Strong's Greek: 4122. πλεονεκτέω (pleonekteó) -- To covet, to defraud, to take advantage of

Strong's Lexicon

pleonekteó: To covet, to defraud, to take advantage of

Original Word: πλεονεκτέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pleonekteó
Pronunciation: pleh-on-ek-teh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (pleh-on-cek-teh'-o)
Definition: To covet, to defraud, to take advantage of
Meaning: I take advantage of, overreach, defraud.

Word Origin: From the Greek word πλεονέκτης (pleonektēs), which means "covetous" or "greedy."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of covetousness in the Old Testament is often linked to the Hebrew word חָמַד (chamad), which means "to desire" or "to covet." Another related term is בָּצַע (batsa), meaning "to cut off" or "to gain by violence or greed."

Usage: The verb "pleonekteó" is used in the New Testament to describe the act of coveting or desiring more than what is rightfully one's own. It often implies a sense of greed or exploitation, where an individual seeks to gain at the expense of others. This term is associated with unethical behavior, particularly in the context of financial or material gain.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, where the New Testament was written, wealth and material possessions were often seen as indicators of success and social status. The desire for more, or pleonexia, was a common temptation. However, the early Christian community was called to a different standard, one that valued contentment and generosity over greed and exploitation. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles often warned against the dangers of covetousness, urging believers to seek spiritual riches rather than earthly wealth.

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4122 pleonektéō (from 4119 /pleíōn, "more" and 2192/exō, "have") – properly, "(the desire) to have more," i.e. acquire more (a greater number of) things; to covet (improper) gain.

4122 /pleonektéō ("covet, defraud") shows inordinate desire, especially lusting for what belongs to someone else. See 4124 (pleoneksia).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from pleonektés
Definition
to have more, to overreach
NASB Translation
advantage would be taken of (1), defraud (1), take any advantage (1), taken advantage (1), took advantage (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4122: πλεονεκτέω

πλεονεκτέω, πλεονέκτω; 1 aorist ἐπλεονέκτησα; 1 aorist passive subjunctive 1 person plural πλεονεκτηθῶμεν; (πλεονέκτης);

1. intransitive, to have more, or a greater part or share: Thucydides, Xenophon, Plutarch, others; to be superior, excel, surpass, have an advantage over, τίνος (genitive of person) τίνι (the dative of thing): Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates, Demosthenes, others.

2. transitive, to gain or take advantage of another, to overreach: (Herodotus 8, 112), Plato, Diodorus, Dionysius Halicarnassus, Dio Cassius, others; and so in the N. T. in 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:17, 18; 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (see πρᾶγμα, b.); passive (cf. Buttmann, § 132, 22) ὑπό τίνος, 2 Corinthians 2:11(10).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

take advantage, defraud, make a gain.

From pleonektes; to be covetous, i.e. (by implication) to over-reach -- get an advantage, defraud, make a gain.

see GREEK pleonektes

Forms and Transliterations

επλεονεκτησα επλεονέκτησα ἐπλεονέκτησα επλεονεκτησαμεν επλεονεκτήσαμεν ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν επλεονεκτησεν επλεονέκτησεν ἐπλεονέκτησεν πλεονεκτειν πλεονεκτείν πλεονεκτεῖν πλεονεκτηθωμεν πλεονεκτηθῶμεν πλεονέκτημα πλεονεκτών πλεονεκτώσι epleonektesa epleonektēsa epleonéktesa epleonéktēsa epleonektesamen epleonektēsamen epleonektḗsamen epleonektesen epleonektēsen epleonéktesen epleonéktēsen pleonektein pleonekteîn pleonektethomen pleonektethômen pleonektēthōmen pleonektēthō̂men

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