πλεονεκτ-έω G4122
To take advantage of, exploit, defraud; to overreach someone for personal gain through greed or cunning.
A verb meaning to take advantage of, exploit, or defraud — to gain at another's expense through greedy overreaching. Derived from πλέον (more) + ἔχω (to have), it literally means 'to have more' at someone else's cost. Paul uses it exclusively, and all five occurrences reveal his pastoral vigilance against exploitation. In 2 Cor 2:11, Satan is the one who might 'take advantage' of the community. In 2 Cor 7:2 and 12:17-18, Paul defends himself against charges of financial exploitation. First Thessalonians 4:6 warns believers not to 'defraud' a brother in business or personal matters. The Spanish 'defraudar/explotar' captures the range well.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To take advantage of, exploit, or defraud — to overreach someone for selfish gain, whether financially, relationally, or spiritually. The etymology (πλέον + ἔχω, 'to have more') exposes the greedy root: gaining at another's expense. Paul deploys this verb in two main contexts. First, spiritual exploitation: in 2 Cor 2:11, Satan might 'take advantage of' the community through unforgiveness. Second, financial integrity: Paul defends himself against charges of exploiting the Corinthians (2 Cor 7:2; 12:17-18), asking 'Did I take advantage of you through anyone I sent?' First Thessalonians 4:6 generalizes the warning: no one should 'wrong or defraud' a brother in any matter. The Spanish 'defraudar' (to defraud) and 'explotar' (to exploit) map directly to the Greek semantic range. 5×
AR["استَغلَلْنا", "اسْتَفادَ", "اسْتَفْدتُ", "يَطْمَعَ", "يَغلِبَنا"]·ben["আমরা-প্রতারিত-হই", "আমরা-শোষণ-করিনি।", "প্রতারণা-করতে", "লাভ-করেছিলাম", "লাভ-করেছে"]·DE["habgierig-sein"]·EN["I-took-advantage-of", "to-defraud", "took-advantage-of", "we-might-be-taken-advantage-of", "we-took-advantage-of"]·FR["tromper", "πλεονεκτεῖν"]·heb["לַחֲמֹד", "נִנָּצֵל-עַל-יְדֵי", "נִצְּלַנוּ", "נִצְלַ", "נִצְלַתִּי"]·HI["ठगे-जाएं-हम", "थगन", "मैंने-लाभ-उठाया", "लाभ-उठाया", "लाभ-उठाया-हमने"]·ID["aku-menipu", "kami-tipu", "kita-dieksploitasi", "mencurangi", "menipu"]·IT["approfittare", "pleonektein"]·jav["kawula-apusi", "kita-dipun-alahaken", "kula-nguntungaken", "ngapusi", "nguntungaken"]·KO["이용당하지-않게", "이용하지-않았다", "이용했는가", "착취하기를"]·PT["defraudar", "exploramos", "explorei", "explorou", "sejamos-levados-vantagem"]·RU["корыстовался", "корыстовался-я", "не-корыстовались", "обмануты-были", "обманывать"]·ES["defraudamos", "defraudar", "os-exploté", "os-explotó", "seamos-defraudados"]·SW["aliwadanganya", "kumdhulumu", "niliwadanganya", "tukidanganywa", "tulidanganya."]·TR["dolandırmadık", "haksızlık-etmek", "hile yapılsın", "sömürdü", "sömürdüm"]·urd["فائدہ-اُٹھایا", "فائدہ-اُٹھایا-جائے", "فائدہ-اٹھانا", "فائدہ-اٹھایا"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)H0539 2. faithful, trustworthy, sure (39×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)G3982 1. be persuaded or convinced (19×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)G3982 2. trust or have confidence in (17×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πλεονεκτ-έω, future -ήσωRefs 5th c.BC+:—Prose Verb, have or claim more than one's due, mostly in bad sense, to be greedy, grasping, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 also, gain or have some advantage, without any bad sense, δυνάμει τινὶ π. Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to ἐλαττοῦσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+ __3 with genitive of things, have or claim a larger share of than others, τῶν ὠφελίμων Refs; τοῦ ἡλίου, τοῦ ψύχους, τῶν…