Bible Encyclopedias
Superfluous; Superfluity

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sū́ - pûr´flōō - us , sū́ - pẽr - flōō´i - ti ( שׂרע , sāra‛ ; περισσός , perissós ( 2 Corinthians 9:1 ), περισσεία , perisseı́a ): According to the Levitical Law, "a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a fiat nose, or anything superfluous" could not fulfill priestly functions (Leviticus 21:18; Leviticus 22:23 ). According to Dillmann (Baentsch, BDB ) the word should be rendered "a limb too long," but Ewald (following the Septuagint) suggests "having cropped ears." The only instance of superfluity occurs in James 1:21 , the King James Version "superfluity of naughtiness"; according to Mayor "overflowing ebullition of malice" (the Revised Version (British and American) "overflowing of wickedness," margin "malice"); but the Greek word is used in other connections, e.g. of "grace" (Romans 5:17 ); "joy" (2 Corinthians 8:2 ).