πληρ-όω G4137
To fill, make full; to fulfill prophecy or complete a purpose; passively, to be filled with the Spirit, joy, or content.
Pleroo is one of the most theologically generative verbs in the New Testament, bridging the physical act of filling a container with the divine act of bringing Scripture to completion. Matthew's repeated formula 'that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet' (Matt 1:22; 2:15) uses precisely this verb, making it the hinge between Old Testament promise and New Testament realization. Yet the same root fills a house with fragrance when Mary anoints Jesus (John 12:3), fills disciples with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4), and fills up a net with fish (Matt 13:48). The multilingual evidence splits revealingly: Arabic distinguishes tamm/yatimm ('come to completion') from mala'a ('fill physically'), Korean separates 이루어지다 ('be accomplished') from 채우다 ('fill a vessel'), and Swahili uses -timizwa for prophetic fulfillment but -jaza for spatial filling. These cross-linguistic fracture lines confirm genuine sense boundaries within what Greek collapses into a single lexeme.
Senses
1. fulfill prophecy (passive) — To fulfill prophecy or Scripture (passive) — the largest sense at 38 occurrences, overwhelmingly concentrated in Matthew and John. The characteristic formula hina plerothe ('in order that it might be fulfilled') appears 16 times in Matthew alone, structurally organizing the Gospel as a narrative of prophetic completion. Arabic tamm/yatimm (passive of the root t-m-m, 'to be completed'), Korean 이루어지다/성취되다 ('to be accomplished/achieved'), and Swahili -timizwa all select completion/accomplishment vocabulary rather than physical filling, confirming this as a deeply lexicalized sub-sense. Key passages: Matt 1:22 (virgin birth fulfills Isaiah), Matt 2:15 (flight to Egypt fulfills Hosea), John 19:24 (casting lots fulfills the Psalms). 38×
AR["تَتِمَّ", "يَتِمَّ"]·ben["পূর্ণ-হয়", "পূর্ণ-হয়,", "পূর্ণ-হয়।"]·DE["erfuellen", "erfüllt"]·EN["it-is-fulfilled", "may-be-fulfilled", "might-be-fulfilled"]·FR["accomplir"]·heb["יִמָּלֵא", "יִתְמַלְּא-וּ", "יִתְמַלְּאוּ", "יִתְמַלֵּא", "שֶׁיִּתְקַיֵּם", "שֶׁיִמָּלֵא"]·HI["पूरा-हो", "पूरी-हों", "पोओर-हो"]·ID["digenapi"]·IT["adempiere"]·jav["dipungenapi", "dipunkayektenaken", "kacumpengan", "kacumponèn", "kagenepan", "kalampahan", "kaleksanan", "kaleksanan,", "katetepaken", "katetepaken,", "katetepaken.", "katetepan"]·KO["성취되게", "성취되도록", "성취될-때에", "이루어지게-하려고", "이루어지도록", "이루어지려고", "이루어지리라"]·PT["cumprisse", "cumprissem-se", "fosse-cumprida", "fosse-cumprido", "se-cumpra", "se-cumpram", "se-cumprisse", "seja-cumprida"]·RU["исполнились", "исполнилось", "исполнилось,", "исполнилось.", "исполнится"]·ES["fuera-cumplida", "fuera-cumplido", "se-cumpla", "se-cumplan", "se-cumpliera", "se-cumpliese", "sea-cumplida"]·SW["-", "itatimizwa", "litimie", "litimizwe", "yatimizwe"]·TR["yerine-gelecek", "yerine-gelsin", "yerine-getirilsin"]·urd["پورا ہو", "پورا-ہو", "پوری-ہو", "پورے-ہوں", "پُورا-ہو", "پُورے-ہوں"]
