Quick Definition
περισσεύω v. I exceed, am left over
Strong's Definition
from 4053; to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel
KJV Usage: (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)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | περισσεία · περίσσευμα · περισσός · περισσότερος · περισσοτέρως · περισσῶς · ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ · ὑπερπερισσεύω · ὑπερπερισσῶς
59.52 · Quantity · Abundance, Excess, Sparing
to abound, to be in abundance, to be a lot of, to exist in a large quantity, to be left over (derivative of περισσός[c] ‘abundant,’ 59.51) to be or exist in abundance, with the implication of being considerably more than what would be expected In a number of languages it is extremely difficult to find an equivalent of ‘to abound.’ Moreover, it is not at all easy to find an expression of quantity which seems to go satisfactorily with ‘the sufferings of Christ.’ In some languages the closest equivalent of this expression in 2CO 1:5 may be ‘for just as we suffer a great deal, even as Christ suffered.’ It would be wrong, however, to use an expression for ‘suffering’ which would suggest vicarious suffering.
The rendering of περισσεύω in ACT 16:5 as ‘to grow’ results from the expression τῷ ἀριθμῷ. In a number of languages the equivalent would be ‘the number of people in the churches increased every day’ or ‘how many believers there were was more and more each day.’
MRK 12:44 · LUK 12:15 · LUK 21:4 · JHN 6:12 · JHN 6:13 · ACT 16:5 · ROM 3:7 · ROM 5:15 · 1CO 15:58 · 2CO 1:5 · 2CO 1:5 · 2CO 3:9 · 2CO 4:15 · 2CO 9:8 · 2CO 9:12 · PHP 1:26 · COL 2:7 · 1TH 4:10
59.54 · Quantity · Abundance, Excess, Sparing
to provide in abundance, to provide a great deal of, to cause to be abundant to cause something to exist in an abundance In some languages, however, it may be very strange to speak of having or receiving an abundance of grace. The closest equivalent for EPH 1:7-EPH 1:8 may be ‘grace which he caused us to experience abundantly’ or ‘grace which he showed to us in an abundant way.’
57.24 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Have Sufficient
to have (much) more than enough, to have an overabundance to have such an abundance as to be more than sufficient
MAT 14:20 · MAT 15:37 · LUK 9:17 · LUK 15:17 · ROM 15:13 · 1CO 14:12 · PHP 4:12 · PHP 4:12 · PHP 4:18
78.31 · Degree · More Than, Less Than [Comparative Degree]
very great, excessive, extremely, emphatic, surpassing, all the more, much greater a degree which is considerably in excess of some point on an implied or explicit scale of extent In PHP 1:9 it is clear that μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον (see 78.28) serves to emphasize the degree expressed in περισσεύω. The verb περισσεύητε in 1TH 4:1 may be regarded as a kind of substitute verb referring to περιπατεῖτε and indicating essentially a matter of degree. This is, of course, further reinforced by μᾶλλον (78.28).
MAT 5:20 · 2CO 8:2 · 2CO 8:7 · 2CO 8:7 · PHP 1:9 · 1TH 4:1 · 1TH 4:10
78.32 · Degree · More Than, Less Than [Comparative Degree]
to cause to be intense, to cause to be more, to cause to grow to cause an increase in the degree of some experience or state It would seem that πλεονάσαι and περισσεύσαι in 1TH 3:12 simply reinforce the meaning of intense degree. It is assumed that these two expressions are not completely synonymous, but it is difficult to determine precisely how they may contrast. It may simply be that περισσεύσαι is somewhat more emphatic.
65.47 · Value · Advantageous, Not Advantageous
to have a greater benefit, to experience a superior advantage to experience superior benefit or advantage, implying some type of comparison In indicating ‘a superior advantage’ it may be necessary to be quite specific about the basis for the comparison. For example, in 1CO 8:8 it may be necessary to translate as ‘if we do eat, we will be no better off than if we did not eat,’ and in ROM 3:9 one may translate ‘what then; are we decidedly better off than the others are?’
