Sufficiency
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Topical Encyclopedia
Definition: Sufficiency refers to the state of being adequate or enough to meet the needs or purposes of a particular situation. In a biblical context, it often pertains to God's provision and the adequacy of His grace, power, and resources for believers.

Biblical References:

1. God's Sufficiency: The Bible emphasizes that God is the ultimate source of sufficiency for His people. In 2 Corinthians 3:5, Paul writes, "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God." This verse highlights the belief that human sufficiency is derived from God, not from personal abilities or resources.

2. Grace as Sufficient: One of the most profound expressions of sufficiency in the New Testament is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9, where the Lord tells Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." This passage underscores the idea that God's grace is enough to sustain believers, even in their weaknesses and trials.

3. Provision for Needs: Philippians 4:19 assures believers of God's provision: "And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This promise reflects the sufficiency of God's resources to meet the physical and spiritual needs of His people.

4. Contentment and Sufficiency: The concept of sufficiency is closely linked to contentment. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul writes, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these." This passage suggests that true sufficiency is found in a life of godliness and contentment with what God provides.

5. Sufficiency in Christ: Colossians 2:10 states, "And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." This verse affirms that believers find their sufficiency in Christ, who fulfills all spiritual needs and empowers them to live according to God's will.

Theological Implications:

· Dependence on God: The doctrine of sufficiency encourages believers to rely on God rather than their own strength or resources. It teaches that God is the ultimate provider and sustainer, capable of meeting every need.

· Trust in God's Provision: Believers are called to trust in God's provision, recognizing that He knows their needs and is faithful to supply them. This trust is rooted in the understanding that God's resources are limitless and His timing is perfect.

· Contentment in All Circumstances: The sufficiency of God's grace and provision leads to a life of contentment, regardless of external circumstances. Believers are encouraged to find satisfaction in God's presence and promises, rather than in material possessions or worldly success.

· Empowerment for Service: The sufficiency of God's grace empowers believers to serve others and fulfill their God-given purposes. It assures them that they have all they need to accomplish the tasks God has set before them.

Practical Application:

· Prayer for Sufficiency: Believers are encouraged to pray for God's sufficiency in their lives, seeking His guidance and provision in all areas.

· Living with Gratitude: Recognizing God's sufficiency should lead to a life of gratitude, acknowledging His constant care and provision.

· Embracing Weakness: Understanding that God's power is perfected in weakness allows believers to embrace their limitations and rely on His strength.

· Pursuing Godliness: Acknowledging the sufficiency of God's grace motivates believers to pursue godliness and contentment, trusting that He will provide all that is necessary for a life that honors Him.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) Adequacy; ample supply or provision.

2. (n.) Qualification for any purpose; ability; capacity.

3. (n.) Adequate substance or means; competence.

4. (n.) Supply equal to wants; ample stock or fund.

5. (n.) Conceit; self-confidence; self-sufficiency.

Greek
841. autarkeia -- self-satisfaction, ie self-sufficiency
... self-satisfaction, ie self-sufficiency. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration:
autarkeia Phonetic Spelling: (ow-tar'-ki-ah) Short Definition: self ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/841.htm - 7k

2426. hikanotes -- sufficiency
... sufficiency. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hikanotes Phonetic
Spelling: (hik-an-ot'-ace) Short Definition: sufficiency, ability, power ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2426.htm - 6k

842. autarkes -- self-sufficient, sufficient
... fulness). This inward sufficiency is as valid in "low times" (suffering)
as in "high times" (temporal prosperity). See 841 (). 842 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/842.htm - 7k

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... what a mistake to take our belief in God and call of faith . . . Christ, the living
word, is our sufficiency . . . (Charles Price, , Logos/publications). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

Strong's Hebrew
4530. missah -- sufficiency
... 4529, 4530. missah or missath. 4531 . sufficiency. Transliteration: missah
or missath Phonetic Spelling: (mis-saw') Short Definition: tribute. ...
/hebrew/4530.htm - 6k

1952. hon -- wealth, sufficiency
... 1951, 1952. hon. 1953 . wealth, sufficiency. Transliteration: hon Phonetic
Spelling: (hone) Short Definition: wealth. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/1952.htm - 6k

8231a. sepheq -- sufficiency, plenty
... sufficiency, plenty. Transliteration: sepheq Short Definition: plenty. Word Origin
from saphaq Definition sufficiency, plenty NASB Word Usage plenty (1). ...
/hebrew/8231a.htm - 5k

1767. day -- sufficiency, enough
... 1766, 1767. day. 1768 . sufficiency, enough. Transliteration: day Phonetic
Spelling: (dahee) Short Definition: often. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/1767.htm - 6k

8231. shaphar -- sufficiency, plenty
... 8230b, 8231. shaphar. 8231a . sufficiency, plenty. Transliteration: shaphar
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-far') Short Definition: goodly. goodly ...
/hebrew/8231.htm - 5k

