4122. pleonekteó

Lexicon

pleonekteó: To covet, to defraud, to take advantage of

Original Word: πλεονεκτέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pleonekteó
Pronunciation: pleh-on-ek-teh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (pleh-on-cek-teh'-o)
Definition: To covet, to defraud, to take advantage of
Meaning: I take advantage of, overreach, defraud.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

take advantage, defraud, make a gain.

From pleonektes; to be covetous, i.e. (by implication) to over-reach -- get an advantage, defraud, make a gain.

see GREEK pleonektes

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4122 pleonektéō (from 4119 /pleíōn, "more" and 2192/exō, "have") – properly, "(the desire) to have more," i.e. acquire more (a greater number of) things; to covet (improper) gain.

4122 /pleonektéō ("covet, defraud") shows inordinate desire, especially lusting for what belongs to someone else. See 4124 (pleoneksia).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from pleonektés
Definition
to have more, to overreach
NASB Translation
advantage would be taken of (1), defraud (1), take any advantage (1), taken advantage (1), took advantage (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4122: πλεονεκτέω

πλεονεκτέω, πλεονέκτω; 1 aorist ἐπλεονέκτησα; 1 aorist passive subjunctive 1 person plural πλεονεκτηθῶμεν; (πλεονέκτης);

1. intransitive, to have more, or a greater part or share: Thucydides, Xenophon, Plutarch, others; to be superior, excel, surpass, have an advantage over, τίνος (genitive of person) τίνι (the dative of thing): Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates, Demosthenes, others.

2. transitive, to gain or take advantage of another, to overreach: (Herodotus 8, 112), Plato, Diodorus, Dionysius Halicarnassus, Dio Cassius, others; and so in the N. T. in 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:17, 18; 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (see πρᾶγμα, b.); passive (cf. Buttmann, § 132, 22) ὑπό τίνος, 2 Corinthians 2:11(10).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from πλεονέκτης (pleonektēs), meaning "covetous" or "greedy," which itself comes from πλείων (pleiōn), meaning "more," and ἔχω (echō), meaning "to have."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent to πλεονεκτέω, the concept of covetousness and unjust gain is addressed in several Hebrew terms, such as:
• בָּצַע (batsa, Strong's Hebrew 1214): To cut off, break off, gain by violence, or covet.
• חָמַד (chamad, Strong's Hebrew 2530): To desire, covet, take pleasure in.
• עָשַׁק (ashaq, Strong's Hebrew 6231): To oppress, extort, or exploit.

These Hebrew terms reflect similar ethical concerns regarding greed and exploitation, underscoring the consistent biblical message against such practices.

Usage: The verb πλεονεκτέω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of taking advantage of others, often in the context of greed or covetousness. It implies an unethical or unjust gain at the expense of another.

Context: The term πλεονεκτέω appears in several New Testament passages, highlighting the moral and ethical concerns associated with greed and exploitation. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, Paul warns the church not to be outwitted by Satan, implying that greed can be a tool of the enemy. In 2 Corinthians 7:2, Paul defends his ministry by stating, "We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one." Here, πλεονεκτέω is translated as "exploited," emphasizing the integrity expected of Christian leaders.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, Paul admonishes believers that "no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him," using πλεονεκτέω to caution against defrauding others, particularly in matters of personal relationships and business dealings. This reflects the broader biblical principle that covetousness and exploitation are contrary to the love and justice that should characterize the Christian community.

The concept of πλεονεκτέω is closely related to the broader biblical theme of contentment and the dangers of materialism. It serves as a warning against the insatiable desire for more, which can lead to unethical behavior and spiritual downfall. The New Testament consistently calls believers to a life of generosity, fairness, and trust in God's provision, contrasting sharply with the self-serving nature of πλεονεκτέω.

Forms and Transliterations

επλεονεκτησα επλεονέκτησα ἐπλεονέκτησα επλεονεκτησαμεν επλεονεκτήσαμεν ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν επλεονεκτησεν επλεονέκτησεν ἐπλεονέκτησεν πλεονεκτειν πλεονεκτείν πλεονεκτεῖν πλεονεκτηθωμεν πλεονεκτηθῶμεν πλεονέκτημα πλεονεκτών πλεονεκτώσι epleonektesa epleonektēsa epleonéktesa epleonéktēsa epleonektesamen epleonektēsamen epleonektḗsamen epleonektesen epleonektēsen epleonéktesen epleonéktēsen pleonektein pleonekteîn pleonektethomen pleonektethômen pleonektēthōmen pleonektēthō̂men

Englishman's Concordance

2 Corinthians 2:11 V-ASP-1P
GRK: ἵνα μὴ πλεονεκτηθῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ
NAS: that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan,
KJV: Satan should get an advantage of us: for
INT: that not we be outwitted by

2 Corinthians 7:2 V-AIA-1P
GRK: ἐφθείραμεν οὐδένα ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν
NAS: no one, we took advantage of no one.
KJV: no man, we have defrauded no man.
INT: did we corrupt no one did we exploit

2 Corinthians 12:17 V-AIA-1S
GRK: δι' αὐτοῦ ἐπλεονέκτησα ὑμᾶς
NAS: [Certainly] I have not taken advantage of you through
KJV: Did I make a gain of you by
INT: by him did I overreach you

2 Corinthians 12:18 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἀδελφόν μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος
NAS: with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves
KJV: Titus make a gain of you?
INT: brother not did exploit you Titus

1 Thessalonians 4:6 V-PNA
GRK: ὑπερβαίνειν καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν ἐν τῷ
NAS: man transgress and defraud his brother
KJV: and defraud his
INT: to go beyond and to overreach in the

Strong's Greek 4122
5 Occurrences

ἐπλεονέκτησα — 1 Occ.
ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν — 1 Occ.
ἐπλεονέκτησεν — 1 Occ.
πλεονεκτηθῶμεν — 1 Occ.
πλεονεκτεῖν — 1 Occ.