πλεονάζω (pleonazō)
pleonazō
to increase
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb pleonazō describes a state of existing in abundance or increasing significantly. In the New Testament, it appears eight times, primarily in Paul’s letters such as Romans and Philippians, to depict spiritual realities that grow beyond ordinary limits. The word conveys more than simple addition; it suggests a superabundance where grace, love, or knowledge overflows its usual boundaries.
Paul uses this term to highlight how divine gifts expand within believers. For instance, he notes that grace abounded even more where sin increased (Romans 5:20), and that the Philippians’ love might abound further in knowledge and discernment (Philippians 1:9). The sources indicate it often translates Hebrew roots meaning to be numerous or exceed, emphasizing a qualitative richness alongside quantitative growth.
Its etymology links to the idea of "more" or excess, but in Scripture, this excess is always positive. It describes how God’s resources are not depleted by use but multiplied. This word assures readers that spiritual vitality is meant to deepen and widen, creating a surplus that benefits both the individual and the community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read that grace abounds where sin increases, it can feel like a promise reserved for the distant past. Yet this word describes an active, living reality in your daily walk. It suggests that God’s resources are not fixed or finite. Instead, they expand to meet the depth of our need, creating a surplus that sustains us when we feel empty.
This superabundance is not just about personal comfort but about connection. The apostle Paul prayed for believers to abound in love toward one another. This means your spiritual life is meant to overflow into your community. As you receive grace, it naturally increases your capacity to care for others, turning individual faith into collective strength.
You do not need to manufacture this growth through sheer willpower. The biblical picture is of a gift that multiplies when shared. By staying rooted in Christ, you allow His grace to fill the spaces in your life, ensuring that your faith remains active and fruitful rather than stagnant or idle.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- is abounding2×
- would make to increase1×
- may abound?1×
- may abound1×
- having abounded1×
- did abound1×
- abounding1×
- abounded1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπλεόνασεν2×
- πλεονάζοντα2×
- πλεονάσῃ;1×
- πλεονάσῃ1×
- πλεονάσασα1×
- πλεονάσαι1×
- πλεονάζει1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 5:20
The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly,
This verse establishes the core theological principle that divine grace does not merely match sin but significantly exceeds it, offering hope in moments of failure.
-
I Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,
Here the word connects spiritual growth directly to relational love, showing that increase is measured by how we treat others.
-
II Peter 1:8
For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This occurrence links abounding qualities to practical fruitfulness, warning against a faith that is spiritually idle or unproductive.