Prosperous
Jump to: Webster'sConcordanceThesaurusGreekHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of being prosperous in the Bible is often associated with God's blessing, favor, and provision. It encompasses not only material wealth but also spiritual well-being, success, and peace. The Bible presents prosperity as a holistic state of flourishing that aligns with God's will and purposes.

Old Testament Understanding

In the Old Testament, prosperity is frequently linked to obedience to God's commandments. Deuteronomy 28:1-6 outlines the blessings of obedience, stating, "Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, as well as the produce of your land and the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out."

The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, experienced prosperity as a sign of God's covenantal faithfulness. Genesis 24:35 records Abraham's servant saying, "The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys."

Wisdom Literature

The wisdom literature, particularly the Book of Proverbs, frequently addresses the theme of prosperity. Proverbs 3:9-10 advises, "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." This passage highlights the principle of honoring God with one's resources as a pathway to prosperity.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the focus shifts from material wealth to spiritual prosperity. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:19-21 , "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Here, prosperity is redefined in terms of eternal values and treasures in heaven.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 , instructing, "Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

Spiritual Prosperity

Spiritual prosperity is emphasized as believers are encouraged to grow in their relationship with God. 3 John 1:2 expresses a prayer for holistic prosperity: "Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." This verse underscores the importance of spiritual well-being as the foundation for all other forms of prosperity.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of prosperity is multifaceted, encompassing material, spiritual, and relational dimensions. It is ultimately rooted in a life aligned with God's will, characterized by obedience, faith, and a focus on eternal values.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (a.) Tending to prosperity; favoring; favorable; helpful.

2. (a.) Being prospered; advancing in the pursuit of anything desirable; making gain, or increase; thriving; successful; as, a prosperous voyage; a prosperous undertaking; a prosperous man or nation.

Greek
2137. euodoo -- to have a prosperous journey
... to have a prosperous journey. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: euodoo Phonetic
Spelling: (yoo-od-o'-o) Short Definition: I cause to prosper, have a happy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2137.htm - 7k

5415. Phortounatos -- "prosperous, lucky," Fortunatus, a Christian
... Phortounatos. 5416 . "prosperous ... Word Origin of Latin origin Definition "prosperous,
lucky," Fortunatus, a Christian NASB Word Usage Fortunatus (1). Fortunatus ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5415.htm - 6k

2141. euporeo -- to prosper
... to prosper. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: euporeo Phonetic Spelling:
(yoo-por-eh'-o) Short Definition: I have means, am prosperous Definition: I have ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2141.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
1878. dashen -- to be fat, grow fat
... root Definition to be fat, grow fat NASB Word Usage anointed (1), become greasy
(1), become prosperous (1), find your acceptable (1), made fat (1), prosper (1 ...
/hebrew/1878.htm - 6k

6743b. tsaleach -- to advance, prosper
... to advance, prosper NASB Word Usage advanced (1), give us success (1), made his
successful (1), make his successful (1), make your prosperous (1), make your ...
/hebrew/6743b.htm - 6k

7488. raanan -- luxuriant, fresh
... green, flourishing. From an unused root meaning to be green; verdant; by analogy,
new; figuratively, prosperous -- green, flourishing. 7487b, 7488. ...
/hebrew/7488.htm - 6k

3474. yashar -- to be smooth, straight, or right
... A primitive root; to be straight or even; figuratively, to be (causatively, to make)
right, pleasant, prosperous -- direct, fit, seem good (meet), + please ...
/hebrew/3474.htm - 6k

7487. ra'anan -- to be or grow luxuriant, fresh, or green
... flourishing (Aramaic) corresponding to ra'anan; green, ie (figuratively) prosperous;
--flourishing. see HEBREW ra'anan. 7486, 7487. ra'anan. 7487a . ...
/hebrew/7487.htm - 5k

3559. kun -- to be firm
... in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply),
or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous) -- certain(-ty ...
/hebrew/3559.htm - 7k

