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Greek · G837 · unreviewed

αὐξάνω

To grow

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αὐξάνω G837
Pronunciation auxánō

What does αὐξάνω (auxánō) mean in the Bible?

αὐξάνω (auxánō) is a Greek word meaning "to grow". αὐξάνω (and the earlier form αὔξω, Eph.

Full entry for αὐξάνω (G837) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to grow
Extended definition

Organic increase toward maturity or fullness, whether of plants, persons, communities, or spiritual character.

(and the earlier form αὔξω, Eph.2:21, Col.2:19; MM, see word), [in LXX chiefly for פָּרָה ;]

1trans., to make to grow: 1Co.3:6-7, 2Co.9:10. Pass., to grow, increase, become greater: Mat.13:32, Mrk.4:8, 2Co.10:15, Col.1:6; τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τ. θεοῦ, Col.1:10; εἰς σωτηρίαν, 1Pe.2:2.
2In later Gk. (but nowhere in LXX), intrans., to grow, increase: of plants, Mat.6:28, Luk.12:27 13:19; of infants, Luk.1:80 2:40; of a multitude, Act.7:17; of the increase of the Gospel: ὁ λόγος ηὔξανε, Act.6:7 12:24 19:20; of Christ as a leader, Jhn.3:30; of Christian character: εἰς Χριοτόν, Eph.4:15; εἰς ναόν, Eph.2:21; ἐν χάριτι, 2Pe.3:18; τὴν αὔξησιν τ. θεσῦ, Col.2:19 (cf. συν, ὑπερ-αυξάνω).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Imperfect Aorist Present Future
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 11×
Imperfect Active Luke 1:80 · Luke 2:40 · Acts 6:7 · Acts 12:24 · Acts 19:20 · 1 Cor 3:6 6×
Aorist Active Luke 13:19 · Acts 7:17 2×
Present Active Matt 6:28 · Luke 12:27 2×
Future Active 2 Cor 9:10 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Aorist Passive Matt 13:32 · 1 Pet 2:2 2×
Aorist Active Eph 4:15 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 5×
Present Passive Mark 4:8 · 2 Cor 10:15 · Col 1:6 · Col 1:10 4×
Present Active 1 Cor 3:7 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active John 3:30 1×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Active 2 Pet 3:18 1×
21 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 18 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 1 ongoing 4 prospective 1 imperative 1 background 4 subjunctive 3 infinitive 1 participle 3
Tense
present 9 imperfect 4 aorist 4 future 1
Voice
active 14 passive 4
Mood
indicative 10 participle 3 subjunctive 3 imperative 1 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:28 αὐξάνουσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 13:32 αὐξηθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 1:80 ηὔξανε imperfect active indicative background Luke 2:40 ηὔξανεν imperfect active indicative background Luke 12:27 αὐξάνει present active indicative ongoing Luke 13:19 ηὔξησεν aorist active indicative completed John 3:30 αὐξάνειν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 6:7 ηὔξανεν imperfect active indicative background 1 Corinthians 3:6 ηὔξανεν imperfect active indicative background 1 Corinthians 3:7 αὐξάνων present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 9:10 αὐξήσει future active indicative prospective 2 Corinthians 10:15 αὐξανομένης present passive participle participle Ephesians 2:21 αὔξει present active indicative ongoing Ephesians 4:15 αὐξήσωμεν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Colossians 1:10 αὐξανόμενοι present passive participle participle Colossians 2:19 αὔξει present active indicative ongoing 1 Peter 2:2 αὐξηθῆτε aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive 2 Peter 3:18 αὐξάνετε present active imperative imperative

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.

Witnesses
Luke 1:80 ηὔξανεν auxánō
Was growing
Luke 2:39–40 ηὔξανεν auxánō
Was growing
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 3 — God’s Field, God’s Building, God’s Temple Acts 12 — The Lord Delivers His Servant and Judges Proud Opposition Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 6 — Word Ministry, Servant Leadership, and Stephen’s Faithful Witness John 3 — New Birth, Lifted-Up Son, and the Love of God for the World

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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