Lexical Summary pleión: More, greater, many Original Word: πλείων Strong's Exhaustive Concordance more excellent, very great, many Or neuter pleion (pli'-on), or pleon (pleh'-on) comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also (in plural) the major portion -- X above, + exceed, more excellent, further, (very) great(-er), long(-er), (very) many, greater (more) part, + yet but. see GREEK polus HELPS Word-studies 4119 pleíōn – the comparative ("-er" form) of 4183 /polýs ("great in number") meaning "greater in quantity" (comparatively speaking); more than (numerically); abundant (greater in number). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origincptv. of polus, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4119: πλείωνπλείων, πλείονος, ὁ, ἡ, neuter πλεῖον (eighteen times) and (in Luke 3:13; (John 21:15 L T Tr WH); Acts 15:28) πλέον (cf. (WHs Appendix, p. 151); Matthiae, i., p. 333; Krüger, § 23, 7, 4; Kühner, § 156, 3; Passow, under the word πολύς, B. 1; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, B.)), plural πλείονες and contracted πλείους, accusative πλείονας and contracted πλείους (which forms are used indiscriminately in the N. T.), neuter πλείονα and (L T Tr WH in Matthew 26:53; L T in Luke 21:3) contracted πλείω; (comparitive of πολύς); more, i. e. 1. greater in quantity: the object with which the comparison is made being added in the genitive, as πλείονας τῶν πρώτων, more in number than the first, Matthew 21:36; πλεῖον (or πλείω) πάντων, more than all, Mark 12:43; Luke 21:3; πλείονα ... τούτων, more than these, John 7:31 (here L T Tr WH omit the genitive (see below)); πλείονα τῶν πρώτων, more than the first, Revelation 2:19; πλεῖον τούτων, more than these, John 21:15; (πλείονα τιμήν ἔχειν τοῦ οἴκου, Hebrews 3:3b (cf. Winer's Grammar, 190 (178), 240 (225))); περισσεύειν πλεῖον, more than, followed by a genitive (A. V. exceed), Matthew 5:20. πλείονες (πλείους) ἤ, Matthew 26:53 R G (L πλείω (br. ἤ)); John 4:1 (Tr marginal reading omits; WH brackets ἤ). πλεῖον ἤ, more than, Luke 9:13; πλέον πλήν with a genitive Acts 15:28; πλέον παρά (τί or τινα (see παρά, III. 2 b.)), Luke 3:13; (Hebrews 3:3a); ἤ is omitted before numerals without change of construction: ἐτῶν ἦν πλειόνων τεσσαράκοντα ὁ ἄνθρωπος, Acts 4:22; οὐ πλείους εἰσιν μοι ἡμέραι δεκαδύο, Acts 24:11 (here Rec. inserts ἤ); ἡμέρας οὐ πλείους ὀκτώ ἤ δέκα (Rec. πλείους ἤ δέκα), Acts 25:6; add, Acts 23:13, 21; as in Greek writings after a neuter: πλείω (Lachmann ἤ in brackets) δώδεκα λεγεῶνας, Matthew 26:53 (T Tr WH (but T λεγιωνων)) (πλεῖν — Attic for πλεῖον — ἑξακοσίους, Aristophanes av. 1251; ἔτη γεγονώς πλείω ἑβδομήκοντα, Plato, Apology Socrates, p. 17 d.; see ἤ, 3 a.; on the omission ofquam in Latin afterplus andamplius, cf. Ramshorn, Latin Gram., p. 491; (Roby, Latin Gram. § 1273)). the objects with which the comparison is made are not added because easily supplied from the context: John 4:41; (John 7:31 (see above)); 2. greater in quality, superior, more excellent: followed by the genitive of comparison, Matthew 6:25; Matthew 12:41, 42; Mark 12:33 (here T WH Tr text περισσότερον); Luke 11:31, 32; Luke 12:23; (πλείονα θυσίαν ... παρά Κάϊν, Hebrews 11:4 (see παρά, as above). From Homer down.) STRONGS NT 4119: πλέονπλέον, see πλείων. From Genesis onward the narrative of redemption advances by the gracious “more” of God—more revelation, more mercy, more glory. In the New Testament, Strong’s Greek 4119 captures that crescendo. Whether referring to quantity, quality, intensity, or superiority, the term repeatedly underlines the surpassing nature of God’s works and calls believers to continual growth. Jesus Christ: The One Who Is Greater 1. Greater Righteousness Matthew 5:20 records Christ’s warning: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The comparative presses His hearers beyond external conformity to an inward, Spirit-wrought obedience. 