Word Study for G4148 (πλουτίζω)

ploutízō /ploo-tid'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom πλοῦτος

Meaningto make wealthy (figuratively)

KJV usageen- (make) rich.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ploutízō — 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 ploutízō, represented by G4148, means to make wealthy, almost always in a figurative sense. It appears 4 times across 3 verses in the Bible, focusing on a type of spiritual enrichment that comes from God rather than material possessions.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical applications, G4148 describes a spiritual abundance given to believers. In 1 Corinthians 1:5, believers are said to be enriched by God in all utterance and knowledge. The word is also used to illustrate a key paradox of the Christian life in 2 Corinthians 6:10, where believers are described as being "as poor, yet making many rich." This enrichment is not for personal gain but is linked to generosity and worship, as believers are "Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God" 2 Corinthians 9:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the nature of this spiritual wealth:

G3056 lógos (something said... word): Believers are enriched in "all utterance," or lógos, indicating that this wealth includes the ability to communicate divine truth 1 Corinthians 1:5.
G1108 gnōsis (knowing... knowledge): Paired with utterance, believers are also enriched in "all knowledge," emphasizing a deep, spiritual understanding as a component of this wealth 1 Corinthians 1:5.
G4434 ptōchós (a beggar... poor): This term is used in direct contrast to the spiritual richness believers possess, highlighting that one can be materially poor yet spiritually able to make others rich 2 Corinthians 6:10.
G572 haplótēs (singleness... bountifulness, liberal-ity): The state of being enriched leads directly to bountifulness or generosity, showing the intended outcome of receiving this spiritual wealth 2 Corinthians 9:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4148 is significant, redefining the concept of wealth for a believer.

Spiritual vs. Material Wealth: The word consistently points to a richness that is not of this world. It is a wealth of lógos (utterance) and gnōsis (knowledge) from God, which can exist even in the midst of being ptōchós (poor) (1 Corinthians 1:5, 2 Corinthians 6:10).
A Divine Gift: This enrichment is not a human achievement but a gift received "by him" 1 Corinthians 1:5. It is God who enriches the believer for His purposes.
Enrichment for Ministry: The wealth given is meant to be shared. Believers are empowered to make "many rich" and to exhibit "all bountifulness," which ultimately results in eucharistía (thanksgiving) to God (2 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11).

Summary

In summary, G4148 ploutízō describes a profound spiritual enrichment that is a gift from God. It stands in contrast to worldly measures of wealth, consisting instead of spiritual resources like knowledge and the ability to speak God's truth. This divine endowment is not for personal status but to equip believers to enrich the lives of others, practice generosity, and inspire thanksgiving to God, perfectly capturing the paradox of being poor yet making many rich.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Passive Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
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.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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 3 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 2 Corinthians (2 verses); never once in the other 25.

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

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.