1 It is possible that περισσεύω[e] differs somewhat from πλεονάζω[b] in intensity, implying perhaps an overabundance of something, but it is difficult to confirm such a distinction on the basis of existing texts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
περισσεύω ; impf. ἐπερίσσευον (Acts xvi. 5); fut. inf. περισσεύσειν (Phil. iv. 12 Rec.'*); 1 aor. ἐπερίσσευσα; Pass., pres. περισσεύομαι (Lk. xv. 17, see below); 1 fut. 3 pers. sing. περισσευθήσεται; (περισσός, q- V-) 5 1. intrans. and prop. to exceed a fixed number or measure ; to be over and above a certain number or measure: μύριοί εἰσιν ἀριθμὸν ... εἷς δὲ περισσεύει, Hes. fr. 14, 4 [elxix. (187), ed. Gottling]; hence a. ἰο be over, to remain: Jn. vi. 12; τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων, 1. q. τὰ περισσεύοντα κλάσματα, Mt. xiv. 20; xv. 37; περισσεύει μοί τι, Jn. vi.13 (Tob. iv. 16) ; τὸ περισσεῦσάν τινι, what remained over to one, Lk. ix. 17. b. to exist or be at hand in abundance: τινί, Lk. xii. 15; τὸ περισσεῦόν τινι, one’s abundance, wealth, [(R. V. superfluity) ; opp. to ὑστέonots], Mk. xii. 44; opp. to ὑστέρημα, Lk. xxi. 4; to be Ὁ περισσός great (abundant), 2 Co. ἰ. δὴ ; ix.12; Phil.i. 26; περισσεύει τι εἴς τινα, a thing comes in abundance, or overflows, unto one; something falls to the lot of one in large measure: Ro. v.15; 2 Co.i. 5°; περισσεύω εἴς τι, to redound unto, turn out abundantly for, a thing, 2 Co. viii. 2; ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ψεύσματι ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, i. 6. by my lie it came to pass that God’s veracity became the more conspicuous, and becoming thus more thoroughly known increased his glory, Ro. 111. 7; to be increased, τῷ ἀριθμῷ, Acts xvi. 5. c. to abound, overflow, i.e. a. to be abundantly furnished with, to have in abundance, abound in (a thing): absol. [A. V. to abound], to be in affluence, Phil. iv. 18; opp. to ὑστερεῖσθαι, ib. 12; in spiritual gifts, 1 Co. xiv. 12; with a gen. of the thing in which one abounds (W. § 30, 8b.; [ef. B. § 132, 12]): ἄρτων, Lk. xv. 17 RGL T Tr mrg. B. to be pre-eminent, to excel, [cf. B. § 132, 22]: absol. 1 Co. viii. 8; foll. by ἐν w. a dat. of the virtues or the actions in which one excels [B. § 132, 12], Ro. xv. 13; 1 Co. xv. 58; 2 Co. iii. 9 [here L TTr WH om. ἐν]; viii. 7; Col. ii. 7; περισσ. μᾶλλον, to excel still more, to increase in excellence, 1 Th.iv. 1, 10; μᾶλλον x. μᾶλλον περισσ. Phil. i. 9; περισσ. πλεῖον, to excel more than [A. V. exceed; cf. B. § 132, 20 and 22], Mt. v. 20, (περισσ. ὑπέρ τινα, 1 Mace. iii. 30; τί ἐπερίσσευσεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος παρὰ τὸ κτῆνος; Eccl. iii. 19). 2. by later Greek usage transitively [cf. W. p. 23; § 38,1], to make to abound, ie. a. to furnish one richly so that he has abundance: pass., Mt. xiii. 12; xxv. 29; w. gen. of the thing with which one is furnished, pass. Lk. xv. 17 WH Trtxt.; τὶ eis τινα, to make a thing to abound unto one, to confer a thing abundantly upon one, 2 Co. ix. 8 ; Eph. i. 8. b. to make abundant or excellent: τί, 2 Co. iv. 153; to cause one to excel: τινά, w.a dat. of the thing, 1 Th. iii.12. (ras ὥρας, to extend the hours beyond the prescribed time, Athen. 2 p. 42 b.) [Comp.: ὑπερ-περισσεύω.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
περισσεύω perisseuō 39x
to be over and above, to be superfluous, Mt. 14:20; Mk. 12:44; Lk. 21:4; to exist in full quantity, to abound, be abundant, Rom. 5:15; 2 Cor. 1:5; to increase, be augmented, Acts 16:5; to be advanced, be rendered more prominent, Rom. 3:7; of persons, to be abundantly gifted, richly furnished, abound, Lk. 15:17; Rom. 15:13; 1 Cor. 14:12; 2 Cor. 8:7; to be possessed of a full sufficiency, Phil. 4:12, 18; to abound in performance, 1 Cor. 15:58; to be a gainer, 1 Cor. 8:8; in NT trans., to cause to be abundant, 2 Cor. 4:15; 9:8; Eph. 1:8; to cause to be abundantly furnished, cause to abound, 1 Thess. 3:12; pass. to be gifted with abundance, Mt. 13:12; 25:29
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
περισσεύω
(< περισσός), [in LXX: I Ki 2:33 (מַרְבִּית), I Ki 2:36, Ec 3:19 (יתר ni., יוׄתֵר), To 4:16, Si 10:27 11:12 19:24, 30:38 (33:29), I Mac 3:30*;]
Prop., intrans., of things, to be over and above the number (Hes.), hence, to be or remain over: Mt 14:20 15:37, Lk 9:17, Jo 6:12, 13;
to abound, be in abundance: Mk 12:44, Lk 12:15 21:4, Ac 16:5, Ro 3:7 5:15, II Co 1:5 8:2 9:12, Phl 1:26.