5607. sepheq -- handclapping, mockery
... stroke, sufficiency. Or sepheq (Job 20:22; job 36:18) {seh'-fek}; from caphaq;
chastisement; also satiety -- stroke, sufficiency. see HEBREW caphaq. ...
/hebrew/5607.htm - 6k

Library

All Sufficiency
... All Sufficiency. "The LORD GOD is a Sun and Shield: the LORD will give
grace and glory: "No good thing will He withhold from them ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/a ribband of blue/all sufficiency.htm

On the Sufficiency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures In
... DISPUTATION 3 ON THE SUFFICIENCY AND PERFECTION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
IN. OPPOSITION TO HUMAN TRADITIONS RESPONDENT: DE COIGNEE. ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 3 on the sufficiency.htm

On the Sufficiency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures In
... DISPUTATION 2 ON THE SUFFICIENCY AND PERFECTION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN.
OPPOSITION TO TRADITIONS RESPONDENT: ABRAHAM VLIET I. When ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 2 on the sufficiency.htm

Sufficiency of Pardon.
... of the stanza. Hymn 2:85. Sufficiency of pardon. 1 Why does your face,
ye humble souls, Those mournful colours wear? What doubts ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 142361111 sufficiency of pardon.htm

Sufficiency of the Scriptures.
... THE SCRIPTURES. 190. " Sufficiency of the Scriptures. 190. CM Episcopal
Coll. Sufficiency of the Scriptures. 1 Great God, with ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/190 sufficiency of the.htm

Songs of the Cross the Sufficiency of God.
... Songs of the Cross The Sufficiency of God. XIII. The Sufficiency of God.
7,7,7,7. Sollt es denn bisweilen scheinen. [371]C. Titius.1641-1703. ...
/.../lyra germanica second series the christian life/songs of the cross the 7.htm

The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the Only Rule of ...
... Article VII The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to Be the Only Rule of Faith?
The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to Be the Only Rule of Faith ...
/.../various/the belgic confession /article vii the sufficiency of.htm

Sufficiency of Pardon.
... Hymns, Book II HYMN 85 Sufficiency of pardon. CM Sufficiency of pardon. Why
does your face, ye humble souls,. Those mournful colors wear? ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 85 sufficiency of pardon.htm

Psalm 16 Part 2 Christ's All-Sufficiency.
... THE PSALMS OF DAVID PSALM 16 PART 2 Christ's all-sufficiency. LM Christ's
all-sufficiency. How fast their guilt and sorrows rise. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 16 part 2 christs.htm

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. Not that we are Sufficient of ...
... Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
anything as if of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. ...
/.../lyra germanica the christian year/twelfth sunday after trinity not.htm

Thesaurus
Sufficiency (18 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Supply equal to wants; ample stock or fund. 5. (n.) Conceit; self-confidence;
self-sufficiency. Multi-Version Concordance Sufficiency (18 Occurrences). ...
/s/sufficiency.htm - 12k

All-sufficiency (1 Occurrence)
All-sufficiency. Alloyed, All-sufficiency. All-surpassing .
Multi-Version Concordance All-sufficiency (1 Occurrence). ...
/a/all-sufficiency.htm - 6k

Sufficient (28 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as
from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; (WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT). ...
/s/sufficient.htm - 15k

Enough (655 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) A sufficiency; a quantity which satisfies desire, is adequate to the want,
or is equal to the power or ability; as, he had enough to do take care of ...
/e/enough.htm - 7k

Distrust (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vt) To feel lack of confidence in; not to confide in or rely upon; to deem of
questionable sufficiency or reality; to doubt; to be suspicious of; to ...
/d/distrust.htm - 7k

Adequacy (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The state or quality of being adequate, proportionate,
or sufficient; a sufficiency for a particular purpose; as, the adequacy ...
/a/adequacy.htm - 6k

Supply (40 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) 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 ...
/s/supply.htm - 21k

Plenty (43 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Full or adequate supply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically,
abundant productiveness of the earth; ample supply for human wants; abundance ...
/p/plenty.htm - 18k

Abundance (194 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) An overflowing fullness; ample sufficiency; great
plenty; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; wealth: -- strictly applicable ...
/a/abundance.htm - 41k

Ascension (1 Occurrence)
... and Session are regarded as the culminating point of Christ's redemptive work (Hebrews
8:1), and at the same time the demonstration of the sufficiency of His ...
/a/ascension.htm - 34k

Resources
What is the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture? What does it mean that the Bible is sufficient? | GotQuestions.org

What is the rule of faith? | GotQuestions.org

What are the differences between Catholics and Protestants? | GotQuestions.org

Sufficiency: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Sufficiency (18 Occurrences)

