WG: Exceeding / Surpassing¶
Overview¶
The NT "surpassing" concept is expressed through a family of ὑπέρ (huper) compounds and related περισσ- (periss-) words. These are paradigmatic alternatives — they occupy the same slot in Paul's vocabulary for divine super-abundance but never co-occur in the same verse. All are exclusively or predominantly Pauline.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G5235 | ὑπερβάλλω | huperballo | verb | 5 | Surpassing quality — divine attributes that exceed all measure | G5235 |
| G5236 | ὑπερβολή | huperbole | noun | 7 | The abstract "surpassing-ness" — used adverbially kath' huperbolen "beyond measure" | G5236 |
| G5248 | ὑπερπερισσεύω | huperperisseuo | verb | 2 | Super-abounding quantity — grace overflowing beyond sin's reach | G5248 |
| G5250 | ὑπερπλεονάζω | huperpleonazo | verb | 1 | Super-abounding with accompaniments — grace overflowing together with faith and love | G5250 |
| G4052 | περισσεύω | perisseuo | verb | 35 | Base-level abounding — to have more than enough, overflow | G4052 |
| G4053 | περισσός | perissos | adj | 14 | Exceeding the ordinary — superabundant in quantity or quality | G4053 |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- ὑπέρ (huper, G5228) — preposition "beyond, over": root of G5235, G5236, G5248, G5250
- βάλλω (ballo, G906) — "to throw": root of G5235, G5236
- περισσ- — "surplus, excess": root of G4052, G4053; also in G5248 (huper + perisseuo)
- πλεονάζω (pleonazo, G4121) — "to multiply, increase": root of G5250
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
No pairwise co-occurrences. These words are paradigmatic alternatives — Paul selects one per context rather than combining them. This makes them substitution-class synonyms: each expresses "beyond ordinary measure" with a different shade.
Semantic Differentiation¶
| Word | Nuance | Typical Object |
|---|---|---|
| ὑπερβάλλω (G5235) | Qualitative surpassing — exceeds a boundary or standard | glory, power, grace, love |
| ὑπερβολή (G5236) | Abstract excess — "beyond-ness" itself, often adverbial | suffering, glory, power, sin |
| ὑπερπερισσεύω (G5248) | Quantitative super-overflow — more-than-more-than-enough | grace (over sin), joy (in affliction) |
| ὑπερπλεονάζω (G5250) | Multiplicative super-increase — expanding beyond all bounds | grace (with faith and love) |
| περισσεύω (G4052) | Standard overflow — having surplus, more than sufficient | general abundance |
| περισσός (G4053) | Adjectival excess — exceeding the ordinary standard | comparative degree |
Roles in the Concept¶
- Qualitative Surpassing: huperballo (G5235) — the thing itself exceeds measurement
- Abstract Concept: huperbole (G5236) — the state or degree of surpassing
- Intensified Overflow: huperperisseuo (G5248) — abounding amplified beyond normal abounding
- Intensified Multiplication: huperpleonazo (G5250) — multiplying amplified beyond normal multiplying
- Base-Level Abundance: perisseuo (G4052) — the standard "abound" that the huper- compounds intensify
- Adjectival Surplus: perissos (G4053) — describing something as exceeding normal degree
Key Passages (Representative)¶
- 2 Cor 3:10 — huperballo: new covenant glory surpasses old
- 2 Cor 4:7,17 — huperbole: surpassing power and eternal weight of glory
- Rom 5:20 — huperperisseuo: grace super-abounds over sin
- 1 Tim 1:14 — huperpleonazo: grace overflows with faith and love
- 2 Cor 9:8 — perisseuo: God makes all grace abound
- Matt 5:37 — perissos: whatever is more than yea/nay is of evil
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-05-03