πλεῖστος (pleistos)
pleistos
most
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word pleistos is the superlative form of polys, meaning "many" or "much." It translates to "most," "greatest," or "very great," describing the highest degree of quantity or intensity. In the New Testament, it appears in only four verses, primarily within the Gospels and Paul’s letters, emphasizing a peak level of something rather than a simple plurality.
Its usage often highlights abundance or scale. For instance, Mark 5:24 uses it to describe the great multitude following Jesus, while Matthew 9:37 applies it to the large harvest ready for gathering. In 1 Corinthians 10:17, Paul employs the related noun form to explain how many believers become one body, underscoring unity through shared participation. The term carries weight by pointing to what is most significant in number or value within its context.
This lexical choice distinguishes itself by focusing on the extreme end of a spectrum. Where polys indicates "many," pleistos signals "the most" or "the greatest." This distinction allows biblical authors to emphasize magnitude, whether referring to crowds, opportunities, or spiritual realities, providing a precise tool for conveying abundance in its fullest sense.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pleistos points to the highest degree of something, marking a peak in quantity or intensity. It moves beyond simple numbers to describe what is greatest or most significant in a given moment. When Scripture uses this term, it highlights abundance that demands attention and response.
In Matthew 11:20, Jesus denounces cities where most of his mighty works occurred. The superlative here underscores the weight of opportunity; those who witnessed the greatest signs yet failed to repent face a sobering reality. This reminds us that exposure to divine truth carries responsibility.
Yet this word also celebrates gathering. In Mark 4:1, a great multitude surrounds Jesus by the sea. The scale of the crowd shows his magnetic authority and the hunger of people for teaching. We see here that God often draws large groups to himself, inviting us into a community where his word is shared and understood.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- most2×
- very great1×
- greatest1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πλεῖστος2×
- πλεῖστον1×
- πλεῖσται1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 11:20
Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.
This verse uses pleistos to emphasize the exceptional number of miracles performed in those cities, highlighting the gravity of their unrepentant hearts despite such overwhelming evidence.
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Mark 4:1
Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
Here the term describes the large crowd gathered by the sea, illustrating the widespread interest Jesus attracted and setting the scene for his parabolic teaching.
-
Matthew 21:8
A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The phrase 'very great multitude' captures the enthusiastic response of the people during the triumphal entry, showing how pleistos conveys a sense of overwhelming celebration.