Greek word · G5248

ὑπερπερισσεύω

hyperperisseuō

to abound

To overflow beyond measure, to be present far beyond what is needed. In the middle/passive voice it can mean 'to be overflowing with' (2 Cor 7:4, 'I overflow with joy').

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὑπερ-περισσεύω

to abound more exceedingly: Romans 5:21. Mid., in same sense (RV, overflow): with dative of thing(s), 2 Corinthians 7:4.†

(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 Romans 5:20

Range of meaning

To overflow beyond measure, to be present far beyond what is needed. In the middle/passive voice it can mean 'to be overflowing with' (2 Cor 7:4, 'I overflow with joy').

Against the English

'Increased all the more' (BSB, NIV) is accurate but flat. 'Did much more abound' (KJV) and 'abounded more exceedingly' (WEB) keep the intensity better. YLT's 'did overabound' comes closest to Paul's built-up word.

Used elsewhere in the period

Rare. In the NT it appears only here and in 2 Cor 7:4, and it may be Paul's own coinage or a rarely used word. Paul likes hyper- compounds (hyperpleonazō in 1 Tim 1:14, hyperekperissou in 1 Thess 3:10, hypernikaō in Rom 8:37). It picks up perisseuō and perisseia from Rom 5:15, 17 ('the grace… overflowed to the many').

From the study of 2 Corinthians 7:4

Range of meaning

"To overflow beyond measure, to be more than abundant." It is rare. It adds huper ("over, beyond") to perisseuō ("to overflow").

Against the English

KJV "exceeding joyful", WEB "overflow with joy", NIV "my joy knows no bounds". Most versions get the abundance but flatten the doubled intensity.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT it occurs only here and in Romans 5:20 ("where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more"). Paul likes words with huper- added (e.g. huperekperissou in Eph 3:20 and 1 Thess 3:10).

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 5:20 ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν overabounded

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

    Here: A doubled intensive: perisseuō means 'to overflow, be more than enough', and hyper- means 'beyond'. Grace did not just keep pace with sin's growth. It overflowed past it. Paul deliberately uses a bigger word than the one he used for sin.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:4 ὑπερπερισσεύομαι I overabound

    Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.

    Here: A doubled word: "overflow" (perisseuō) with "over/beyond" (huper) added in front, roughly "I am more than overflowing." Present tense: it is going on now. Paul uses the same verb for grace in Romans 5:20.

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