"some advantage which one possesses over another; an inordinate desire of riches, covetousness, Lk. 12:15; grasping, overreaching, extortion, Rom. 1:29; 1 Thess. 2:5; a gift exacted by importunity and conferred with grudging, a hard-wrung gift, 2 Cor. 9:5; a scheme of extortion, M..."
Definition and meaning
some advantage which one possesses over another; an inordinate desire of riches, covetousness, Lk. 12:15; grasping, overreaching, extortion, Rom. 1:29; 1 Thess. 2:5; a gift exacted by importunity and conferred with grudging, a hard-wrung gift, 2 Cor. 9:5; a scheme of extortion, Mk. 7:22
In the original Greek the word is written: πλεονεξία
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of pleonexia (G4124) across the King James Bible.
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
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Common questions
Strong's G4124 (pleonexia) is a Greek word that means: some advantage which one possesses over another; an inordinate desire of riches, covetousness, Lk. 12:15; grasping, overreaching, extortion, Rom. 1:29; 1 Thess. 2:5; a gift exacted by importunity and ... It appears 10 times in the King James Bible.
The word pleonexia (G4124) appears 10 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4124 is pleonexia, a Greek word defined as: some advantage which one possesses over another; an inordinate desire of riches, covetousness, Lk. 12:15; grasping, overreaching, extortion, Rom. 1:29. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
pleonexia is a Greek word found in the New Testament.