Lexical Summary pléroó: To fill, to make full, to complete, to fulfill Original Word: πληρόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance accomplish, complete, fulfillFrom pleres; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc. -- accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply. see GREEK pleres HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4137 plēróō (from plērēs, "be full," see 4130 /plḗthō) – properly, fill to individual capacity, i.e. to the extent it is "meet" (appropriate). See 4130 (plēthō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom plérés Definition to make full, to complete NASB Translation accomplish (1), accomplished (1), amply supplied (1), approaching (1), complete (1), completed (3), completing (1), elapsed (1), fill (3), filled (16), fills (1), finished (1), fulfill (20), fulfilled (20), fully carry (1), fully come (1), fully preached (1), increasing (1), made complete (2), made full (5), make...full (1), make...complete (1), passed (2), supply (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4137: πληρόωπληρόω πληρῶ (infinitive πληροῦν Luke 9:31, see WH's Appendix, p. 166); imperfect 3 person singular ἐπλήρου; future πληρώσω; 1 aorist ἐπλήρωσα; perfect πεπλήρωκα; passive, present πληροῦμαι; imperfect ἐπληρουμην; perfect πεπλήρωμαι; 1 aorist ἐπληρώθην; 1 future πληρωθήσομαι; future middle πληρώσομαι (once, Revelation 6:11 Rec.); (from ΠΛηΡΟΣ equivalent to πλήρης); from Aeschylus and Herodotus down; the Sept. for מָלֵא; 1. to make full, to fill, to fill up: τήν σαγηνην, passive, Matthew 13:48; equivalent to "to fill to the full, πᾶσαν χρείαν, Philippians 4:19; to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally: πεπλήρωμαι, I abound, I am liberally supplied, namely, with what is necessary for subsistence, Philippians 4:18; Hebraistically, with the accusative of the thing in which one abounds (cf. Buttmann, § 134, 7; Winer's Grammar, § 32, 5): of spiritual possessions, Philippians 1:11 (where Rec. has καρπῶν); Colossians 1:9, (ἐνέπλησα αὐτόν πνεῦμα σοφίας, Exodus 31:3; Exodus 35:31); equivalent to to flood, ἡ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη (Tr marginal reading ἐπλήσθη) ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς, John 12:3 (see ἐκ, II. 5); ἦχος ἐπλήρωσε τόν οἶκον, Acts 2:2; with a genitive of the thing, τήν Ἱερουσαλήμ τῆς διδαχῆς, Acts 5:28 (Libanius, epistles 721 πάσας — i. e. πόλεις — ἐνέπλησας τῶν ὑπέρ ἡμῶν λόγων; Justin, hist. 11, 7 Phrygiam religionibus implevit); τινα, equivalent to to fill, diffuse throughout one's soul: with a genitive of the thing, Luke 2:40 R G L text T Tr marginal reading (see below); Acts 2:28; passive, Acts 13:52; Romans 15:13 (where L marginal reading πληροφορέω, which see in c.), 14; 2 Timothy 1:4; with a dative of the thing (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 7), passive (Luke 2:40 L marginal reading Tr text WH); Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 7:4; followed by ἐν with a dative of the instrument: ἐν πνεύματι, Ephesians 5:18; ἐν παντί θελήματι Θεοῦ, with everything which God wills (used of those who will nothing but what God wills), Colossians 4:12 R G (but see πληροφορέω, c.); πληροῦν τήν καρδίαν τίνος, to pervade, take possession of, one's heart, John 16:6; Acts 5:3; Christians are said πληροῦσθαι, simply, as those who are pervaded (i. e. richly furnished) with the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit: ἐν αὐτῷ, rooted as it were in Christ, i. e. by virtue of the intimate relationship entered into with him, Colossians 2:10 (cf. ἐν, I. 6 b.); εἰς πᾶν τό πλήρωμα τοῦ Θεοῦ (see πλήρωμα, 1), Ephesians 3:19 (not WH marginal reading); Christ, exalted to share in the divine administration, is said πληροῦν τά πάντα, to fill (pervade) the universe with his presence, power, activity, Ephesians 4:10; also πληροῦσθαι (middle for himself, i. e. to execute his counsels (cf. Winers Grammar, 258 (242); Buttmann, § 134, 7)) τά πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν, all things in all places, Ephesians 1:23 (μή οὐχί τόν οὐρανόν καί τήν γῆν ἐγώ πληρῶ, λέγει κύριος, Jeremiah 23:24; Grimm, Exeget. Hdbch. on Wis. 1:7, p. 55, cites examples from Philo and others; ((but ἐν πᾶσιν here is variously understood; see πᾶς, II. 2 b. δ. αα. and the commentaries))). 