πλεονεξία

covetousness, avarice

Definition

πλεονεξία fundamentally denotes an insatiable desire for more, primarily understood as covetousness or greed—an excessive craving for material possessions (Luke 12:15). In the New Testament, it also encompasses a broader sense of grasping selfishness or exploitation, where one seeks to gain advantage at another's expense, as seen in contexts of moral corruption (Romans 1:29) and unethical behavior (1 Thessalonians 2:5). This 'desire for more' is so severe that Paul equates it with idolatry, indicating it places something other than God at the center of one's life (Colossians 3:5).

Biblical Usage

The word appears 10 times across various New Testament genres, primarily in the Pauline epistles, where it is consistently condemned as a serious vice. It is listed among other sins that characterize pagan life (Ephesians 4:19, 5:3; Romans 1:29) and is warned against in Jesus's teaching on the danger of greed (Luke 12:15). Paul uses it to describe not just personal greed but also a potential motive he carefully avoided in his ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:5) and to encourage generous giving by contrasting it with liberality (2 Corinthians 9:5).

Etymology

Derived from πλέον (pleon, meaning 'more') and ἔχω (echō, meaning 'to have'), the compound literally means 'to have more' or 'a state of wanting more.' It carries the inherent idea of excess and insatiability. Cognates include the adjective πλεονέκτης (pleonektēs, G4123), meaning a covetous or greedy person.

Semantic Range

πλεονεξία is theologically significant as a heart idolatry that replaces trust in God with a craving for created things (Colossians 3:5). It is a root sin that leads to other evils and disrupts community. Understanding this Greek term reveals that biblical warnings against greed are not merely about money but about a disordered, self-centered desire that fundamentally opposes a life of contentment in God and love for neighbor.

In the Greco-Roman world, while some philosophers criticized greed, the pursuit of wealth and social advantage was often celebrated. The New Testament's blanket condemnation of πλεονεξία as a destructive, pagan vice (Ephesians 4:19) presented a counter-cultural challenge, redefining success and warning that the endless pursuit of 'more' is spiritually deadly.

ἀπληστία (aplēstia, G0766) — emphasizes insatiability, often for food or pleasure. φιλαργυρία (philargyria, G5365) — specifically 'love of money' (1 Timothy 6:10). ἐπιθυμία (epithymia, G1939) — a broader term for 'desire,' which can be neutral or negative, whereas πλεονεξία is always negative and grasping.

Word Details

Scripture References