Biblical Lexicon

πλεον-άζω G4121

V-APA-NFS | 9× in 1 sense

To increase, abound, or multiply; to grow in quantity, intensity, or degree; to have more than enough.

Expresses the idea of growing beyond what is expected — overflowing, multiplying, surpassing a previous measure. Paul uses it powerfully in Romans 5:20 to describe how sin 'increased' under the law only so that grace might 'abound all the more,' creating one of the New Testament's most striking theological contrasts. Elsewhere it describes love abounding (1 Thess 3:12, Phil 4:17), faith growing (2 Thess 1:3), and material surplus (2 Cor 8:15). Spanish 'abundar' and German 'vermehren' together capture the twin aspects of overflow and active multiplication.

Read in Bible → Strong's / BibleHub Blue Letter Bible

Senses

1. increase, abound, have in excess — To increase in number, quantity, or degree; to abound, multiply, or overflow beyond a prior measure. Used of abstract realities growing — sin increasing so that grace abounds even more (Rom 5:20), love multiplying among believers (1 Thess 3:12, 2 Thess 1:3), thanksgiving increasing to God's glory (2 Cor 4:15) — and of material surplus where one who gathered much had no excess (2 Cor 8:15). The Spanish 'abundar' (abound) highlights the overflowing quality, while German 'vermehren' (multiply) emphasizes the active growth, together reflecting the word's semantic range from passive surplus to dynamic increase. 9×

QUANTITY_NUMBER › Quantity › Abounding and Surplus

AR["المُتَكاثِرَ", "المُتَكاثِرَةُ", "تَكثُرَ", "تَكْثُرُ", "كَثُرَت", "مُتَكاثِرَةً", "يَزِدْ", "يُكَثِّرْ"]·ben["উপচে-পড়ছে", "বৃদ্ধি-করুন", "বৃদ্ধি-পাচ্ছে", "বৃদ্ধি-পায়", "বৃদ্ধি-পেয়ে", "বৃদ্ধি-পেয়েছিল;", "বৃদ্ধি-পেল", "বৃদ্ধি-পেলে"]·DE["vermehren"]·EN["abounding", "had-excess", "having-increased", "increased", "increases", "increasing", "may-increase", "might-increase"]·FR["augmenter", "vermehren"]·heb["הִתְרַבְּהָ", "הֶעְדִּיף", "הַרַבָּה", "יִתְרַבֶּה", "יַרְבֶּה", "מִתְרַבִּים", "מִתְרַבָּה", "מַרְבִּים", "שֶׁ-יִתְרַבֶּה"]·HI["अधिक-था", "जो-बढ़ती-है", "बढ़ते-हुए", "बढ़ा", "बढ़े", "बधअयेइन", "बधत-है", "बधते-हुए"]·ID["berkelebihan", "berlimpah", "bertambah", "bertambah,", "bertambah?", "kiranya-melimpahkan", "yang bertambah"]·IT["abbondare", "pleonasai", "pleonazei", "pleonazonta"]·jav["langkung", "luber,", "nambah", "nambahi", "nambahi,", "nglangkungi", "saya-kathah", "saya-kathah?"]·KO["넓어지고-있다", "넓처지기", "넓처지기-를", "넓쳤던", "넘쳐서", "넘치게-하시고", "넘치면,", "넘치지-않았다", "늘어나는"]·PT["abunda", "abundando", "abundasse", "abunde", "abundou", "faça-crescer", "que-aumenta", "tendo-aumentado", "teve-de-mais"]·RU["-грех", "больше-имел", "да-умножит", "умножается", "умножающееся", "умножающийся", "умножившаяся", "умножилось"]·ES["abunda", "abundando", "abundase", "abunde", "abundó", "habiendo-abundado", "haga-abundar", "que-aumenta", "tuvo-más"]·SW["awaongeze", "ikiongezeka", "iliongezeka", "inaongezeka", "izidi", "linalozidi", "liongezeke", "mengi-zaidi;", "yakizidi"]·TR["cogalan", "ve-", "çoğaldı", "çoğalmış", "çoğalsın", "çoğaltsın", "çoğalırsa", "çoğalıyor"]·urd["بڑھا", "بڑھائے", "بڑھتا-ہوا", "بڑھتی-ہوئی،", "بڑھکر", "بڑھے", "بڑھے؟", "زیادہ-ہوا", "زیادہ-ہوتی-ہے"]

Rom 5:20, Rom 5:20, Rom 6:1, 2 Cor 4:15, 2 Cor 8:15, Phil 4:17, 1 Thess 3:12, 2 Thess 1:3, 2 Pet 1:8

BDB / Lexicon Reference

πλεον-άζω (rarely πλειονάζω, which see), future -άσω: perfect πεπλεόνακα Refs 1st c.BC+:—passive, perfect -ασμαιRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist -άσθηνRefs: (πλέον):—to be more, especially to be more than enough, superfluous, opposed to ἐλλείπειν, ὑπολείπειν, Refs 4th c.BC+; τὸ πλεονάζον the excess, LXX+3rd c.BC+; π. παρά with accusative, to be in excess of..,LXX+NT; of animals, have more than the due…