The Bible tells us to “be fruitful and multiply,” encouraging family growth. This isn’t just about having children but also about sharing our values and nurturing future generations. Multiplying blessings and love is part of God’s vision for a flourishing life.
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What Does The Bible Say About Multiplying
Genesis 1:28
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'”
This verse emphasizes God’s command to multiply and reproduce. It is a reminder of the blessings that come with being fruitful and growing in number, both physically and spiritually. It also highlights humanity’s responsibility to steward and care for the earth.
Psalm 127:3-5
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”
This psalm celebrates the blessing of children and the joy they bring to families. It affirms that children are a gift from God and compares them to arrows in the hands of a warrior, symbolizing their future impact and influence. It also suggests that having a full quiver, or a large family, is a source of strength and honor.
Proverbs 14:28
“A large population is a king’s glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.”
This proverb highlights the importance of multiplication for a ruler. It suggests that having a thriving and numerous population brings honor and prosperity to a king or prince. It emphasizes the role of subjects and their contribution to the stability and success of a kingdom.
Isaiah 54:1
“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.
This verse speaks to the promise of God’s multiplication even in seemingly impossible situations. It encourages those who have been barren or experienced loss to rejoice because God can bring forth abundant blessings and increase. It reminds us that God’s multiplication goes beyond conventional circumstances.
Matthew 14:13-21
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”
This passage recounts the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish by Jesus. It demonstrates God’s ability to multiply and provide abundantly, even from meager resources. It teaches us that when we offer what we have to God with gratitude, He can multiply it beyond our expectations to meet the needs of many.
John 12:24
“Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
Jesus uses the analogy of a seed to teach about multiplication. Just as a single seed must die and be planted in order to produce a bountiful harvest, our lives can multiply and bear fruit when we surrender ourselves to God’s purposes. It emphasizes the principle of self-sacrifice and the potential for exponential growth when we yield to God’s plans.
Acts 6:7
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”
This verse highlights the rapid multiplication and growth of the early Christian community. It points to the power of the Word of God and the influence it had in transforming lives. It serves as a reminder that when we faithfully proclaim and live out the truth of the Gospel, it has the potential to multiply and impact others.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
This passage highlights the partnership between believers in the process of multiplication and growth. It reminds us that while we have a role to play in sowing seeds of faith and nurturing spiritual growth, it is ultimately God who brings about the increase. It encourages humility and dependence on God’s work in multiplying His kingdom.
2 Corinthians 9:10
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
This verse speaks to the faithfulness of God in providing the resources needed for multiplication. It assures believers that as they faithfully steward and sow what God has given them, He will continue to supply and increase their provisions. It extends beyond physical abundance to the growth of righteousness in their lives.
Ephesians 3:20-21
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
This passage reminds us of God’s infinite ability to multiply and exceed our expectations. It emphasizes that God’s power is at work within us, enabling us to participate in His incredible multiplication. It concludes with a declaration of praise and acknowledgment that God’s multiplying work extends throughout all generations.
Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
This verse assures believers that God’s work of multiplication and transformation in their lives is ongoing. It provides confidence that God will continue to refine, develop, and multiply His work in us until the day of Christ Jesus. It encourages perseverance and trust in the faithfulness of God’s multiplying grace.
Colossians 1:9-10
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
This passage highlights the desire for spiritual multiplication and growth in believers. It emphasizes the importance of seeking God’s will and wisdom, which leads to a life that bears fruit and pleases Him. It encourages a continual pursuit of spiritual knowledge and understanding to facilitate ongoing multiplication in our lives.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4
“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.”
This passage commends the Thessalonian believers for their growing faith and love. It affirms the progress they have made in multiplication despite facing challenges and persecutions. It serves as an encouragement to persevere and remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that multiplication in character and love is a testament to God’s work in us.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of intentional growth and multiplication in the lives of believers. It urges diligence and wholehearted dedication to matters of faith and doctrine, recognizing that personal spiritual progress has the capacity to influence and impact others. It underscores the need for perseverance on the journey of multiplication.
2 Timothy 2:2
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
This verse highlights the principle of multiplication through discipleship and the passing on of spiritual knowledge. It emphasizes the importance of entrusting what we have learned to faithful individuals who will continue the chain of multiplication by teaching others. It encourages intentional investment in raising up and equipping the next generation of believers.
Hebrews 6:10
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
This verse assures believers that their acts of service and love in helping others will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by God. It encourages us to persevere in our commitment to multiplication, knowing that God sees and values our efforts to support and bless His people. It is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and righteousness as we engage in acts of multiplication.
James 1:22-25
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
This passage emphasizes the importance of multiplying our faith through obedience to God’s Word. It challenges us to move beyond mere hearing or knowledge and into action. It warns against the deception of passivity and forgetfulness and instead encourages intentional examination and application of God’s Word, which leads to multiplication and brings blessings.
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
This verse speaks to the identity and purpose of believers in Christ. It declares that we are chosen, royal, and holy, set apart by God for a specific mission. It calls us to multiply our witness by declaring God’s praises, sharing His light with others, and inviting them into the transformative relationship we have found in Him.
1 John 3:18
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
This verse emphasizes the essentiality of love as a catalyst for multiplication. It challenges us to go beyond mere expressions of love to demonstrating it through our actions and in alignment with the truth of God’s Word. It reminds us that love is not passive or superficial but active and transformative, leading to multiplication in relationships and communities.
Revelation 7:9
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
This vision in Revelation portrays the ultimate realization of God’s multiplication. It depicts a vast multitude of believers from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds coming together in worship before God’s throne. It serves as a reminder of the eternal impact and significance of multiplication as it culminates in the gathering of God’s people from every corner of the earth.