2. to render full, i. e. to complete; a. properly, to fill up to the top: πᾶσαν φάραγγα, Luke 3:5; so that nothing shall be lacking to full measure, fill to the brim, μέτρον (which see, 1 a.), Matthew 23:32. b. to perfect, consummate; α. a number: ἕως πληρωθῶσι καί οἱ σύνδουλοι, until the number of their comrades also shall have been made complete, Revelation 6:11 L WH text,cf. Düsterdieck at the passage (see γ. below). by a Hebraism (see πίμπλημι, at the end) time is said πληροῦσθαι, πεπληρωμένος, either when a period of time that was to elapse has passed, or when a definite time is at hand: Mark 1:15; Luke 21:24; John 7:8; Acts 7:23, 30; Acts 9:23; Acts 24:27 (Genesis 25:24; Genesis 29:21; Leviticus 8:33; Leviticus 12:4; Leviticus 25:30; Numbers 6:5; Josephus, Antiquities 4, 4, 6; 6, 4, 1; πληροῦν τόν τέλεον ἐνιαυτόν, Plato, Tim., p. 39d.; τούς χρόνους, legg. 9, p. 866a.). β. to make complete in every particular; to render perfect: πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν κ.τ.λ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11; τήν χαράν, Philippians 2:2; passive, John 3:29; John 15:11; John 16:24; John 17:13; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 1:12; τά ἔργα, passive, Revelation 3:2; τήν ὑπακοήν, to cause all to obey, passive, 2 Corinthians 10:6; τό πάσχα, Luke 22:16 (Jesus speaks here allegorically: until perfect deliverance and blessedness be celebrated in the heavenly state). γ. to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking): πάντα τά ῤήματα, Luke 7:1; τήν διακονίαν, Acts 12:25; Colossians 4:17; τό ἔργον, Acts 14:26; τόν δρόμον, Acts 13:25; namely, τόν δρόμον, Revelation 6:11 according to the reading πληρωσωσι (G T Tr WH marginal reading) or πληρωσονται (Rec.) (see α. above); ὡς ἐπληρώθη ταῦτα, when these things were ended, Acts 19:21. Here belongs also πληροῦν τό εὐαγγέλιον, to cause to be everywhere known, acknowledged, embraced (A. V. I have fully preached), Romans 15:19; in the same sense τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Colossians 1:25. c. to carry into effect, bring to realization, realize; α. of matters of duty, to perform, execute: τόν νόμον, Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14; τό δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου, passive, ἐν ἡμῖν, among us, Romans 8:4; πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην, Matthew 3:15 (εὐσέβειαν, 4 Macc. 12:15); τήν ἔξοδον (as something appointed and prescribed by God), Luke 9:31. β. of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish; so in the phrases ἵνα or ὅπως πληρωθῇ ἡ γραφή, τό ῤηθέν, etc. (el. Knapp, Seripta var. Arg., p. 533f): Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15, 17, 23; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 26:54, 56; Matthew 27:9, 35 Rec.; Mark 14:49; Mark 15:28 (which verse G T WH omits; but Tr brackets it); Luke 1:20; Luke 4:21; Luke 21:22 Rec.; Strong’s Greek 4137 and its compounds portray God’s action of filling up what is lacking—whether prophecy, time, righteousness, joy, the Spirit, or the Church itself—and the human response of entering that divinely-ordained completeness. Eighty-eight New Testament occurrences span the Gospels, Acts, Pauline Epistles, General Epistles, and Revelation, weaving a unified thread of divine purpose brought to its intended fullness. Prophetic Fulfillment in the Ministry of Jesus Matthew frames the life of Christ with a recurring formula: “This took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet” (for example, Matthew 1:22; 2:15; 2:23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 21:4; 27:35). Each citation testifies that Jesus is the anticipated Messiah in whom every promise finds its completion. Luke complements this emphasis when Jesus declares in the synagogue, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21), and again after the resurrection: “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). The cross itself is presented as the climactic fulfillment (John 19:24, 36). The Fulfillment of Righteousness At His baptism Jesus insists, “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Here fulfillment expands beyond prophecy to moral perfection; Christ not only