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Greek · G4052 · unreviewed

περισσεύω

To exceed

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περισσεύω G4052
Pronunciation perisseúō

What does περισσεύω (perisseúō) mean in the Bible?

περισσεύω (perisseúō) is a Greek word meaning "to exceed". περισσεύω (περισσός), [in LXX: 1Ki. Connects spiritual strengthening with numerical growth.

Full entry for περισσεύω (G4052) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to exceed
Extended definition

To abound or overflow; to have more than enough, with surplus remaining.

(περισσός), [in LXX: 1Ki.2:33 (מַרְבִּית), 1Ki.2:36 Ecc.3:19 (יָתַר ni., יוׄתֵר), Tob.4:16, Sir.10:27 11:12 19:24, Sir 30:38 (Sir.33:29), 1Ma.3:30 * ;]

IProp., intrans.,
1of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence,
ato be or remain over: Mat.14:20 15:37, Luk.9:17, Jhn.6:12-13;
bto abound, be in abundance: Mrk.12:44, Luk.12:15 21:4, Act.16:5, Rom.3:7 5:15, 2Co.1:5 8:2 9:12, Php.1:26.
2Of persons,
ato abound in, have in abundance: 1Co.14:12 15:58, Php.4:12, 18; with genitive, Luk.15:17 T;
bto be superior or better, to excel: absol., 1Co.3:9 8:8; with dative ref., 2Co.3:9; before ἐν, Rom.15:13, 1Co.15:58, 2Co.3:9 8:7, Col.2:7; μᾶλλον, 1Th.4:1 4:10; μ καὶ μ., Php.1:9; πλεῖον, Mat.5:20.
IIIn late writers (Lft., Notes, 48 f.), trans.,
ato make to abound: with accusative before εἰς, 2Co.4:15 9:8, Eph.1:8; pass., Mat.13:12 25:29; with genitive of thing(s), Luk.15:17, WH;
bto make to excel: with accusative of person(s), dative of thing(s), 1Th.3:12 (cf. ὑπερ-περισσεύω).
Synonymsπλεονάζω
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Connects spiritual strengthening with numerical growth. Acts 16:1-5
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Aorist Future Imperfect
Voices
Active Passive Middle
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 6×
Present Active Luke 12:15 · Rom 15:13 · Phil 4:12 · 1 Thess 4:10 5×
Aorist Active 2 Cor 9:8 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 15×
Present Active 2 Cor 1:5 · 2 Cor 3:9 · 1 Cor 8:8 · 2 Cor 8:7 · Phil 4:18 6×
Aorist Active Rom 3:7 · Rom 5:15 · 2 Cor 8:2 · Eph 1:8 · John 6:13 5×
Future Passive Matt 13:12 · Matt 25:29 2×
Present Middle Luke 15:17 1×
Imperfect Active Acts 16:5 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 8×
Present Active 1 Cor 14:12 · 2 Cor 8:7 · 2 Cor 9:8 · 1 Thess 4:1 · Phil 1:9 · Phil 1:26 6×
Aorist Active Matt 5:20 · 2 Cor 4:15 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 9×
Present Active Matt 14:20 · Matt 15:37 · Mark 12:44 · Luke 21:4 · 1 Cor 15:58 · Col 2:7 · 2 Cor 9:12 7×
Aorist Active Luke 9:17 · John 6:12 2×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Active 1 Thess 3:12 1×
39 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 38 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 5 ongoing 7 prospective 2 background 1 subjunctive 8 infinitive 6 participle 9
Tense
present 25 aorist 10 future 2 imperfect 1
Voice
active 35 passive 2 middle 1
Mood
indicative 15 participle 9 subjunctive 8 infinitive 6
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:20 περισσεύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:12 περισσευθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 14:20 περισσεῦον present active participle participle Matthew 15:37 περισσεῦον present active participle participle Matthew 25:29 περισσευθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Mark 12:44 περισσεύοντος present active participle participle Luke 9:17 περισσεῦσαν aorist active participle participle Luke 12:15 περισσεύειν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 15:17 περισσεύονται present middle indicative ongoing Luke 21:4 περισσεύοντος present active participle participle John 6:12 περισσεύσαντα aorist active participle participle John 6:13 ἐπερίσσευσαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:5 ἐπερίσσευον imperfect active indicative background Romans 3:7 ἐπερίσσευσεν aorist active indicative completed Romans 5:15 ἐπερίσσευσεν aorist active indicative completed Romans 15:13 περισσεύειν present active infinitive infinitive 1 Corinthians 8:8 περισσεύομεν present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 14:12 περισσεύητε present active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 15:58 περισσεύοντες present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 1:5 περισσεύει present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 1:5 περισσεύει present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 3:9 περισσεύει present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 4:15 περισσεύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 2 Corinthians 8:2 ἐπερίσσευσεν aorist active indicative completed 2 Corinthians 8:7 περισσεύετε present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 8:7 περισσεύητε present active subjunctive subjunctive 2 Corinthians 9:12 περισσεύουσα present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 9:8 περισσεῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive 2 Corinthians 9:8 περισσεύητε present active subjunctive subjunctive Ephesians 1:8 ἐπερίσσευσεν aorist active indicative completed Philippians 1:26 περισσεύῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive Philippians 1:9 περισσεύῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive Philippians 4:12 περισσεύειν present active infinitive infinitive Philippians 4:12 περισσεύειν present active infinitive infinitive Philippians 4:18 περισσεύω present active indicative ongoing Colossians 2:7 περισσεύοντες present active participle participle 1 Thessalonians 4:1 περισσεύητε present active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Thessalonians 4:10 περισσεύειν present active infinitive infinitive

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Acts 16:1-5 Increased perisseúō Indicative · Imperfect Active
To abound or grow.
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

ἄρτος · περισσεύω G740, G4052
have bread in abundance
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 15 — Christ Is Risen, the Dead Will Be Raised, and Death Will Be Destroyed Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Philippians 4 — Rejoicing, Peace, Contentment, and Gospel Partnership in Christ Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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