Lexical Summary huperpleonazó: To abound exceedingly, to overflow Original Word: ὑπερπλεονάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance overflowFrom huper and pleonazo; to superabound -- be exceeding abundant. see GREEK huper see GREEK pleonazo HELPS Word-studies 5250 hyperpleonázō (from 5228 /hypér, "beyond" and 4121 /pleonázō, "many, being great in number") – properly, to make exceedingly plentiful (literally "very numerous, numerically abundant"), beyond counting (what can be numbered). 5250 /hyperpleonázō ("super-abounded beyond numbering") is only used in 1 Tim 1:14. Here Paul testifies of the Lord's grace, causing faith and love in his life to exceedingly increase (be very great in number). As a strengthened form of 5428 /phrónēsis ("more than"), 5250 /hyperpleonázō ("makes super-plentiful") very emphatically expresses the continuous way God will inbirth faith, through divine love, in the yielded believer to a frequency that exceeds all description and expectation! [5250 (hyperpleonázō) means more than "make abundant," but rather "super, exceedingly abundant" (Souter).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom huper and pleonazó Definition to abound exceedingly NASB Translation more than abundant (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5250: ὑπερπλεονάζωὑπερπλεονάζω: 1 aorist ὑπερεπλεόνασα; (Vulg.superabundo); to be exceedingly abundant: 1 Timothy 1:14 (τόν ὑπερπλεοναζοντα ἀέρα, Heron. spirit., p. 165, 40; several times also in ecclesiastical writings (ὑπερπλεοναζει absolutely, overflows, Hermas, mand. 5, 2, 5 [ET]); to possess in excess, ἐάν ὑπερπλεονάσῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἐξαμαρτάνει, Ps. Sal. Topical Lexicon Overview The single New Testament occurrence of the verb ὑπερπλεονάζω (hyperpleonazō) pictures an overflowing, super-abundant supply. In 1 Timothy 1:14 Paul recounts that “the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus”. The term gathers into one vivid image the limitless reach of divine grace that not only meets human need but cascades far beyond it. Biblical Context 1 Timothy 1:12-17 frames Paul’s personal testimony. Once a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (verse 13), he is now entrusted with the gospel. The hinge of that transformation is expressed in verse 14, where grace “overflowed.” The verb intensifies the familiar Pauline idea of grace “abounding” (Romans 5:20) by adding the notion of surpassing excess. The surrounding verses elevate Christ’s mercy as the controlling theme and set Paul forth as a pattern for all who will believe (verse 16), thereby defending both the universality and the efficacy of the gospel he proclaims. Theological Significance 1. Super-abounding Grace and Human Sin Historical Insights Paul writes near the end of his ministry (mid-60s AD), leaving Timothy at Ephesus to stabilize the church. Emphasizing an “overflow” of grace would hearten a young minister facing opposition and potential discouragement. Early church fathers such as Chrysostom pointed to 1 Timothy 1:14 when exhorting believers to confidence in God’s pardoning love, noting that Paul’s past magnifies the divine achievement of his apostleship. Pastoral Applications • Assurance for the Penitent: No biography is beyond the reach of grace. Connections with Other Biblical Themes • Covenant Mercy: Old Testament declarations that the Lord is “abounding in loving devotion” (Exodus 34:6) anticipate the fuller revelation of 1 Timothy 1:14. Illustrative Examples in Ministry • Testimony Services: 1 Timothy 1:14 offers a framework for believers to share how grace has super-abounded in their lives. Summary Strong’s Greek 5250 serves as a theological and pastoral beacon, declaring that God’s grace does not merely balance the scales but overflowingly tips them in favor of repentant sinners. In Paul’s life and in every subsequent generation, that super-abundance remains the ground of faith, love, and enduring hope. Forms and Transliterations υπερεπλεόνασε υπερεπλεονασεν ὑπερεπλεόνασεν υπερτίθενται hyperepleonasen hyperepleónasen uperepleonasenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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