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Greek verb · G4052

περισσεύω

perisseuoper-is-syoo'-o

of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence; Of persons

39 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: perisseúō

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G4052is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 12 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 22
    spellings
  • 2
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G4052

to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel

The King James renders it: (make, more) abound, (have, have more) abundance (be more) abundant, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase, be left, redound, remain (over and above).

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

perisseuo is rendered "of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence; Of persons". It stands 39 times in the Greek text, across twelve books.

  • Ten of the uses stand in 2 Corinthians, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists two meanings for it, beginning with "of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 5:20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
  • The Greek text spells it twenty-two different ways.

The first use

For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20περισσεύσῃ

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Ten of the word's thirty-nine uses are in 2 Corinthians.

The other 15 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

The word carries two meanings: of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence, and Of persons.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence__(a) to be or remain overTagged as
  • abounding3
  • you may abound3
  • abound2
  • abounded2
  • is remaindering2
  • may abound2
  • did abound1
  • exceeded1

and 15 more, 31 uses in all

WhereMatthew 14:20They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces…
Of persons__(a) to abound in, have in abundanceTagged as
  • to abound4
  • abounds2
  • have abundance1
  • you may exceed1
WhereLuke 15:17Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of…

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

περίperiaboutUses332
περιπατέωperipateoto walkUses94
περιτομήperitomecircumcisionUses36
περιβάλλωperiballoto clotheUses23
περιτέμνωperitemnoto circumciseUses17
περισσοτέρωςperissoterosmore excessivelyUses12
περιστεράperisteradoveUses10
περισσῶςperissosexcessivelyUses9
περίχωροςperichorosregionUses9
περισσότεροςperissoterosmore excessiveUses9
περιτίθημιperitithemito put onUses8
περιβλέπωperiblepoto look aroundUses7

and 43 more on the stem.

All 39, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

22 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • περισσεύειν5
  • ἐπερίσσευσεν4
  • περισσεύει3
  • περισσεύητε3
  • περισσεύῃ2
  • περισσευθήσεται2
  • περισσεῦον2
  • περισσεύοντες2
  • περισσεύοντος2
  • περισσεύσῃ2
  • ἐπερίσσευον1
  • ἐπερίσσευσαν1

and 10 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)5V-PAN
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singular4V-AAI-3S
  • verb · present active, subjunctive · 2nd person plural4V-PAS-2P
  • verb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singular3V-PAI-3S
  • verb · aorist active, subjunctive · 3rd person singular2V-AAS-3S
  • verb · future passive, indicative · 3rd person singular2V-FPI-3S
  • verb · present active, participle · accusative (object) · neuter singular2V-PAP-ASN
  • verb · present active, participle · genitive (“of”) · neuter singular2V-PAP-GSN
  • verb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2V-PAP-NPM
  • verb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singular2V-PAS-3S
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person plural1V-AAI-3P
  • verb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)1V-AAN

Matthew

five uses
  • For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

    Matthew 5:20

    • περισσεύσῃperisseuseverb · aorist active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: shall abound
  • Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

    Matthew 13:12

    • περισσευθήσεταιperisseuthesetaiverb · future passive, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: will be abundant
  • They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

    Matthew 14:20

    • περισσεῦονperisseuonverb · present active, participle · accusative (object) · neuter singulartagged: is remaindering
  • They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

    Matthew 15:37

    • περισσεῦονperisseuonverb · present active, participle · accusative (object) · neuter singulartagged: is remaindering
  • For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

    Matthew 25:29

    • περισσευθήσεταιperisseuthesetaiverb · future passive, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: he will have in abundance

Mark

one use
  • For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

    Mark 12:44

    • περισσεύοντοςperisseuontosverb · present active, participle · genitive (“of”) · neuter singulartagged: is abounding

Luke

four uses
  • They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

    Luke 9:17

    • περισσεῦσανperisseusanverb · aorist active, participle · nominative (subject) · neuter singulartagged: having been a surplus
  • And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

    Luke 12:15

    • περισσεύεινperisseueinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: abounding
  • Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!

    Luke 15:17

    • περισσεύονταιperisseuontaiverb · present middle, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: have abundance
  • For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

    Luke 21:4

    • περισσεύοντοςperisseuontosverb · present active, participle · genitive (“of”) · neuter singulartagged: was abounding

John

two uses
  • And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”

    John 6:12

    • περισσεύσανταperisseusantaverb · aorist active, participle · accusative (object) · neuter pluraltagged: having been over and above
  • So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

    John 6:13

    • ἐπερίσσευσανeperisseusanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: exceeded

Acts

one use
  • So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

    Acts 16:5

    • ἐπερίσσευονeperisseuonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were increasing

Romans

three uses
  • However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?

    Romans 3:7

    • ἐπερίσσευσενeperisseusenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: abounded
  • But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!

    Romans 5:15

    • ἐπερίσσευσενeperisseusenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: did abound
  • Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Romans 15:13

    • περισσεύεινperisseueinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to abound

1 Corinthians

three uses
  • But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

    1 Corinthians 8:8

    • περισσεύομεν.¶perisseuomenverb · present active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: have we an advantage
  • It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

    1 Corinthians 14:12

    • περισσεύητε.¶perisseueteverb · present active, subjunctive · 2nd person pluraltagged: you may exceed
  • Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

    1 Corinthians 15:58

    • περισσεύοντεςperisseuontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: abounding

2 Corinthians

ten uses
  • For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

    2 Corinthians 1:5

    • περισσεύειperisseueiverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: abound
    • περισσεύειperisseueiverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: abounds
  • For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

    2 Corinthians 3:9

    • περισσεύειperisseueiverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: abounds
  • All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

    2 Corinthians 4:15

    • περισσεύσῃperisseuseverb · aorist active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: may increase
  • In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

    2 Corinthians 8:2

    • ἐπερίσσευσενeperisseusenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: abounded
  • But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

    2 Corinthians 8:7

    • περισσεύετεperisseueteverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person pluraltagged: you abound
    • περισσεύητεperisseueteverb · present active, subjunctive · 2nd person pluraltagged: you may abound
  • And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

    2 Corinthians 9:8

    • περισσεῦσαιperisseusaiverb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to make abound
    • περισσεύητεperisseueteverb · present active, subjunctive · 2nd person pluraltagged: you may abound
  • For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

    2 Corinthians 9:12

    • περισσεύουσαperisseuousaverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: is overflowing

Ephesians

one use
  • that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

    Ephesians 1:8

    • ἐπερίσσευσενeperisseusenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: He lavished

Philippians

five uses
  • And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

    Philippians 1:9

    • περισσεύῃperisseueverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: may abound
  • so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.

    Philippians 1:26

    • περισσεύῃperisseueverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: may abound
  • I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need.

    Philippians 4:12

    • περισσεύεινperisseueinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to abound
    • περισσεύεινperisseueinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to abound
  • I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

    Philippians 4:18

    • περισσεύωperisseuoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: abound

Colossians

one use
  • rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

    Colossians 2:7

    • περισσεύοντεςperisseuontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: abounding

1 Thessalonians

three uses
  • And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,

    1 Thessalonians 3:12

    • περισσεύσαιperisseusaiverb · aorist active, optative · 3rd person singulartagged: He would abound
  • Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.

    1 Thessalonians 4:1

    • περισσεύητεperisseueteverb · present active, subjunctive · 2nd person pluraltagged: you may abound
  • And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more

    1 Thessalonians 4:10

    • περισσεύεινperisseueinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to abound

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →