αὐξάνω

αὐξάνω/αὔξω (both forms as early as Pindar with the shorter predominating, as usu. in the earlier lit.; later the longer form becomes more freq. [e.g., Just., D. 88, 2] and the shorter one [Epict.; Heraclit. Stoic. p. 2, 7; 78, 12; Hierocles the Stoic—II A.D.—in BKT IV pap 9780 col. 6, 16 p. 28f; SIG index; OGI 51, 12; 56, 9 and 22; POxy 1450, 3; 21; 4 Macc 13:22; OdeSol 11:19; *TestZeb 1:3; TestJos 19:4, based on the Armenian version, as rendered by Charles; GrBar; ParJer 9:16; EpArist 208; Philo, Aet. M. 71; Jos., Ant. 1, 61; 4, 59; Ar. 6, 3; Mel., Fgm. 8b, 8] becomes rare; both in the same sentence Aëtius 132, 13 αὐξανομένου τ. πάθους αὔξει κ. τὰ συμπτώματα) B-D-F §101; W-S. §15; Meisterhans³-Schw. 176; Mayser 465. Impf. ηὔξανον; fut. αὐξήσω and αὐξανῶ Gen 48:4; Lev 26:9; 1 aor. ηὔξησα. Pass.: fut. αὐξηθήσομαι LXX, En 5:9; aor. ηὐξήθην.

① to cause to become greater in extent, size, state, or quality, grow someth., cause to grow, increase trans. (Pind., Hdt., Pla. et al.; ins, pap, LXX; Jos., Ant. 2, 205 [Nägeli 35]) the fruits of righteousness 2 Cor 9:10. Abs. 1 Cor 3:6f=God made it grow; Hv 1, 1, 6; 3, 4, 1.

② to become greater, grow, increase intr.

ⓐ pass. used actively (Hes., Hdt.+; LXX; En oft.; on GrBar s. under b; Jos., Ant. 18, 129, Vi. 193; Ar. 6:3; Mel., HE 4, 26, 7; Did., Gen. 190, 25). Of humans and plants: the human race 1 Cl 33:6; B 6:12, 18 (Gen 1:28); children (Hdt. 5, 92, 5; Gen 21:8; 25; 27) 1 Pt 2:2; plants (Ps.-Phocyl. 38) Mt 13:32; Mk 4:8; καρπὸς αὐξανόμενος ibid. v.l. (Diosc., Mat. Med. 2, 199 add. πρὸ τοῦ τὸν καρπὸν αὐξηθῆναι).—Of nonphysical entities (Pind., N. 8, 40 αὔξεται δʼ ἀρετά = ἀρετή grows; Did., Gen. 119, 8 [of the soul]) the gospel Col 1:6; faith 2 Cor 10:15; knowledge Col 1:10; unrighteousness D 16:4. Cp. Lk 22:28 D.

ⓑ The use of the act. in the same intr. sense belongs to later Gk. (Aristot.; Polyb.; Diod S; Maximus Tyr. 6, 4f; Olympiodor., Comm. in Alcib. Plat. 18 ed. Creuzer 1821: αὐξούσης τ. σελήνης; PGM 4, 2553; 13, 65; EpArist 208; GrBar; Jos., Ant. 2, 189; 4, 59; Ar. 12, 2; POxy 1778, 13; Just., D. 88, 2; not LXX) lit. of plants Mt 6:28; Lk 12:27; Ox 655, 9f (ASyn. 67, 33; on the last 3 passages s. ξαίνω); Lk 13:19. ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς πλείονα fr. one (grain) many grow 1 Cl 24:5. Of children Lk 1:80; 2:40. Of a people Ac 7:17. Of a house εἰς ναόν Eph 2:21. Of the word of God Ac 6:7; 12:24; 19:20 (on the theme of growth s. DBalch, SBLSP ’89, 354; cp. Polyb. 6, 43, 2). αὐ. τὴν αὔξησιν Col 2:19; ἔν τινι 2 Pt 3:18; αὐ. εἰς Χριστόν grow up into (union w.) Christ Eph 4:15. Abs. Mt 20:28 v.l. = Agr 22; ὡ̣ς … αὔξι̣ν̣ [=αὔξειν] … τὴν̣ ψ̣υ̣χ̣ὴν τοῦ Παῦλου so that … Paul’s spirits rose AcPl Ha 6, 10. Of Jesus increase J 3:30. This is usu. considered a direct ref. to success in attracting followers, but αὐ. can also be used of the increase of sunlight (Calendarium of Antiochus [c. 200 A.D.] on Dec. 25 Ἡλίου γενέθλιον• αὔξει φῶς [FBoll, SBHeidAk 1910, 16; Abh. p. 40ff]; Cosmas of Jerusalem [FCumont, Natalis Invicti: Extr. des compt. rend. de l’Ac. des Inscr. et Bell. Lett. 1911, 292f]). Cp. 3:19–21, where φῶς occurs five times, and marks the leading concept. May this not also be true of 3:30? At any rate the Gk. and Lat. fathers understood 3:30 in the solar sense. S. also on ἐλαττοῦσθαι and s. ENorden, D. Geburt des Kindes 1924, 99–112.—DELG s.v. αὔξω. M-M. TW.