πλῆθος (plēthos)
plēthos
multitude
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 32 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun plēthos denotes a large number or multitude, functioning as a collective term for both people and things. In the New Testament it appears thirty-two times, with significant usage in Luke and Acts to describe crowds that gather around Jesus or respond to the early church’s message. It can refer to a specific group, such as the "multitude of angels" praising God in Luke 2:13, or a general mass, like the "great multitude" of believers in Acts 4:32.
Its meaning shifts slightly depending on context. When applied to people with the definite article, it often signifies the whole body or the majority of a group, such as the entire assembly in Acts 15:12. In secular Greek, it could distinguish the common people from the elite, but in Scripture it simply emphasizes size and presence. It describes the sheer volume of fish caught in Luke 5:6 or the bundles of wood on Paul’s ship in Acts 28:3.
A notable theological nuance appears in Hebrews 11:12, where Abraham’s descendants are said to be "as many as the stars" because he believed in God's promise. Here, plēthos underscores the overwhelming scale of divine blessing. Translators typically render it as "multitude," "crowd," or "company," capturing the sense of a significant gathering without implying any specific social status.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word plēthos reminds us that faith is rarely a solitary journey. In the Gospels and Acts, it describes large groups of people drawn to Jesus—whether they were sick seeking healing, disciples rejoicing on the Mount of Olives, or believers sharing everything in common. This collective language highlights a beautiful truth: God’s work often unfolds within community. You are part of a larger story, connected to others who seek His presence.
When you feel small or insignificant, remember that plēthos emphasizes size and presence without judgment. It does not distinguish between the elite and the common; it simply notes a gathering. Whether it refers to a crowd of fish or a multitude of angels, the focus is on God’s abundant provision and glory. This word invites us to see our lives not in isolation, but as part of a vast, shared experience of grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 32 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- multitude15×
- a multitude8×
- multitude,2×
- the multitude1×
- quantity1×
- number.1×
- multitudes1×
- in multitude1×
- crowd.1×
- A multitude1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πλῆθος24×
- πλῆθος.2×
- πλήθους,2×
- πλήθους2×
- πλήθη1×
- πλήθει1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 4:32
The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
This verse uses plēthos to define the early church’s unity, showing that the 'multitude' was characterized by one heart and soul rather than individual ownership.
-
Luke 2:13
Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying,
Here the word describes a 'multitude of the heavenly army,' emphasizing the sheer scale of angelic praise surrounding Jesus’ birth.
-
Acts 15:12
All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
The 'whole multitude' keeping silence illustrates how a large, diverse group can be unified in attention when hearing God’s work reported.
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Luke 5:6
When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.
This occurrence highlights divine abundance, as the 'great multitude of fish' demonstrates Jesus’ power to provide beyond human capability.