Supply (Noun and Verb)
Supply (Noun and Verb)
primarily, among the Greeks signified “to lead a stage chorus or dance” (choros, and hegeomai, “to lead”), then, “to defray the expenses of a chorus;” hence, later, metaphorically, “to supply,” 2Co 9:10 (2nd part; see also No. 2), RV, “supply” (AV “minister”); 1Pe 4:11, RV, “supplieth” (AV, “givetg”). See GIVE, Note (4), MINISTER, B, Note (1).
“to supply fully, abundantly” (a strengthen form of No. 1), is rendered “to supply” in the RV of 2Co 9:10 (1st part) and Gal 3:5 (for AV, “to minister”), where the present continuous tense speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in all His ministrations to believers individually and collectively; in Col 2:19, RV, “being supplied” (AV, “having nourishment ministered”), of the work of Christ as the Head of the church His body; in 2Pe 1:5, “supply” (AV, “add”); in 2Pe 1:11, “shall be … supplied” (AV, “shall be ministered”), of the reward hereafter which those are to receive, in regard to positions in the kingdom of God, for their fulfillment here of the condition mentioned.
Note: In 2Co 9:10 (see Nos. 1 and 2 above) the stronger verb No. 2 is used where the will and capacity to receive are in view.
“to fill up, fulfil,” is rendered “to supply” in 1Co 16:17; Phi 2:30. See FILL, FULFILL, OCCUPY.
“to fill up by adding to, to supply fully” (pros, “to,” and No. 3), is translated “supplieth” in 2Co 9:12, AV (RV, “filleth up the measure of”); in 2Co 11:9, RV and AV, “supplied.”
Note: In Phi 4:19, AV, pleroo, to fulfill (RV), is rendered “shall supply.”
“a full supply,” occurs in Eph 4:16, “supplieth,” lit., “by the supply of every joint,” metaphorically of the members of the church, the body of which Christ is the Head, and Phi 1:19, “the supply (of the Spirit of Jesus Christ),” i.e., “the bountiful supply;” here “of the Spirit” may be taken either in the subjective sense, the Giver, or the objective, the Gift.