Matt 1:22, Matt 2:15, Matt 2:17, Matt 2:23, Matt 4:14, Matt 8:17, Matt 12:17, Matt 13:35, Matt 21:4, Matt 26:54, Matt 26:56, Matt 27:9 (+26 more)
2. be filled (passive/middle) — To be filled (passive/middle) with spiritual or emotional content — 16 occurrences where persons or places become full of the Holy Spirit, joy, sorrow, or knowledge. The disciples are 'filled with joy and the Holy Spirit' (Acts 13:52), Jesus tells the disciples 'sorrow has filled your hearts' (John 16:6), and Paul prays believers may 'be filled with all the fullness of God' (Eph 3:19). Arabic imtala'a (Form VIII reflexive of m-l-', 'to become full') and Korean 충만하다 ('to be brimful') both use dedicated state-of-fullness vocabulary. The sense boundary against prophetic fulfillment is sharp: here the subject becomes a container for a quality, not a prophecy reaching its appointed completion. 16×
AR["أَمتَلِئَ", "امتَلَأوا", "امتَلَأَت", "امْتَلَأَ", "اِمتَلِئوا", "تَمتَلِئوا", "قَدِ-امْتَلَأْتُ", "مَملوءاً", "مَملوؤونَ", "مَملوئينَ", "مَمْلوئينَ", "مَمْلُوءُونَ", "مُكتَمِلًا", "مُمتَلِئٌ", "مُمْتَلِئًا"]·ben["আমি-পরিপূর্ণ", "তোমরা-পূর্ণ-হও", "পরিপূর্ণ", "পরিপূর্ণ-হচ্ছিলেন", "পরিপূর্ণ-হয়ে", "পূর্ণ", "পূর্ণ-হই;", "পূর্ণ-হও", "পূর্ণ-হয়ে", "পূর্ণ-হয়েছি", "পূর্ণ-হল"]·DE["erfuellen", "erfüllt"]·EN["I-am-filled", "I-have-been-filled", "I-may-be-filled", "be-filled", "being-filled", "fulfilled", "having-been-filled", "it-was-filled", "unto", "was-filled", "were-being-filled", "you-may-be-filled"]·FR["accomplir"]·heb["אֶמָּלֵא", "הִתְמַלְּאוּ", "מְמֻלֵּאת", "מְמֻלָּאִים", "מִתְמַלֵּא", "מָלֵא,", "מָלֵאתִי", "נִמְלְאָה", "נִמְלְאוּ", "נִמְלָא", "תִּמָּלְאוּ", "תִּתְמַלְּאוּ"]·HI["तुम-पुरन-हो-जओ", "तुम-भरे-जओ", "परिपूर्ण", "पूर्ण", "पूर्ण-हो", "भर-गए", "भर-गया", "भर-गयेए", "भर-जअओओन;", "भरता-हुआ", "भरपुर", "भरपुर-हो", "भरा-हूं-मैं", "भरे-हुए", "मैन-भर-हुअ-हुन,"]·ID["aku dipenuhi", "aku-dipenuhi", "dipenuhi", "kamu dipenuhi", "kamu-dipenuhi", "lengkap.", "menjadi-penuh", "penuh", "penuh-dengan", "penuhilah"]·IT["adempiere", "compiere"]·jav["dipun-kebaki", "kaisen", "kapenuhan", "kapenuhan;", "kawula-kapenuhan", "kebak", "kebak,", "kula-kapenuhan", "panjenengan-kapenuhan", "panjenengan-sedaya-dipuniseni", "sampun-kapenuhan", "sampurna"]·KO["가득-차게-하라;", "가득-찬", "가득-찼다", "가득-찼을-때", "너희가-채워지도록", "차다,", "채워졌다", "채워지도록", "채워지며", "채워진", "채워진-자들", "충만하게-된", "충만하라"]·PT["cheios", "completa", "enchei-vos", "enchiam-se", "estou-cheio", "foi-enchida", "repletos", "seja-cheio", "sejais-cheios", "sendo-cheio"]·RU["исполнен", "исполненной", "исполненные", "исполненных", "исполнились", "исполнился-я", "исполняйтесь", "исполнялись", "наполненные", "наполнился", "наполняемое", "полной."]