Original Word: πληθύνω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pléthunó
Pronunciation: play-thoo'-no
Phonetic Spelling: (play-thoo'-no)
KJV: abound, multiply
NASB: multiplied, increase, fullest measure, increased, increasing, multiply, surely multiply
Word Origin: [from another form of G4128 (πλήθος - multitude)]

1. to increase (transitively or intransitively)

multiply.

From another form of plethos; to increase (transitively or intransitively) -- abound, multiply.

see GREEK plethos

Cognate: 4129 plēthýnō – properly, made full, especially to maximum capacity (potential); hence, "multiplied; to increase, multiply" (A-S). See 4130 (plēthō).

Word Origin
from pléthos
Definition
to increase, to be increased
NASB Translation
fullest measure (1), increase (2), increased (1), increasing (1), multiplied (4), multiply (1), surely multiply (1).

STRONGS NT 4129: πληθύνω

πληθύνω; future πληθύνω; 1 aorist optative 3 person singular πληθῦναι (2 Corinthians 9:10 Rec.); passive, imperfect ἐπληθυνομην; 1 aorist ἐπληθυνθην; (from πληθύς fullness); Aeschyl, Aristotle, Herodian, Geoponica; the Sept. very often for רָבָה, רִבָּה, הִרְבָּה, sometimes for רָבַב;

1. transitive, to increase, to multiply: 2 Corinthians 9:10; Hebrews 6:14 (from Genesis 22:17); passive, to be increased (be multiplied) multiply: Matthew 24:12; Acts 6:7; Acts 7:17; Acts 9:31; Acts 12:24; τίνι (A. V. be multiplied to one i. e.) be richly allotted to, 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; Jude 1:2 (Daniel 3:31 (); Daniel 6:25, Theod.; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 1 inscr. (also Martyr. Polycarp, inscr., Apostolic Constitutions, inscr.)).

2. intransitive, to be increased, to multiply: Acts 6:1.

Overview

Strong’s Greek 4129 marks a dynamic verb that consistently portrays increase, multiplication, or expansion initiated and sustained by God. Whether the subject is disciples, the preached Word, material seed for sowing, covenant descendants, or even end-time lawlessness, every occurrence shows that what multiplies does so under divine sovereignty.

Early Church Growth (Acts)

• Acts 6:1 and Acts 6:7 bracket the appointment of the Seven: “the disciples were increasing in number” (6:1) and afterward “the word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly”. Luke ties organizational adjustment to fresh multiplication.
• Acts 9:31 records regional peace after Paul’s conversion: “the church … was multiplied.” Growth follows edification and the fear of the Lord.
• Acts 12:24 contrasts Herod’s violent opposition with God’s unstoppable purpose: “the word of God continued to spread and multiply.”
• Acts 7:17 reaches back to the patriarchal promise: “as the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.” In Luke-Acts the verb thus binds Abrahamic covenant to apostolic mission.

Material Provision for Ministry (2 Corinthians 9:10)

Paul assures generous givers that God “will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.” The agricultural metaphor affirms that material resources and spiritual fruit both enlarge when stewarded for gospel purposes.

Covenant Fulfillment and Certainty (Hebrews 6:14)

Quoting Genesis 22:17, the writer recalls God’s oath to Abraham: “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” By repeating the verb twice (“bless” and “multiply”), the quotation secures believers’ hope in an unchangeable promise.

Negative Multiplication (Matthew 24:12)

Jesus warns that, prior to His return, “because lawlessness will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.” The same verb underscores that evil too can proliferate when unchecked; vigilance and endurance are therefore required.

Prayers of Apostolic Blessing

The Epistles convert the verb into a standard benediction:
• “Grace and peace be multiplied to you” (1 Peter 1:2).
• “Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).
• “Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1:2).

Repeated at the outset of letters addressing suffering and false teaching, the prayer implies that believers never exhaust God’s supply of sustaining grace.

Old Testament Background

In the Septuagint the verb regularly renders Hebrew *rabah*, foundational in:
• Creation mandate (Genesis 1:28).
• Noahic recommissioning (Genesis 9:1).
• Patriarchal promises (Genesis 15:5; 22:17).

The New Testament uses thus resonate with a long covenant history in which God causes both biological and spiritual offspring to flourish.

Theological Motifs

1. Divine Agency: Human planning is secondary; the Lord “adds to the church” by multiplying disciples and His Word.
2. Covenant Continuity: The expansion of the Abrahamic line in Egypt (Acts 7:17) foreshadows the expansion of the church.
3. Means and Instruments: Preaching (Acts), faithful stewardship (2 Corinthians 9), and godly fear (Acts 9:31) are channels through which God multiplies.
4. Eschatological Tension: Kingdom advance and lawlessness grow side by side until Christ’s appearing (Matthew 24:12).

Ministry Implications

• Disciple-making: Expectation of increase should fuel evangelism and church planting, trusting God to give the growth.
• Administration: Structural adjustments, as in Acts 6, facilitate further multiplication rather than stifle it.
• Generosity: Sowing material “seed” promises an enlarged harvest of righteousness.
• Pastoral Prayer: Regular invocation of multiplied grace, peace, and love aligns ministry with apostolic patterns.
• Watchfulness: Awareness that iniquity can also multiply prompts holiness and perseverance.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 4129 traces a redemptive storyline from patriarchal promise to apostolic mission, depicting both spiritual and numerical growth under God’s hand. Whether blessings or challenges, what multiplies does so in accord with His covenant purposes, calling believers to faithful participation in His ever-expanding work.

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