2 Corinthians 3:5
not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT)

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Leviticus 5:7
And if his hand reach not to the sufficiency of a lamb, then he hath brought in his guilt-offering -- he who hath sinned -- two turtle-doves or two young pigeons to Jehovah, one for a sin-offering, and one for a burnt-offering;
(YLT)

Leviticus 12:8
And if her hand find not the sufficiency of a sheep, then she hath taken two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, one for a burnt-offering, and one for a sin-offering, and the priest hath made atonement for her, and she hath been cleansed.'
(YLT)

Leviticus 25:28
And if his hand hath not found sufficiency to give back to him, then hath his sold thing been in the hand of him who buyeth it till the year of jubilee; and it hath gone out in the jubilee, and he hath returned to his possession.
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 23:24
When thou comest in unto the vineyard of thy neighbour, then thou hast eaten grapes, according to thy desire, thy sufficiency; but into thy vessel thou dost not put 'any'.
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 25:2
then it hath come to pass, if the wrong-doer is to be smitten, that the judge hath caused him to fall down, and 'one' hath smitten him in his presence, according to the sufficiency of his wrong-doing, by number;
(YLT)

Esther 1:18
yea, this day do princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard the word of the queen, say 'so' to all heads of the king, even according to the sufficiency of contempt and wrath.
(YLT)

Job 20:22
In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Job 36:18
For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
(See JPS)

Proverbs 25:16
Honey thou hast found -- eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated 'with' it, and hast vomited it.
(YLT)

Proverbs 27:27
And a sufficiency of goats' milk 'is' for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!
(YLT)

Proverbs 30:15
To the leech 'are' two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
(YLT)

Proverbs 30:16
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it 'is' not satisfied 'with' water, And fire -- it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,'
(YLT)

Ecclesiastes 5:12
Sweet 'is' the sleep of the labourer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not suffering him to sleep.
(YLT)

Isaiah 56:11
And the dogs 'are' strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they 'are' shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter:
(YLT)

Jeremiah 49:9
If gatherers have come in to thee, They do not leave gleanings, If thieves in the night, They have destroyed their sufficiency!
(YLT)

Obadiah 1:5
If thieves have come in to thee, If spoilers of the night, How hast thou been cut off! Do they not steal their sufficiency? If gatherers have come in to thee, Do they not leave gleanings?
(YLT)

Subtopics

Sufficiency

Related Terms

Adequate (4 Occurrences)

Daily (111 Occurrences)

Suffice (22 Occurrences)

Sufficiency (18 Occurrences)

Ransom (46 Occurrences)

Synoptic

Lama (2 Occurrences)

Good (8348 Occurrences)

Fuel (13 Occurrences)

Folly (68 Occurrences)

Eloi (2 Occurrences)

Meet (281 Occurrences)

Avail (15 Occurrences)

Adequacy (1 Occurrence)

Able (730 Occurrences)

Answer (2099 Occurrences)

Sabachthani (2 Occurrences)

Sufficiently (3 Occurrences)

Snow (25 Occurrences)

Sabachtha

Fool (95 Occurrences)

Day's (19 Occurrences)

Phylactery

Eli (36 Occurrences)

Wages (52 Occurrences)

Slaughtered (72 Occurrences)

Lack (86 Occurrences)

Caught (110 Occurrences)

Moab (162 Occurrences)

Virgin (62 Occurrences)

Sinai (38 Occurrences)

Flocks (128 Occurrences)

Birth (357 Occurrences)

Discrepancies

Taxing (3 Occurrences)

Tax (43 Occurrences)

Code (6 Occurrences)

Water (4571 Occurrences)

Star (16 Occurrences)

Songs (100 Occurrences)

Quotations

Golden (86 Occurrences)

Magi (4 Occurrences)

Battle (282 Occurrences)

Philip (37 Occurrences)

Crimes (22 Occurrences)

Pauline

Crime (45 Occurrences)

Herds (72 Occurrences)

Biblical

Lebanon (66 Occurrences)

Deluge (17 Occurrences)

Calf (39 Occurrences)

Song (207 Occurrences)

Miracle (15 Occurrences)

Gospels

Fish (66 Occurrences)

Valid (10 Occurrences)

Versions

Vomit (12 Occurrences)

Zarethan (4 Occurrences)

Kinsman (29 Occurrences)

Kills (38 Occurrences)

Nourishment (14 Occurrences)

Narrow (21 Occurrences)

Nazareth (29 Occurrences)

Needless (3 Occurrences)

Nose (23 Occurrences)

Unequal (5 Occurrences)

Unlawful (9 Occurrences)

Unhallowed (3 Occurrences)

Unable (102 Occurrences)

Openhanded (2 Occurrences)

Odour (43 Occurrences)

Occasion (53 Occurrences)

Journey (214 Occurrences)

Justification (6 Occurrences)

Justify (19 Occurrences)

Sufficeth
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