Greek · G4137 · unreviewed
πληρόω
To fulfill
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πληρόω G4137
Pronunciation plēróō
What does πληρόω (plēróō) mean in the Bible?
πληρόω (plēróō) is a Greek word meaning "to fulfill". πληρόω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for מָלֵא ;] __1. Shows how love accomplishes the law’s moral goal. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Justice, Messiah.
Meaning
to fulfill
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To fulfill by bringing to completion; to execute fully or carry through to accomplishment.
1to fill, make full, fill to the full, with accusative;
aof things : pass. (σαψήνη, φάραγξ), Mat.13:48, Luk.3:5" (LXX) ; figuratively, Mat.23:32; but chiefly of immaterial things: πᾶσαν χρείαν, Php.4:19; ἦχος ἐλήρωσε τ. οἶκον, Act.2:2; with genitive of thing(s) (cl.), Act.5:28; pass., before ἐκ, Jhn.12:3 (cf. B1., § 36, 4); π. τ. καρδίαν, Jhn.16:6, Act.5:3; metaphorically, of the all-pervading activity of Christ, Eph.4:10; mid., Eph.1:23;
bof persons: to fill with, cause to abound in : with genitive of thing(s) (cl.), Act.2:28 (LXX), Rom.15:13; pass., to be filled with, abound in: Eph.3:19, Php.4:18; with genitive of thing(s) (cl.), Act.13:52, Rom.15:14, 2Ti.1:4; with dative (Æsch., al.), Luk.2:40 (with genitive, T), Rom.1:29, 2Co.7:4; with accusative (so in π., see MM, xx), Php.1:11, Col.1:9; before ἐν, Eph.5:18, Col.2:10.
2to complete;
ato complete, fulfil: of number, Rev.6:11, WH, tat.; of time (MM, xx), Mrk.1:15, Luk.21:24, Jhn.7:8, Act.7:23, 30 9:23 24:27; ἐυδοκίαν, 2Th.1:11; τ. χαράν, Php.2:2; pass., Jhn.3:29 15:11 16:24 17:13, 1Jn.1:4, 2Jn.12; τ. ἔργα, Rev.3:2; ἡ ὑπακυή, 2Co.10:6; τ. πάσχα, Luk.22:16;
bto execute, accomplish, carry out to the full: Mat.3:15, Luk.7:1 9:31, Act.12:25 13:25 14:26 19:21, Rom.8:4 13:8 15:19, Gal.5:14, Col.1:25 4:17, Rev.6:11, T, WH, R, mg.; __(with) of sayings, prophecies, etc., to bring to pass, fulfil: Mat.1:22 2:15, 17 2:23 4:14 5:17 8:17 12:17 13:35 21:4 26:54, 56 27:9, Mrk.14:49 15:28 (WH, R, txt. om.), Luk.1:20 4:21 24:44, Jhn.12:38 13:18 15:25 17:12 18:9, 32 19:24, 36, Act.1:16 3:18 13:27, Jas.2:23 (cf. Lft., Col., 255 ff.).
Why This Word Matters
Shows how love accomplishes the law’s moral goal. Acts 13:42-52
Defines Matthew’s theology of fulfillment in Christ. Luke 4:14–30
Defines Jesus’ mission as covenant fulfillment. Mark 14:43–52
Defines Jesus’ role as the consummation of the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 13:34–35
Affirms divine necessity in Jesus’ arrest. Matthew 3:13–17
Declares prophetic fulfillment in Christ. Matthew 5:17–20
Highlights the Spirit’s sustaining presence amid persecution.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 31×
Aorist Passive Matt 1:22 · Matt 2:15 · Matt 2:23 · Matt 4:14 · Matt 8:17 · Matt 12:17 · Matt 13:35 · Matt 21:4 · Luke 22:16 · John 12:38 · John 13:18 · John 15:11 · John 15:25 · John 17:12 · John 18:9 · John 18:32 28×
Aorist Active Eph 4:10 · 2 Thess 1:11 2×
Present Active Col 4:17 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 30×
Perfect Passive Mark 1:15 · Luke 4:21 · John 3:29 · John 7:8 · Gal 5:14 · 2 Cor 7:4 · Phil 4:18 7×
Aorist Passive Matt 2:17 · Matt 13:48 · Matt 27:9 · John 12:3 · Acts 19:21 · Jas 2:23 6×
Aorist Active Luke 7:1 · Acts 2:2 · Acts 3:18 · Acts 5:3 · Acts 13:27 · Acts 14:26 6×
Perfect Active John 16:6 · Rom 13:8 · Acts 5:28 3×
Imperfect Passive Acts 9:23 · Acts 13:52 · Acts 7:23 3×
Future Passive Luke 1:20 · Luke 3:5 2×
Future Active Acts 2:28 · Phil 4:19 2×
Imperfect Active Acts 13:25 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 7×
Aorist Active Matt 3:15 · Matt 5:17 · Col 1:25 3×
Aorist Passive Luke 24:44 · Acts 1:16 2×
Present Active Luke 9:31 1×
Perfect Active Rom 15:19 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 14×
Perfect Passive John 16:24 · 1 John 1:4 · 2 John 1:12 · Rom 15:14 · Phil 1:11 · Col 2:10 · John 17:13 · Rom 1:29 · Rev 3:2 9×
Aorist Passive Acts 7:30 · Acts 24:27 2×
Present Passive Luke 2:40 1×
Aorist Active Acts 12:25 1×
Present Middle Eph 1:23 1×
Imperative command or strong request 3×
Aorist Active Matt 23:32 · Phil 2:2 2×
Present Passive Eph 5:18 1×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Active Rom 15:13 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 82 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 53 perfect 16 present 5 future 4 imperfect 4
Voice
passive 57 active 24 middle 1
Mood
