4134. plérés

Lexical Summary

plérés: Full, complete, filled

Original Word: πλήρης
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: plérés
Pronunciation: play-RACE
Phonetic Spelling: (play'-race)
KJV: full
NASB: full, abounding, covered, filled, mature
Word Origin: [from G4130 (πλήθω - To multiply)]

1. filled, replete, or covered over
2. (by analogy) complete

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

full.

From pletho; replete, or covered over; by analogy, complete -- full.

see GREEK pletho

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4134 plḗrēs (an adjective) – full; used of being full of the presence of the Lord (His provisions) which is the definition of a full life. See 4130 (plēthō). Being "full" (4134 /plḗrēs) brings God's wisdom, grace and power (Ac 6:3,8).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from a derivation of pléthó (to be full)
Definition
full
NASB Translation
abounding (1), covered (1), filled (1), full (12), mature (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4134: πλήρης

πλήρης, πλῆρες (ΠΛΑΩ), from Aeschylus and Herodotus down, the Sept. chiefly for מָלֵא;

a. full, i. e. filled up (as opposed to empty): of hollow vessels, Matthew 14:20; Matthew 15:37; Mark 6:43 (R G L); with a genitive of the thing, Mark 8:19; of a surface, covered in every part: λέπρας, Luke 5:12; of the soul, thoroughly permeated with: πνεύματος ἁγίου, Luke 4:1; Acts 6:3; Acts 7:55; Acts 11:24; πίστεως, Acts 6:5; χάριτος, Acts 6:8 (Rec. πίστεως); χάριτος καί ἀληθείας, John 1:14; δόλου, Acts 13:10 (Jeremiah 5:27); θυμοῦ, Acts 19:28; abounding in, ἔργων ἀγαθῶν, Acts 9:36.

b. full i. e. complete; lacking nothing, perfect (so the Sept. sometimes for שָׁלֵם; σελήνη πλήρης, Sir. I. 6, cf. Herodotus 6, 106): μισθός, 2 John 1:8 (Ruth 2:12); σῖτος, a full kernel of grain (one completely filling the follicle or hull containing it), Mark 4:28.

Topical Lexicon

Range of Meaning and Key Motifs

The term translated “full” (Greek plērēs) portrays something brought to its intended capacity. Scripture uses the word materially (baskets full of leftovers, grain fully ripened) and morally–spiritually (a life saturated by the Holy Spirit, grace, faith, or, in warning texts, deceit and rage). In every case the word underscores completeness: nothing lacking, nothing partial.

Occurrences in the Life and Ministry of Jesus

• Mark 4:28 presents creation’s quiet process: “first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.” The harvest image intimates the inevitable culmination of God’s kingdom purposes.
• Luke 4:1 highlights the inauguration of the Galilean ministry: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan.” His entire mission proceeds in Spirit-sufficiency.
• John 1:14 testifies, “The Word became flesh… full of grace and truth.” Incarnation reveals divine completeness—no facet of grace or truth missing in the Son.

Fullness in the Synoptic Feeding Narratives

Matthew 14:20; Matthew 15:37; Mark 8:19 use plērēs of “twelve baskets full.” Material abundance attests to Jesus’ creative provision and foreshadows the eschatological banquet where every hunger is satisfied.

Fullness and the Holy Spirit in Luke–Acts

Luke-Acts concentrates the moral-spiritual sense:
• Luke 4:1, Stephen (Acts 6:5, 6:8, 7:55), Barnabas (Acts 11:24), and selected deacons (Acts 6:3) are “full of the Holy Spirit,” “full of faith,” “full of grace and power.” Luke thereby links Spirit-fullness with wisdom, faith, courage, and effective witness.
• Acts 9:36 commends Tabitha, “full of good works and charitable giving,” showing that Spirit-produced fullness naturally overflows in service.
• Acts 13:10 contrasts sanctified fullness with corruption: Elymas is “full of all deceit and trickery,” a sober reminder that hearts will be filled either with the Spirit’s fruit or sin’s poison.

Negative Fullness: Wrath and Apostasy

Acts 19:28 depicts Ephesian craftsmen “filled with rage,” while 2 John 8 warns believers to persevere so they “may receive a full reward.” Scripture therefore contrasts holy completeness with destructive saturation by anger or error.

Theological Significance

1. Christological: Jesus embodies undiminished grace and truth, the model and source of all godly fullness.
2. Pneumatological: Repeated references to Spirit-fullness establish it as normative for church life, empowering proclamation, service, courage under persecution, and generosity.
3. Eschatological: Material fullness in the feedings and harvest parable previews ultimate satisfaction in God’s kingdom.
4. Ethical: In both positive and negative use, the word exposes what commands the heart. Spirit-filled believers become vessels of blessing; sin-filled lives manifest deceit and wrath.

Historical and Ministry Implications

Early Christian communities recognized Spirit-fullness as a prerequisite for leadership (Acts 6:3) and mission (Acts 11:24). The pattern continues: disciples do not minister from scarcity but from Christ’s all-sufficient supply. Historically, revivals and missionary movements have been marked by believers seeking and experiencing such fullness, leading to bold proclamation and sacrificial service.

Practical Applications for Today

• Pursue continual Spirit-fullness through confession, prayer, and obedience (Ephesians 5:18 echoes the same root verb).
• Discern what fills the heart—grace or deceit, faith or rage—and submit to the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
• Expect divine sufficiency in ministry; the Lord who filled baskets can resource every gospel endeavor.
• Hold fast to truth so that, like the Johannine exhortation, we may receive “a full reward.”

Plērēs therefore calls every believer to a life brought to maturity in Christ, overflowing with the Spirit’s presence, and guarding against counterfeit fullness.

Forms and Transliterations

πλήρει πληρεις πλήρεις πλήρες πληρη πλήρη πλήρης πλήρους τελείας plere plērē plḗre plḗrē plereis plēreis plḗreis pleres plērēs plḗres plḗrēs

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 14:20 Adj-AMP
GRK: δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις
NAS: twelve full baskets.
KJV: twelve baskets full.
INT: twelve hand-baskets full

Matthew 15:37 Adj-AFP
GRK: ἑπτὰ σπυρίδας πλήρεις
NAS: seven large baskets full.
KJV: seven baskets full.
INT: seven baskets full

Mark 4:28 Adj-AMS
GRK: στάχυν εἶτα πλήρης σῖτον ἐν
NAS: then the mature grain
KJV: the ear, after that the full corn in
INT: an ear then full grain in

Mark 8:19 Adj-AMP
GRK: κοφίνους κλασμάτων πλήρεις ἤρατε λέγουσιν
NAS: baskets full of broken pieces
KJV: baskets full of fragments
INT: hand-baskets of fragments full took you up They say

Luke 4:1 Adj-NMS
GRK: Ἰησοῦς δὲ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου
NAS: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
KJV: And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost
INT: Jesus moreover full of [the] Spirit Holy

Luke 5:12 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ πλήρης λέπρας ἰδὼν
NAS: [there was] a man covered with leprosy;
KJV: behold a man full of leprosy: who
INT: behold a man full of leprosy having seen

John 1:14 Adj-NFS
GRK: παρὰ πατρός πλήρης χάριτος καὶ
NAS: from the Father, full of grace
KJV: of the Father,) full of grace and
INT: with a father full of grace and

Acts 6:3 Adj-AMP
GRK: μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτὰ πλήρεις πνεύματος καὶ
NAS: of good reputation, full of the Spirit
KJV: of honest report, full of the Holy
INT: carried witness to seven full of [the] Spirit and

Acts 6:5 Adj-AMS
GRK: Στέφανον ἄνδρα πλήρης πίστεως καὶ
NAS: a man full of faith
KJV: Stephen, a man full of faith and
INT: Stephen a man full of faith and

Acts 6:8 Adj-NMS
GRK: Στέφανος δὲ πλήρης χάριτος καὶ
NAS: And Stephen, full of grace and power,
KJV: And Stephen, full of faith and
INT: Stephen moreover full grace and

Acts 7:55 Adj-NMS
GRK: ὑπάρχων δὲ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου
NAS: But being full of the Holy Spirit,
KJV: But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
INT: being moreover full of [the] Spirit Holy

Acts 9:36 Adj-NFS
GRK: αὕτη ἦν πλήρης ἔργων ἀγαθῶν
NAS: this woman was abounding with deeds
KJV: this woman was full of good works
INT: She was full of works good

Acts 11:24 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἀγαθὸς καὶ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου
NAS: man, and full of the Holy
KJV: man, and full of the Holy Ghost
INT: good and full of [the] Spirit Holy

Acts 13:10 Adj-NMS
GRK: εἶπεν Ὦ πλήρης παντὸς δόλου
NAS: and said, You who are full of all
KJV: And said, O full of all subtilty
INT: said O full of all deceit

Acts 19:28 Adj-NMP
GRK: καὶ γενόμενοι πλήρεις θυμοῦ ἔκραζον
NAS: When they heard [this] and were filled with rage,
KJV: [these sayings], they were full of wrath,
INT: and having become full of anger they cried out

2 John 1:8 Adj-AMS
GRK: ἀλλὰ μισθὸν πλήρη ἀπολάβητε
NAS: but that you may receive a full reward.
KJV: but that we receive a full reward.
INT: but a reward full we might receive

Strong's Greek 4134
16 Occurrences

πλήρη — 1 Occ.
πλήρης — 10 Occ.
πλήρεις — 5 Occ.