αὐξάνω (auxanō)
auxanō
to grow
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 23 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb auxanō describes the natural process of growth, whether applied to a mustard seed expanding in a field or a believer maturing in faith. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this word to illustrate how small beginnings can lead to significant results, as when he compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a seed that grows into a large plant (Matthew 13:32). It captures both the passive experience of getting bigger and the active role of fostering development.
While it often refers to physical increase, such as John the Baptist growing strong in the wilderness (Luke 1:80), the New Testament frequently applies it to spiritual realities. Paul writes that Christians should grow up into Christ, their head, like a building constructed together (Ephesians 4:15). This usage highlights that spiritual maturity is not static but a continuous process of becoming more like Jesus.
Translators typically render auxanō as "grow" or "increase," preserving the sense of organic development rather than sudden change. The word appears often in Acts to describe the rapid expansion of the early church, noting how the message spread and the number of disciples multiplied (Acts 6:7). This reflects a view of growth that is both natural and divinely supported, moving from simple beginnings to full maturity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we look at a mustard seed or a lily, we see a quiet miracle. These plants do not strive or worry about their size; they simply grow according to the life God has placed within them. This word, auxanō, reminds us that spiritual maturity is often a gentle, organic process rather than a sudden event. It invites us to trust that God is working in our lives even when progress feels slow or invisible.
In our daily walk, we are called to rest in this divine timing. Just as the early church expanded not by human effort alone but by God’s power, our own growth in grace depends on His sustaining presence. We can find peace knowing that He supplies the seed and causes the increase, allowing us to mature into Christ with patience and hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 23 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- was continuing to grow3×
- increasing3×
- you may grow up1×
- will increase1×
- we may grow up1×
- was increasing,1×
- was continuing to increase1×
- was [it] growing;1×
- to increase,1×
- they grow;1×
- they grow:1×
- it may be grown,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ηὔξανεν4×
- ηὔξησεν2×
- αὔξει2×
- ηὔξανεν·1×
- ηὔξανεν,1×
- αὐξήσωμεν1×
- αὐξήσει1×
- αὐξάνων1×
- αὐξάνουσιν·1×
- αὐξάνετε1×
- αὐξάνειν,1×
- αὐξάνει·1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:32
which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
Jesus uses this word to show how the Kingdom of Heaven starts small but expands significantly through God’s power.
-
Colossians 2:19
and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.
This verse highlights that true spiritual growth comes from remaining connected to Christ, the Head of the body.
-
II Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Peter issues a direct encouragement to believers to continue increasing in their understanding of grace and knowledge.
-
Acts 6:7
The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
The early church’s expansion is described here as the word of God growing, showing divine agency in multiplication.