πολυμερῶς (polumerōs)
polumerōs
little by little
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adverb polumerōs describes something given or revealed in many distinct parts rather than as a single whole. Its components literally mean "many" and "parts," suggesting a piecemeal or fragmented delivery. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Hebrews 1:1, to characterize how God spoke to the ancestors of old.
This usage highlights a contrast between the past and the present. The sources indicate that God’s communication was not a single, unified event but occurred across many different occasions and through various messengers. This fragmented approach stands in sharp relief to the final and complete revelation found in Jesus Christ, who is presented as the fullness of that earlier partial disclosure.
Translators typically render polumerōs as "in many portions" or "at various times." The term emphasizes the gradual nature of divine instruction before the coming of the Son. It serves to underscore the completeness and unity of God’s final word, which gathers all those scattered pieces into one definitive voice.
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 how God has spoken throughout history, it often feels like a collection of scattered moments rather than one single event. The word used here suggests that divine truth was given little by little, in many parts. This gradual unfolding allowed people across different eras to receive guidance suited to their specific times and needs.
Yet this piecemeal approach points toward something greater. The partial revelations of the past find their completion in Jesus Christ. What was once fragmented is now gathered into one definitive voice. This progression reminds us that God’s communication is purposeful, moving from many pieces to a single, unified whole in His Son.
Understanding this helps us see our own faith journey not as isolated incidents, but as part of a larger, unfolding story. We are invited to trust that the same God who spoke through prophets continues to speak clearly through Christ, offering us a complete picture of His love and purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- In many portions1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Πολυμερῶς1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 1:1
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
This verse uses the term to contrast the fragmented, multi-messenger revelation of the past with the singular, complete revelation found in Jesus.