrase turns the increase into people seeing how sinful they were, which changes the claim.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used in the LXX for multiplying (e.g. Exod 16:18, of manna 'the one who gathered much had nothing over'). Paul uses it in Rom 6:1 ('that grace may increase') with the same word, picking up this verse; also 2 Cor 4:15; Phil 4:17.

Where it appears

Romans · 3

  1. Romans 5:20 πλεονάσῃ ἐπλεόνασεν may abound, abounded

    The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

    Here: 'Might become more, might multiply.' This is an increase in amount, not only in how visible something is. The same verb comes back in the next clause, so the reader hears the echo: trespass multiplied, sin multiplied.

  2. Romans 6:1 πλεονάσῃ; may abound?

    What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?

    Here: 'May increase.' The exact form Paul used in 5:20 ('the law came in so that the trespass might increase'). The objector turns Paul's own wording around: if more sin produced more grace, why not produce more sin?

2 Corinthians · 2

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:15 πλεονάσασα having abounded

    All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God.

    Here: 'Having increased / multiplied': grace grows as it spreads to more people. The aorist participle presents the increase as what comes before the overflow of thanks and makes it possible.

  2. 2 Corinthians 8:15 ἐπλεόνασεν did abound

    As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”

Philippians · 1

  1. Philippians 4:17 πλεονάζοντα is abounding

    Not that I am seeking a gift, but I am looking for the fruit that may be credited to your account.

    Here: Present participle, 'which is increasing'. The return is pictured as growing now and continuing to grow, like a balance that keeps rising. It is not something that only might happen.

1 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 πλεονάσαι would make to increase

    And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,

    Here: A wish ('may he…'), with a direct object: 'may he make you grow larger, become more'. The picture is growth in amount.

2 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 πλεονάζει is abounding

    We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.

    Here: 'Is becoming more, abounds'. It is the same verb Paul used when he prayed for them in 1 Thess 3:12 ('may the Lord make you increase and abound in love'). Here that prayer is reported as answered.

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 1:8 πλεονάζοντα abounding

    For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Here: The qualities are not merely present but multiplying and overflowing. The present tense pictures ongoing growth, not a level reached once.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.