Original Word: μείζων
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: meizón
Pronunciation: may-ZONE
Phonetic Spelling: (mide'-zone)
Definition: Greater, larger, more
Meaning: greater, greatest.

elder, greater, more.

Irregular comparative of megas; larger (literally or figuratively, specially, in age) -- elder, greater(-est), more.

see GREEK megas

3187 meízōn (the comparative of 3173 /mégas) – greater. The exact sense of 3187 /meízōn ("greater") is only defined by the context, i.e. whether it means larger, older, etc.

Word Origin
cptv. of megas, q.v.

STRONGS NT 3187: μείζων

μείζων, see μέγας, at the beginning

Word Origin: Comparative form of μέγας (megas), meaning "great" or "large."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • 1419 גָּדוֹל (gadol): Often translated as "great" or "large," this Hebrew term is used in the Old Testament to describe size, importance, or significance, similar to the Greek μείζων.
• 7227 רַב (rav): Meaning "many" or "great," this term is used to denote abundance or greatness in various contexts, paralleling the comparative nature of μείζων.

Usage: The term μείζων is used in the New Testament to denote something that is greater in size, importance, or degree. It often appears in contexts comparing two entities or concepts, highlighting the superiority or preeminence of one over the other.

Context: The Greek term μείζων is a comparative adjective derived from μέγας, which means "great" or "large." In the New Testament, μείζων is frequently used to express the concept of greatness or superiority in various contexts, whether in terms of physical size, authority, or spiritual significance.

One notable usage of μείζων is found in the Gospel of John, where Jesus speaks of His relationship with the Father: "The Father is greater than I" (John 14:28, BSB). Here, μείζων is used to express the Father's greater authority and position within the divine relationship.

Another significant occurrence is in the context of love and sacrifice: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13, BSB). In this passage, μείζων emphasizes the supreme nature of sacrificial love.

The term also appears in discussions of the kingdom of heaven, as in Matthew 18:1-4, where Jesus teaches about humility and greatness: "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4, BSB). Here, μείζων is used to redefine greatness in terms of humility and childlike faith.

In the epistles, μείζων is used to contrast spiritual gifts and virtues, as seen in 1 Corinthians 13:13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (BSB). This highlights the preeminence of love over other spiritual gifts.

Overall, μείζων serves as a key term in the New Testament for articulating the concept of greatness, whether in divine relationships, moral teachings, or spiritual priorities.

μέλαθρα μέλαθρον μεμελαθρωμέναιInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts