Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, the concept of "supply" encompasses God's provision for His people, both materially and spiritually. The term is often associated with God's faithfulness in meeting the needs of His followers, as well as the call for believers to support one another.
Divine ProvisionThe Bible frequently highlights God's role as the ultimate provider. In the Old Testament, God's provision is evident in the account of the Israelites in the wilderness. Despite their circumstances, God supplied manna from heaven to sustain them (
Exodus 16:4). This miraculous provision underscores God's ability to meet the needs of His people in seemingly impossible situations.
In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes God's provision in the Sermon on the Mount, assuring His followers that their needs will be met if they seek first the kingdom of God (
Matthew 6:33): "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." This passage encourages believers to trust in God's provision rather than being anxious about material needs.
Spiritual SupplyBeyond material needs, the Bible speaks of God's provision in spiritual terms. The Apostle Paul writes about the sufficiency of God's grace, which supplies strength in weakness (
2 Corinthians 12:9): "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.'" This highlights the spiritual sustenance that God provides, enabling believers to endure trials and grow in faith.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is described as a source of spiritual supply, equipping believers with gifts and empowering them for service (
1 Corinthians 12:7). This spiritual supply is essential for the edification of the church and the fulfillment of God's purposes.
Mutual Support Among BelieversThe concept of supply also extends to the mutual support among members of the Christian community. The early church exemplified this principle by sharing resources to ensure that no one was in need (
Acts 4:34-35). This communal approach to supply reflects the biblical call for believers to bear one another's burdens and support each other in love (
Galatians 6:2).
Paul commends the Philippians for their generosity in supporting his ministry, acknowledging that their gifts were a fragrant offering to God (
Philippians 4:18): "I have received everything in full and have an abundance. I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." This passage illustrates the reciprocal nature of supply within the body of Christ, where giving and receiving are acts of worship.
God's Promise of SupplyThe assurance of God's supply is a recurring theme in Scripture. Paul reassures the Philippians of God's provision, stating (
Philippians 4:19): "And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This promise is a source of comfort and encouragement, affirming that God's resources are limitless and available to those who trust in Him.
In summary, the biblical concept of supply encompasses God's provision for both physical and spiritual needs, the mutual support among believers, and the assurance of God's faithfulness to provide for His people. Through His abundant supply, God demonstrates His love and care, inviting believers to rely on Him and support one another in the journey of faith.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To fill up, or keep full; to furnish with what is wanted; to afford, or furnish with, a sufficiency; as, rivers are supplied by smaller streams; an aqueduct supplies an artificial lake; -- often followed by with before the thing furnished; as, to supply a furnace with fuel; to supply soldiers with ammunition.
2. (v. t.) To serve instead of; to take the place of.
3. (v. t.) To fill temporarily; to serve as substitute for another in, as a vacant place or office; to occupy; to have possession of; as, to supply a pulpit.
4. (v. t.) To give; to bring or furnish; to provide; as, to supply money for the war.
5. (n.) The act of supplying.
6. (n.) That which supplies a want; sufficiency of things for use or want.
7. (n.) Auxiliary troops or reinforcements.
8. (n.) The food, and the like, which meets the daily necessities of an army or other large body of men; store; -- used chiefly in the plural; as, the army was discontented for lack of supplies.
9. (n.) An amount of money provided, as by Parliament or Congress, to meet the annual national expenditures; generally in the plural; as, to vote supplies.
10. (n.) A person who fills a place for a time; one who supplies the place of another; a substitute; esp., a clergyman who supplies a vacant pulpit.
11. (a.) Serving to contain, deliver, or regulate a supply of anything; as, a supply tank or valve.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SUPPLYsu-pli':Philippians 4:19 for pleroo;1 Corinthians 16:17Philippians 2:30 for anapleroo;2 Corinthians 9:12 (the King James Version);2 Corinthians 11:9 for prosanapleroo. All three verbs mean "to fill," the 3rd containing the additional connotation "fill up to a certain point."Ephesians 4:16Philippians 1:19 for the noun epichoregia, literally, "an additional supply." But no special force of "additional" seems to be contained in the passages. In2 Corinthians 9:10 a;Galatians 3:5Colossians 2:92 Peter 1:5, 11, we have epichoregeo, "to furnish besides," i.e. fully supply; in2 Corinthians 9:10 b;1 Peter 4:11 the simple choregeo, "to furnish,"
Burton Scott Easton
Greek
2023. epichoregeo -- tosupply... to
supply. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epichoregeo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh'-o) Short Definition: I
supply, provide Definition: I
supply...2024. epichoregia -- asupply
... asupply. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: epichoregia Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-khor-ayg-ee'-ah) Short Definition:supply, provision, equipment...
4130 -- furnish, accomplish, fill,supply
furnish, accomplish, fill,supply. Part of Speech: Verb Phonetic Spelling:
(play'-tho) Short Definition: I fill Definition: I fill, fulfill, complete....
3923. pareisphero -- to bring in, tosupply besides
... to bring in, tosupply besides. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pareisphero
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ice-fer'-o) Short Definition: I contribute besides...
4322. prosanapleroo -- to fill up by adding to
... to fill up by adding to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prosanapleroo Phonetic
Spelling: (pros-an-ap-lay-ro'-o) Short Definition: Isupply Definition: I...
5524. choregeo -- to lead a chorus (ie a group of performers), to...
... of Speech: Verb Transliteration: choregeo Phonetic Spelling: (khor-ayg-eh'-o) Short
Definition: I furnish abundantly Definition: I furnish abundantly,supply....
378. anapleroo -- to fill up
... fulfilled (1), supplied (1). fill up, fulfill, occupy,supply. From ana
and pleroo; to complete; by implication, to occupy,supply...
4137. pleroo -- to make full, to complete
... carry (1), fully come (1), fully preached (1), increasing (1), made complete (2),
made full (5), make...full (1), make...complete (1), passed (2),supply (1)....
1979. episitismos -- provisions
... Word Origin from episitizomai (tosupply with provisions) Definition provisions
NASB Word Usage something to eat (1). food, provisions....
997. boetheo -- to come to the aid of
... 997 ("supply urgently needed help") means to give aid, in time, for a
great need -- ie "to , on a call to help" (, 1:628). [997...
Strong's Hebrew
4543. miskenoth --supply, storage... 4542, 4543. miskenoth. 4544 .
supply, storage. Transliteration: miskenoth
Phonetic Spelling: (mis-ken-aw') Short Definition: storage.
...624. asoph -- a store (ie asupply of provisions)
... 623, 624. asoph. 625 . a store (ie asupply of provisions). Transliteration:
asoph Phonetic Spelling: (aw-soof') Short Definition: storehouse....
4937a. mishan -- a support, staff
... 4937, 4937a. mishan. 4937b . a support, staff. Transliteration: mishan
Short Definition:supply. Word Origin from shaan Definition...
4937b. mishen -- a support, staff
... mishen. 4938 . a support, staff. Transliteration: mishen Short Definition:supply.
Word Origin from shaan Definition a support, staff NASB Word Usagesupply (...
7133b. qurban -- offering
... qurban. 7134 . offering. Transliteration: qurban Short Definition:supply. Word
Origin from qarab Definition offering NASB Word Usagesupply (2). 7133a, 7133b...
4294. matteh -- a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe
... a tribe NASB Word Usage branch (3), branches (1), half-tribe* (13), rod (18), rods
(6), scepter (2), spears (1), staff (33), staffs (1),supply (1), tribal (8...
3462. yashen -- to sleep
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to sleep NASB Word Usage chronic (1), fell asleep
(1), remained long (1), sleep (10), sleeps (1), slept (5),supply (1)....
8415. tehom -- deep, sea, abyss
... home'}; (usually feminine) from huwm; an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially
the deep (the main sea or the subterranean water-supply) -- deep (place...
3947. laqach -- to take
... 2), put (1), raise (3), receive (20), received (12), receives (3), receiving (1),
seize (3), seized (2), select (1), selected (1), sent (1),supply (1), take...
2963. taraph -- to tear, rend, pluck
... A primitive root; to pluck off or pull to pieces; causatively tosupply with food
(as in morsels) -- catch, X without doubt, feed, ravin, rend in pieces, X...
Library
It Raiseth Corn toSupply You with Food
... THE SECOND CENTURY 8 It raiseth corn tosupply you with food. It raiseth
corn tosupply you with food, it melteth waters to quench...
That God Bestows an AbundantSupply of Whatever is Suited to the...
... The Oration of the emperor constantine, which he addressed "to the assembly of the
saints." Chapter VIII."That God bestows an AbundantSupply of whatever is...
How the Brethren in Egypt Work with their Hands, not Only to...
... Chapter XXII. How the brethren in Egypt work with their hands, not only tosupply
their own needs, but also to minister to those who are in prison....
A Question About the Fact that a PlentifulSupply of Tears is not...
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter XXVIII. A question about the fact
that a plentifulsupply of tears is not in our own power....
Our Requests Made Known unto God
... ask not." There would be no point in exhorting Christians to make their requests
known unto God unless He had made a sufficient provision tosupply all their...
Grace for Living.
... It is like a river flowing by; and we can have all we need: but if we do not come
and get a continualsupply, we cannot give it out to others. Mother! father!...
Philippians i. 18-20
... For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your supplication, and the
supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation...
Unbroken Connection Above.
... is impossible. Expert divers do so for a few minutes at a time, but must
rise constantly to get a freshsupply of air. But their...
The Fulness of Christ
... And from Him there pours out a stream copious enough tosupply all the necessities
of every human soul that lives to-day, of every human soul that has lived in...
Another Mode of Interpreting the Symbol of Wheat and Barley.
... It is possible that these allusions to wheat and barley may be understood of
the remarkablesupply of corn which took place in these times....
Thesaurus
Supply (40 Occurrences)... rivers are supplied by smaller streams; an aqueduct supplies an artificial lake; --
often followed by with before the thing furnished; as, to
supply a furnace
...Fill (126 Occurrences)
... 2. (v.) To make full; tosupply with as much as can be held or contained; to put
or pour into, till no more can be received; to occupy the whole capacity of....
Feed (117 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Fee. 2. (vt) To give food to; to
supply with nourishment; to satisfy the physical huger of....
Stock (16 Occurrences)
... 16. (n.)Supply provided; store; accumulation; especially, a merchant's or
manufacturer's store of goods; as, to lay in a stock of provisions. 17....
Well (2882 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A pit or hole sunk into the earth to such a depth as to reach asupply of
water, generally of a cylindrical form, and often walled with stone or bricks...
Irrigation
... This is sufficient for the main crops. The summersupply of vegetables, as
well as the fruit and mulberry trees, requires irrigation....
Furnish (8 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) Tosupply with anything necessary, useful, or appropriate; to provide; to
equip; to fit out, or fit up; to adorn; as, to furnish a family with...
Minister (150 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) To furnish or apply; to afford; tosupply; to administer.... 8. (vi) Tosupply
or to things needful; esp., tosupply consolation or remedies....
Plenty (43 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Full or adequatesupply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically,
abundant productiveness of the earth; amplesupply for human wants; abundance...
Afford (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To give forth; tosupply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit,
or issue; as, grapes afford wine; olives afford oil; the earth affords fruit...
Resources
Do the news reports of rivers turning blood red have anything to do with the end times? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the water of life? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is seed faith? What is a seed faith offering? | GotQuestions.orgSupply: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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