50. Abishua -- "my father is rescue," two Israelites
... NASB Word Usage Abishua (5). Abishua. From 'ab and showa'; father of plenty (ie
Prosperous); Abishua, the name of two Israelites -- Abishua. see HEBREW 'ab. ...
/hebrew/50.htm - 6k

6555. parats -- to break through
... root Definition to break through NASB Word Usage became...prosperous (1), breaches
(1), break (2), break their down (1), break down (1), break forth (1 ...
/hebrew/6555.htm - 6k

7961. shalev -- quiet, at ease
... Word Origin from shalah Definition quiet, at ease NASB Word Usage carefree (1),
ease (3), peaceful (1), prosperous (1), quiet (1), satisfied (1). ...
/hebrew/7961.htm - 6k

1879. dashen -- fat
... Definition: sap. Word Origin adjective from dashen Definition fat NASB Word
Usage full of sap (1), prosperous (1), rich (1). fat. From ...
/hebrew/1879.htm - 6k

Library

How to Secure a Prosperous Voyage
... THE ACTS CHAP. XIII TO END HOW TO SECURE A PROSPEROUS VOYAGE. 'And after
[Paul] had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/how to secure a prosperous.htm

The Philistines, victorious in this Prosperous Battle, Brought the ...
... The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus. Book I. Chapter XXXI. The Philistines,
victorious in this prosperous battle, brought the ark of God? ...
/.../chapter xxxi the philistines victorious.htm

Happy Children and Prosperous Days
... BOOK VI CHAPTER LXXI HAPPY CHILDREN AND PROSPEROUS DAYS. Like the flower
of roses in the spring of the year, and like lilies by the ...
/.../chapter lxxi happy children and.htm

Psalm 73 Part 1 Afflicted Saints Happy, and Prosperous Sinners ...
... THE PSALMS OF DAVID PSALM 73 PART 1 Afflicted saints happy, and prosperous sinners
cursed. CM Afflicted saints happy, and prosperous sinners cursed. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 73 part 1 afflicted.htm

Psalm 73:1. First Part. CM Afflicted Saints Happy, and Prosperous ...
... THE Psalms of David, In Metre. Psalm 73:1. First Part. CM Afflicted saints
happy, and prosperous sinners cursed. 1 Now I'm convinc ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms of david/psalm 73 1 0 first part c.htm

National Wealth
... For here, in the text, is Moses' answer to the first great question in
politics, What makes a nation prosperous? To that wise men ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xvi national wealth.htm

Psalm XCII.
... When thou art prosperous, rejoice in God, for it is His mercy. ... It is His mercy, when
I am prosperous; is it then His cruelty, when I am in adversity? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xcii.htm

The Rich and the Poor
... And thus a series of links is established between the most prosperous and the least
prosperous classes, by means of which the rich and the poor may meet ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xliii the rich and.htm

Smith -- Assurance in God
... One does not know whether the psalmist was a prosperous man or a poor one; the
inference that he was prosperous and rich has sometimes been drawn, but wrongly ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume 10/smith assurance in god.htm

A Little Sanctuary
... They spoke in a very cruel manner to those with whom they should have sympathized.
How often do prosperous brothers look with scorn on the unfortunate! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/a little sanctuary.htm

Thesaurus
Prosperous (26 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Being prospered; advancing in the pursuit of anything desirable; making
gain, or increase; thriving; successful; as, a prosperous voyage; a prosperous...
/p/prosperous.htm - 14k

Successful (16 Occurrences)
... (a.) Resulting in success; assuring, or promotive of, success; accomplishing what
was proposed; having the desired effect; hence, prosperous; fortunate; happy ...
/s/successful.htm - 11k

Success (29 Occurrences)
... effort. 3. (n.) The favorable or prosperous termination of anything attempted;
the attainment of a proposed object; prosperous issue. 4 ...
/s/success.htm - 17k