Of persons, to abound in, have in abundance: I Co 14:12 15:58, Phl 4:12, 18; c. gen., Lk 15:17 T;
to be superior or better, to excel: absol., I Co 3:9 8:8; c. dat. ref., II Co 3:9; seq. ἐν, Ro 15:13, I Co 15:58, II Co 3:9 8:7, Col 2:7; μᾶλλον, I Th 4:1, 10; μ καὶ μ., Phl 1:9; πλεῖον, Mt 5:20.
In late writers (Lft., Notes, 48 f.), trans., to make to abound: c. acc. seq. εἰς, II Co 4:15 9:8, Eph 1:8; pass., Mt 13:12 25:29; c. gen. rei, Lk 15:17, WH;
to make to excel: c. acc. pers., dat. rei, I Th 3:12 (cf. ὑπερ-περισσεύω).†
SYN.: πλεονάζω.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
περισσεύω, with the meaning ‘‘remain over,” as often in the NT (Mt 15%’, a/.), occurs in Sy// 306 (= 3672)9 (B.c. 162-0) εἰ δέ τι περισσεύοι ἀπὸ τῶν τόκων, and 10. %2501i 3 (B.C. 338-7) τῶν] σκευῶν TOL περισσευσάντω[ν σταδίου. The common Pauline sense ‘‘ have abundance” survives in MGr περισσεύω.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
περισσεύω (perisseuō) — to exceed. περισσ-εύω, Attic dialect περιττεύω, imperfect ἐπερίσσευον (περιέσσευον is condemned by [Refs 2nd c.AD+], (περισσός) to be over and above the number, μύριοί εἰσιν ἀριθμόν.., εἷς δὲ π. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; περιττεύσουσιν ἡμῶν οἱ πολέμιοι the enemy will go beyond us, outflank us, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. to be more than enough, remain over, τἀρκοῦντα καὶ περιττεύοντα [Refs]; τὸ π. [ἀργύριον] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ περιττεύουσα τροφή [NT+4th c.BC+]; τοσοῦτον τῷ Περικλεῖ ἐπερίσσευσε, κτλ. such abundance of reason had Pericles for his belief, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. in bad sense, to be superfluous, τὰ περισσεύοντα τῶν λόγων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἵν᾽ ἐμοὶ περιττεύῃ, i. e. that I may be over-rich, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III. of persons, abound in, χορηγίᾳ, opposed to ἐλλείπω, [NT+2nd c.BC+]:—middle, with genitive, περισσεύονται ἄρτων have more than enough of.., [NT]
III.2. to be superior, π. παρά τινα to be better than.., [LXX]; ὑπέρ τινα[LXX]; be better, have the advantage, [NT]; π. μᾶλλον abound more and more, i.e. in Christian graces, [NT]middle, περισσευόμεθα, opposed to ὑστερούμεθα, [NT]
IV. causal, make to abound, πᾶσαν χάριν π. [NT]:—passive, to be made to abound, [NT]
IV.2. of Time, π. τὰς ὥρας make them longer, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]