subjunctive 31 indicative 30 participle 10 infinitive 7 imperative 3 optative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:22 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 2:15 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 2:17 ἐπληρώθη aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 2:23 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 3:15 πληρῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 4:14 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 5:17 πληρῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 8:17 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 12:17 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:35 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:48 ἐπληρώθη aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 21:4 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 23:32 πληρώσατε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 26:54 πληρωθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 26:56 πληρωθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 27:9 ἐπληρώθη aorist passive indicative completed Mark 1:15 Πεπλήρωται perfect passive indicative resultant Mark 14:49 πληρωθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 1:20 πληρωθήσονται future passive indicative prospective Luke 2:40 πληρούμενον present passive participle participle Luke 3:5 πληρωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Luke 4:21 πεπλήρωται perfect passive indicative resultant Luke 7:1 ἐπλήρωσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 9:31 πληροῦν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 21:24 πληρωθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 22:16 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 24:44 πληρωθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive John 3:29 πεπλήρωται perfect passive indicative resultant John 7:8 πεπλήρωται perfect passive indicative resultant John 12:3 ἐπληρώθη aorist passive indicative completed John 12:38 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 13:18 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 15:11 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 15:25 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 16:6 πεπλήρωκεν perfect active indicative resultant John 17:12 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 17:13 πεπληρωμένην perfect passive participle participle John 18:32 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 18:9 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 19:24 πληρωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive
+42 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Acts 13:42-52 Filled plēróō Indicative · Imperfect Passive
To be filled or made full.
Luke 4:14–30 πεπλήρωται plēróō Indicative · Perfect Passive
has been fulfilled
Mark 14:43–52 πληρωθῶσιν plēróō
be fulfilled
Matthew 13:34–35 πληρόω plēróō Subjunctive · Aorist Passive
to bring to completion or fulfillment
Matthew 3:13–17 πληρόω plēróō Infinitive · Aorist Active
to fulfill
Matthew 5:17–20 πληρόω plēróō Infinitive · Aorist Active
to fulfill, bring to completion
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
Acts 13 — The Spirit Sends the Mission and the Word Turns to the Gentiles Colossians 1 — The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel of Reconciliation Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship Ephesians 5 — Walking in Love, Light, Wisdom, and Spirit-Filled Order John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World John 17 — The Son’s High Priestly Prayer: Glory, Preservation, Sanctification, Unity, Mission, and Love John 18 — The Arrested King: Betrayal, Sovereign Surrender, Denial, Trial, and the Kingdom Not of This World John 19 — The Crucified King: Behold the Man, Behold Your King, It Is Finished, and the Pierced Son Luke 4 — The Spirit-Anointed Son Tested, Rejected, and Proclaiming the Kingdom Luke 9 — The Christ Revealed, the Cross Announced, and the Jerusalem Road Begun Mark 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel: The Servant-King Appears with Authority Matthew 1 — The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus the Messiah Matthew 2 — The Messiah Worshiped, Threatened, Preserved, and Called Out of Egypt Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Philippians 4 — Rejoicing, Peace, Contentment, and Gospel Partnership in Christ Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain