G3170

μεγαλύνω

megalýnō /meg-al-oo'-no/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom μέγας
Meaningto make (or declare) great, i.e. increase or (figuratively) extol
KJV usageenlarge, magnify, shew great.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of megalýnō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word megalýnō, represented by G3170, is a verb used to make (or declare) great, i.e. increase or (figuratively) extol. It appears 8 times in 8 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning ranges from the literal act of making something physically larger to the spiritual act of praising or magnifying a person or deity.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G3170 is applied in both divine and human contexts. Mary uses it in her song of praise, declaring, "My soul doth magnify the Lord" Luke 1:46. Similarly, when the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles, they are heard to magnify God Acts 10:46. Paul expresses a desire for Christ to be magnified in his body, whether by life or death Philippians 1:20. The word can also describe God's actions, as when neighbors heard that the Lord had shewed great mercy on Elizabeth Luke 1:58. In a contrasting, negative sense, Jesus uses it to criticize those who enlarge the borders of their garments to be seen by men Matthew 23:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the contexts in which something is magnified or made great:

  • G4115 platýnō (make broad, enlarge): This word is used in parallel with G3170 to describe the action of making phylacteries broad and enlarging garment borders for show Matthew 23:5.
  • G3954 parrhēsía (boldness, confidence): Paul's hope is that Christ will be magnified with all boldness Philippians 1:20, indicating that the act of magnifying is done with confidence and frankness.
  • G2980 laléō (to talk, i.e. utter words): This is the action that accompanies magnifying God, as the people "heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God" Acts 10:46.
  • G837 auxánō (to grow, increase): Paul's hope is to be enlarged G3170 as the Corinthians' faith is increased G837, linking spiritual growth to the expansion of ministry 2 Corinthians 10:15.
  • G4796 synchaírō (to sympathize in gladness, congratulate): People rejoiced with Elizabeth after hearing how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her, showing that God's great acts lead to shared joy Luke 1:58.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3170 is primarily focused on the proper object and manner of praise and honor.

  • Extolling God: The word is frequently used to express worship and praise directed toward God. It is the response of a soul overwhelmed by God's character Luke 1:46 and the evidence of the Holy Spirit's work Acts 10:46. The ultimate result of God's power is that "the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified" Acts 19:17.
  • Christ Magnified Through Believers: The term expresses the goal of the Christian life, which is not self-glorification but the exaltation of Christ. Paul sees his own body as a vessel through which Christ can be made great in the world Philippians 1:20.
  • Divine Action: G3170 is also used to describe God's own work. He is the one who "had shewed great mercy," actively demonstrating His greatness to His people, which in turn prompts their praise Luke 1:58.
  • Human Esteem: The word can describe the high regard people hold for others. After the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira, the people magnified the apostles Acts 5:13, showing that the term can apply to exalting people as well.

Summary

In summary, G3170 is a significant term that encapsulates the concept of making great. While it can refer to the physical act of enlarging an object or the human act of esteeming someone, its primary theological use is to describe the act of exalting God and Christ. It defines a core purpose of believers: to magnify the Lord through their words, their lives, and even their deaths, responding to the greatness He has already shown to them.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 8 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Aorist Passive Infinitive 1×
  • Future Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Imperfect Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Present Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
  • Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×
Genitive
Possession or source — often "of".
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present
Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Future
Action yet to take place.
Aorist
Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active
The subject performs the action.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Indicative
A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G4115 πλατύνω from πλατύς; to widen (literally or figuratively):--make broad, enlarge. G3954 παῤῥησία from πᾶς and a derivative of ῥέω; all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication, assurance:-- G2980 λαλέω a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:--preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utte G837 αὐξάνω a prolonged form of a primary verb; to grow ("wax"), i.e. enlarge (literal or figurative, active or passive):--grow (up) G4796 συγχαίρω from σύν and χαίρω; to sympathize in gladness, congratulate:--rejoice in (with).

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 8 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (3 verses); never once in the other 22.

1
Matthew
2
Luke
3
Acts
1
2 Corinthians
1
Philippians

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.