2. Life Worth More In Matthew 6:25 and Luke 12:23 Jesus comforts anxious disciples: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” By this comparison He elevates eternal priorities above temporal needs. 3. The Supremacy of Christ Three times our Lord announces, “Something greater than…”: Each claim stakes Christ’s superiority over Israel’s highest institutions, prophets, and kings. 4. Abundance in Ministry When the disciples protested, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish” (Luke 9:13), Jesus multiplied the meager into abundance, illustrating that in His hands little becomes much. 5. Sacrificial Giving Watching the temple treasury, He said, “This poor widow has put in more than all the others” (Mark 12:43; Luke 21:3). True valuation rests not in amount but in wholehearted devotion. Acts: The Gospel Spreads Still More As the risen Christ sends His Spirit, 4119 accents numerical and geographical expansion: • Acts 2:40 – Peter urges the crowd and “with many other words” bears witness, multiplying testimony. Pauline Epistles: Abounding in Service and Grace 1 Corinthians 9:19 — “I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” 2 Corinthians 4:15 — “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” Philippians 1:14 — Persecution emboldens “most of the brothers, confident in the Lord,” to speak the word “more courageously and fearlessly.” The comparative underscores Paul’s passion for enlargement of the gospel, generosity (2 Corinthians 9:2), and holiness (2 Timothy 2:16 warns that irreverent talk “will lead to more ungodliness”). Hebrews: The Superiority of the New Covenant Hebrews 3:3 — “Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses.” Hebrews 7:23 — Former priests were many in number; Christ’s indestructible life guarantees a greater, permanent priesthood. Hebrews 11:4 — Abel “still speaks,” bearing witness that faith offers God a “better” (lit. greater) sacrifice. Each usage forms part of the epistle’s argument that everything in Christ surpasses the shadows of the Old Covenant. Revelation: Growing Works Commended To Thyatira Jesus says, “I know your deeds, your love, faith, service, and perseverance; and your latter works are greater than your first” (Revelation 2:19). The comparative frames sanctification as progressive, stirring believers to finish stronger than they began. Pastoral and Discipleship Applications • Spiritual Growth John 15:2 promises that pruning yields “more fruit.” The Christian life is marked by increase—of love (Philippians 1:9), knowledge, and good works. Conclusion Strong’s Greek 4119 threads through the New Testament as a reminder that God’s redemptive plan is one of continual increase: greater revelation in Christ, greater expansion of the gospel, greater growth in believers, and ultimately the greatest display of glory at His return. “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20), the church responds with ever-increasing praise and obedience. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 5:20 Adj-ANS-CGRK: ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων INT: righteousness above [that] of the scribes Matthew 6:25 Adj-NNS-C Matthew 12:41 Adj-NNS-C Matthew 12:42 Adj-NNS-C Matthew 20:10 Adj-ANS-C Matthew 21:36 Adj-AMP-C Matthew 26:53 Adj-ANP-C Mark 12:43 Adj-ANS-C Luke 3:13 Adj-ANS-C Luke 7:42 Adj-ANS-C Luke 7:43 Adj-ANS-C Luke 9:13 Adj-NNS-C Luke 11:31 Adj-NNS-C Luke 11:32 Adj-NNS-C Luke 11:53 Adj-GNP-C Luke 12:23 Adj-NNS-C Luke 21:3 Adj-ANS-C John 4:1 Adj-AMP-C John 4:41 Adj-NMP-C John 7:31 Adj-ANP-C John 15:2 Adj-AMS-C John 21:15 Adj-ANS-C Acts 2:40 Adj-DMP-C Acts 4:17 Adj-ANS-C Acts 4:22 Adj-GNP-C Strong's Greek 4119 |
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