Lexical Summary pleonexia: Greed, covetousness Original Word: πλεονεξία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance covetousness, greediness. From pleonektes; avarice, i.e. (by implication) fraudulency, extortion -- covetous(-ness) practices, greediness. see GREEK pleonektes HELPS Word-studies 4124 pleoneksía (a feminine noun derived from 4119 /pleíōn, "numerically more" and 2192 /éxō, "have") – properly, the desire for more (things), i.e. lusting for a greater number of temporal things that go beyond what God determines is eternally best (beyond His preferred-will, cf. 2307 /thélēma); covetousness (coveting). 4124 /pleoneksía (a feminine noun) points to a brand of covetousness, defined by the context. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pleonektés Definition advantage, covetousness NASB Translation covetousness (1), deeds of coveting (1), greed (7), greediness (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4124: πλεονεξίαπλεονεξία, πλεονεξίας, ἡ (πλεονέκτης, which see), greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice: Luke 12:15; Romans 1:29; Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 2 Peter 2:3 (on the omission of the article in the last two passages, cf. Winer's Grammar, 120 (114)), 14; ὡς (Rec. ὥσπερ) πλεονεξίαν (as a matter of covetousness), i. e. a gift which betrays the giver's covetousness, 2 Corinthians 9:5 (here R. V. text extortion); plural various modes in which covetousness shows itself, covetings (cf. Winers Grammar, § 27, 3; Buttmann, 77 (67)), Mark 7:22. (In the same and various other senses by secular writings from Herodotus and Thucydides down.) (Trench, N. T. Synonyms, § xxiv., and (in partial correction) Lightfoot's Commentary on Colossians 3:5.) Topical Lexicon Conceptual OverviewThe term translated “greed” or “covetousness” (Strong’s Greek 4124) describes an appetite that always wants more—more money, more power, more pleasure—regardless of moral cost. Scripture treats it not as a minor flaw but as a foundational sin that rivals the worship of God. Old Testament Foundations Greed is implicitly forbidden in the Tenth Commandment (“You shall not covet,” Exodus 20:17) and repeatedly condemned by the prophets (for example, Isaiah 56:11; Micah 2:2). Against this backdrop the New Testament writers employ 4124 to expose the same heart-disease now revealed in Christ’s light. The Warning of Jesus • Mark 7:22 places greed among the defiling evils that “come from within and make a man unclean,” showing that the problem is internal, not circumstantial. Pauline Emphasis—Greed as Idolatry Paul’s letters portray greed as a life-dominating power that displaces God: • Romans 1:29 lists it among the evidences of a mind that has rejected divine revelation. Petrine Condemnation—Greed and False Teachers Peter highlights greed as the engine driving doctrinal corruption: • 2 Peter 2:3: “In their greed these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words.” Greed produces both the message (what people want to hear) and the method (exploitation), demonstrating its destructive reach into ecclesial life. Pastoral and Practical Implications 1. Personal holiness: Believers must wage war against internal desires, not merely external behaviors. Historical Perspective Early Christian apologists such as Tertullian contrasted the church’s generosity with Rome’s avarice, while later monastic movements pursued voluntary poverty as a protest against clerical greed. Throughout history revivals have often featured public restitution of ill-gotten gains, illustrating the Spirit’s power to uproot 4124 from human hearts. Constructive Antidotes • Gratitude: Regular thanksgiving shifts focus from what is lacking to what has been graciously given. Conclusion Strong’s 4124 unmasks a driving force behind much human sin. By exposing greed’s idolatrous nature, Scripture calls believers to a radically different economy of the heart—one ruled by trust in God’s provision and marked by open-handed love toward others. Forms and Transliterations πλεονεξια πλεονεξία πλεονεξίᾳ πλεονεξιαι πλεονεξίαι πλεονεξιαν πλεονεξίαν πλεονεξιας πλεονεξίας pleonexia pleonexía pleonexiai pleonexíai pleonexíāi pleonexian pleonexían pleonexias pleonexíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Mark 7:22 N-NFPGRK: πλεονεξίαι πονηρίαι δόλος NAS: deeds of coveting [and] wickedness, KJV: Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, INT: covetous desires wickednesses deceit Luke 12:15 N-GFS Romans 1:29 N-DFS 2 Corinthians 9:5 N-AFS Ephesians 4:19 N-DFS Ephesians 5:3 N-NFS Colossians 3:5 N-AFS 1 Thessalonians 2:5 N-GFS 2 Peter 2:3 N-DFS 2 Peter 2:14 N-GFS Strong's Greek 4124 |
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