Weal (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A sound, healthy, or prosperous state; happiness;
welfare. ... 3. (vt) To promote the weal of; to cause to be prosperous. ...
/w/weal.htm - 6k

Raamses (1 Occurrence)
... It was a very prosperous city when this letter was written, and a pa-khennu or
"palace city." It had canals full of fish, lakes swarming with birds, fields of ...
/r/raamses.htm - 10k

Ramses
... It was a very prosperous city when this letter was written, and a pa-khennu or
"palace city." It had canals full of fish, lakes swarming with birds, fields of ...
/r/ramses.htm - 10k

En-gannim (3 Occurrences)
... It is identified with the modern Jenin, a large and prosperous town of about 4,000
inhabitants, situated 15 miles south of Mount Tabor, through which the road ...
/e/en-gannim.htm - 9k

Engannim (3 Occurrences)
... It is identified with the modern Jenin, a large and prosperous town of about 4,000
inhabitants, situated 15 miles south of Mount Tabor, through which the road ...
/e/engannim.htm - 8k

Rameses (5 Occurrences)
... It was a very prosperous city when this letter was written, and a pa-khennu or
"palace city." It had canals full of fish, lakes swarming with birds, fields of ...
/r/rameses.htm - 13k

Prospered (35 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:21 And the man looked stedfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether
the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. (See RSV). ...
/p/prospered.htm - 17k

Resources
What does the Bible say about prosperity? | GotQuestions.org

Is the Word of Faith movement biblical? | GotQuestions.org

What are some biblical examples of meditation? | GotQuestions.org

Prosperous: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Prosperous (26 Occurrences)

Romans 1:10
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Genesis 24:21
The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 24:42
And I come to-day unto the fountain, and I say, Jehovah, God of my lord Abraham, if Thou art, I pray Thee, making prosperous my way in which I am going --
(YLT)

Genesis 30:43
The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
(See NAS NIV)

Genesis 39:2
Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 25:26
If a man has no one to redeem it, and he becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it;
(WEB RSV)

Deuteronomy 28:29
and thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and robbed alway, and there shall be none to save thee.
(See JPS)

Deuteronomy 30:5
Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
(See RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 30:9
Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against Yahweh's anointed.
(See RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 31:20
For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.
(See NAS)

Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 18:5
They said to him, "Ask counsel, please, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS)

Judges 18:7
Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people who were therein, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.
(See NIV)

Job 8:6
If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Job 8:7
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
(See NIV)

Job 42:10
Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
(See NIV)

Psalms 10:5
His ways are prosperous at all times. He is haughty, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
(WEB NIV)

Psalms 22:29
All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.
(See NAS)

Psalms 37:7
Be silent for Jehovah, and stay thyself for Him, Do not fret because of him Who is making prosperous his way, Because of a man doing wicked devices.
(YLT)

Proverbs 11:25
He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 48:15
I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him; I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Ezekiel 16:49
Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
(WEB ASV RSV)

Ezekiel 34:29
I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more.
(See RSV)

Daniel 4:4
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
(See NIV)

Zechariah 7:7
Are not 'these' the words that Jehovah proclaimed by the hand of the former prophets, in Jerusalem's being inhabited, and 'in' safety, and its cities round about it, and the south and the plain -- abiding?'
(See NAS NIV)

Zechariah 8:12
For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Prosperous

Related Terms

Effected (19 Occurrences)

Prospers (10 Occurrences)

Prosperous (26 Occurrences)

Prosper (91 Occurrences)

Figured (4 Occurrences)

Tremendous (9 Occurrences)

Bravely (3 Occurrences)

Cotton (3 Occurrences)

Sepharad (1 Occurrence)

Splendour (32 Occurrences)

Embroidery (12 Occurrences)

Life (6001 Occurrences)

Meekness (14 Occurrences)

Terrible (90 Occurrences)

Empty (84 Occurrences)

Prosperity: The Prosperous People Despise the Unfortunate People
Top of Page
Top of Page