polys · much, many

What it means

polys (πολύς) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “much, many”.

Much, great; in the plural, many.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A great amount of something, like fruit or work.
2. A great number of people or things.
3. Of great size or strength, like a crowd or a lament.
4. Abundantly, often, or to a still higher degree.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Much, great; in the plural, many. Abbott-Smith also gives “the many”.

• Many, many people Matthew 7:22Matthew 22:14
• Much, in quantity: “much fruit” John 15:5
• Large crowds Matthew 4:25
• “The many”, over against one alone Romans 5:15Matthew 20:28

How we translate it

“Many” 218 times, “much” 59, “great” 38, “more” 28, “large” 23, “most” 9. In comparisons πολλῷ μᾶλλον is translated “much more”. Where the Greek has the article, “the many” is kept so (Romans 5:15), because it sets the multitude over against a single man.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• many ×218
• much ×59
• great ×38
• more ×28
• large ×23
• most ×9
• long ×4
• something greater ×4
• far ×3
• further ×3
• others ×26

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×61
• Mark×60
• Luke×60
• John×41
• Acts×65
• Romans×20
• 1 Corinthians×22
• 2 Corinthians×24
• Galatians×3
• Ephesians×1
• Philippians×4
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×4
• 1 Timothy×5
• 2 Timothy×4
• Titus×2
• Philemon×2
• Hebrews×11
• James×3
• 1 Peter×1
• 2 Peter×1
• 1 John×2
• 2 John×2
• 3 John×1
• Revelation×15

• Matthew 2:18

  “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning: Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are no more.”

• Matthew 3:7

  But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

• Matthew 4:25

  And large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond the Jordan.

• Matthew 5:12

  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

• Matthew 5:20

  For I tell you that unless your righteousness far exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• Matthew 6:25

  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

• Matthew 6:30

  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into an oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?

• Matthew 7:13

  “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it;

• Matthew 7:22

  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many miracles?’

• Matthew 8:1

  When he had come down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.

• Matthew 8:11

  And I tell you that many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

• Matthew 8:16

  When evening came, they brought to him many who were possessed by demons; and he drove out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill,

• Matthew 8:18

  Now seeing large crowds around him, Jesus gave orders to go away to the other side.

• Matthew 8:30

  Now at a distance from them there was a herd of many pigs feeding.

• Matthew 9:10

  And it happened, as he was reclining at table in the house, that look, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

• Matthew 9:14

  Then the disciples of John come to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

• Matthew 9:37

  Then he says to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few;

• Matthew 10:31

  So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

• Matthew 11:20

  Then he began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not changed their minds.

• Matthew 12:15

  But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,

• Matthew 12:41

  The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

• Matthew 12:42

  The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is here.

• Matthew 13:2

  And large crowds gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd was standing on the shore.

• Matthew 13:3

  And he told them many things in parables, saying, “Look, the sower went out to sow.

• Matthew 13:5

  Other seeds fell on the rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up, because they did not have depth of soil.

• Matthew 13:17

  For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

• Matthew 13:58

  And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

• Matthew 14:14

  And going ashore, he saw a large crowd, and he was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.

• Matthew 14:24

  But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, battered by the waves, for the wind was against it.

• Matthew 15:30

  And many crowds came to him, having with them the mute, blind, lame, maimed, and many others, and they set them at his feet; and he healed them,

• Matthew 16:21

  From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go away to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and high priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

• Matthew 19:2

  And many crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

• Matthew 19:22

  But when the young man heard the word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

• Matthew 19:30

  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

• Matthew 20:10

  And when the first came, they thought that they would receive more; and they also received the denarius each.

• Matthew 20:28

  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• Matthew 20:29

  And as they were going out from Jericho, a large crowd followed him.

• Matthew 21:8

  And most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

• Matthew 21:36

  Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they did to them the same.

• Matthew 22:14

  For many are called, but few chosen.”

And 375 more times.