Bible Dictionaries
Advantage

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

primarily, "what is above and over, super-added," hence came to denote "what is superior and advantageous," Romans 3:1 , in a comparison between Jew and Gentile; only here with this meaning. See ABUNDANT , C, No. 1.

akin to ophello, "to increase," comes from a root signifying "to increase;" hence, "advantage, profit;" it is rendered as a verb in its three occurrences, 1 Corinthians 15:32 (AV, "advantageth;" RV, "doth it profit"); James 2:14,16 , lit., "What (is) the profit?" See PROFIT. In the Sept., Job 15:3 .

an alternative form to No. 2, akin to C, No. 1, is found in Romans 3:1 , "profit," and Jude 1:16 , "advantage." (i.e., they shew respect of persons for the sake of what they may gain from them). See PROFIT.

Note: Ophelimos, "profitable," is used only in the Pastoral Epistles, 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; Titus 3:8 . See PROFIT.

signifies "to be useful, do good, profit," Romans 2:25; with a negative, "to be of no use, to effect nothing," Matthew 27:24; John 6:63 , "profiteth;" John 12:19 , "prevail;" in Luke 9:25 , AV, "(what is a man) advantaged ?" RV, "profited." See BETTERED (to be), PREVAIL , PROFIT.

lit., "to seek to get more" (pleon, "more," echo, "to have"); hence, "to get an advantage of, to take advantage of." In 2 Corinthians 7:2 the AV has "defrauded," the RV, "took advantage of;" in 1 Thessalonians 4:6 , AV, "defraud," RV, "wrong." In the other three places the RV consistently translates it by the verb "to take advantage of," 2 Corinthians 2:11 , of Satan's effort to gain an "advantage" over the church, through their neglect to restore the backslider; in 2 Corinthians 12:17,18 , AV, "make a gain of." See DEFRAUD , GAIN , WRONG.

Note: Cp. pleonektes, "a covetous person," pleonexia, "covetousness."