πολυλογία (polulogia)
polulogia
wordiness
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun polulogia refers to excessive or verbose speech, essentially meaning "much speaking" or loquacity. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Matthew 6:7, where Jesus critiques the prayer habits of Gentiles. The term captures a tendency toward empty repetition and wordiness that lacks genuine spiritual substance.
Its etymology combines polus ("many") and logos ("word" or "speech"), highlighting quantity over quality. This usage aligns with Old Testament wisdom literature, such as Proverbs 10:19, which warns that too many words lead to sin. Jesus contrasts this verbose approach with the Father’s knowledge of our needs, suggesting that brevity and sincerity are more effective than elaborate phrasing.
Translators typically render polulogia as "vain repetitions" or "empty phrases," emphasizing the futility of relying on numerous words to influence divine response. The concept underscores a theological point: God values heartfelt communication over rhetorical performance, making concise prayer more powerful than prolonged monologues.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word polulogia describes a tendency toward excessive speech, where quantity replaces quality. Jesus mentions this in Matthew 6:7 to highlight how Gentiles believed that repeating phrases endlessly would force a response from their gods. This approach treats prayer as a performance rather than a conversation with a Father who already knows what you need.
When we feel anxious, it is natural to want to say more to prove our sincerity or urgency. Yet this word reminds us that God is not impressed by volume or complexity. He values the honesty of your heart over the length of your sentences. You do not need to earn His attention through eloquence.
Instead of worrying about finding the perfect words, you can simply bring your honest thoughts to Him. This freedom allows for a relationship based on trust rather than technique. Your brief, sincere prayers are heard just as clearly as any lengthy monologue.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- many words1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πολυλογίᾳ1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 6:7
In praying, don’t use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
This verse identifies the specific error of thinking that lengthier speech increases the likelihood of being heard.