predicts but embodies God’s righteous standard on behalf of His people. Time Now Filled Mark opens the Gospel age with Jesus’ proclamation, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). Divine chronology reaches its appointed fullness; the long-awaited messianic era begins. Apostolic Witness to Fulfillment Peter and Paul consistently interpret redemptive history through this verb. Acts 3:18 affirms, “God…has fulfilled in this way what He foretold through all the prophets—that His Christ would suffer.” Paul addresses the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch: “Those who dwell in Jerusalem…fulfilled all that was written about Him” (Acts 13:27). Even hostile actions are incorporated into God’s filling up of His word. Love Fulfills the Law Romans 13:8 declares, “He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law,” echoed in Galatians 5:14. The moral aim of Torah reaches completion, not in additional legislation, but in Spirit-empowered love, the practical outworking of the new covenant. Personal Fullness in Christ The believer’s experience is described with the perfect participle: “These things I speak…so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11; cf. 16:24; 1 John 1:4). Paul prays that the Colossians be “filled with the knowledge of His will” (Colossians 1:9) and reminds them, “In Him you have been made complete” (Colossians 2:10). Philippians 1:11 envisions saints “filled with the fruit of righteousness.” The verb underscores a present possession grounded in Christ’s finished work. The Filling of the Holy Spirit Acts records corporate experiences: “All were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4; 13:52). Ephesians 5:18 issues the continuing imperative, “Be filled with the Spirit,” urging believers to yield continually to His sanctifying influence. Luke 1:15–41 links Spirit-filling with prophetic praise, showing continuity between Old and New Testament operations. Ecclesial and Cosmic Fullness Ephesians 1:22–23 describes the Church as “His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all,” presenting Christ as the One who saturates creation with His sovereign presence. Ephesians 4:10 states that the ascended Christ “might fill all things,” guaranteeing the success of the Great Commission. Eschatological Completion Luke 21:24 speaks of “the times of the Gentiles” being fulfilled, and Revelation 6:11 waits until “the number of their fellow servants…should be completed.” History moves toward a divinely fixed consummation. Ministerial Fulfillment Paul’s ambition “to fully preach the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19) and his charge that Archippus “fulfill the ministry” (Colossians 4:17) show the verb shaping apostolic vocation. Ministry reaches its goal when God’s commission is carried through to its intended ends. Pastoral Encouragement Filling language comforts and commissions. It assures believers that God’s joy, peace, and power are not partial but abundant (Romans 15:13; Philippians 4:19). It calls the Church to cooperate with the Spirit until all divine purposes stand complete. Key Passages for Further Study Matthew 5:17; 13:48 Acts 7:23; 9:23; 14:26 Romans 8:4; 15:14 Ephesians 3:19; 4:10 Philippians 2:2; 4:18 Revelation 3:2; 6:11 Each reference invites deeper exploration of how God, in Christ and by the Spirit, brings every promise, purpose, and person to His ordained fullness. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:22 V-ASP-3SGRK: γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν NAS: took place to fulfill what KJV: that it might be fulfilled which INT: came to pass that might be fulfilled that having been spoken Matthew 2:15 V-ASP-3S Matthew 2:17 V-AIP-3S Matthew 2:23 V-ASP-3S Matthew 3:15 V-ANA Matthew 4:14 V-ASP-3S Matthew 5:17 V-ANA Matthew 8:17 V-ASP-3S Matthew 12:17 V-ASP-3S Matthew 13:35 V-ASP-3S Matthew 13:48 V-AIP-3S Matthew 21:4 V-ASP-3S Matthew 23:32 V-AMA-2P Matthew 26:54 V-ASP-3P Matthew 26:56 V-ASP-3P Matthew 27:9 V-AIP-3S Matthew 27:35 V-ASP-3S Mark 1:15 V-RIM/P-3S Mark 14:49 V-ASP-3P Mark 15:28 V-AIP-3S Luke 1:20 V-FIP-3P Luke 2:40 V-PPM/P-NNS Luke 3:5 V-FIP-3S Luke 4:21 V-RIM/P-3S Luke 7:1 V-AIA-3S Strong's Greek 4137 |
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