·ES["completado", "completos", "cumplido", "eran-llenos", "estoy-lleno", "fue-llenada", "habiendo-sido-llenados", "he-sido-llenado", "llenos", "llenándose", "sea-lleno", "sed-llenos", "seáis-llenos"]·SW["akijazwa", "ikajaa", "imetimizwa", "itimizwe", "mjazwe", "mkiwa-mmejaa", "mkiwa-mmejazwa", "mmejazwa", "nijazwe", "nimejaa", "nimejazwa", "ulijaa", "walijawa", "wamejazwa"]·TR["dolarak", "doldu", "doldurulan", "doldurulasaniz", "doldurulasiniz", "doldurulayım", "doldurulmuş", "dolmus", "dolmusum", "dolunca", "doluyorlardı", "tamamlanmış", "uğruna-"]·urd["بھر-جاؤ", "بھر-جاؤں۔", "بھر-گئی", "بھر-گیا", "بھرا-ہوں", "بھرتا-تھا", "بھرتے-رہو", "بھرتے-رہے", "بھرے-ہوئے", "تم-بھر-جاؤ", "مکمل۔", "پُر-ہوا-ہوں", "کامل"]
3. fulfill actively (complete/accomplish) — To fulfill actively — to accomplish, complete, or carry out a duty, law, or mission (active voice, human agent) — 14 occurrences. Jesus declares he came 'not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it' (Matt 5:17); Paul says love is the 'fulfillment of the law' (Rom 13:8). At Matt 3:15, Jesus tells John the Baptist 'it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Arabic atamma/akmala (active causative completive forms) and Korean 완성하다/이루다 ('to accomplish, bring to completion') both mark this as volitional completion by an agent, distinct from the passive prophetic sense. The active voice is the key morphological signal. 14×
AR["أَتَمَّهَا", "أَتَمّوها", "أَتْمَمْتُ", "أَكمَلاهُ", "أَكمِلوا", "أَكْمَلَ", "أَكْمِلوا", "أَنْ-نُتِمَّ", "أَنْ-يُتَمِّمَ", "تُتَمِّمَ", "لِأُتَمِّمَ", "مُتَمِّمِينِ", "يُكَمِّلَ"]·ben["তুমি-পূর্ণ-কর", "পূর্ণ-কর", "পূর্ণ-করতে", "পূর্ণ-করতে।", "পূর্ণ-করলেন", "পূর্ণ-করেছি", "পূর্ণ-করেছিলেন", "পূর্ণ-করেছে।", "পূর্ণ-করেন", "পূর্ণ-করো", "সম্পূর্ণ-করে"]·DE["erfuellen", "erfüllt"]·EN["fill-up", "fulfill", "has-fulfilled", "having-fulfilled", "he-fulfilled", "may-fulfill", "they-completed", "they-fulfilled", "to-fulfill", "to-have-fulfilled", "you-fulfill"]·FR["accomplir"]·heb["הִשְׁלִימוּ", "יְמַלֵּא", "לְהַשְׁלִים", "לְמַלֵּא", "לְקַיֵּם", "מִלְּאוּ", "מִלֵּא", "מִלֵּאתִי", "מַלְּאוּ", "קִיְּמוּ", "תְּמַלֵּא"]·HI["तु-पोओर-कर", "पूरा-करना", "पूरा-करने", "पूरा-करो", "पूरा-किया", "पूरी-कर-चुका-है", "पूरी-करके", "पोओर-करने", "पोओर-करो", "पोओरि-करे"]·ID["Dia-genapkan", "Ia-genapi", "kamu penuhi", "menggenapi", "menggenapkan", "menyelesaikan", "mereka-selesaikan", "penuhilah", "penuhkanlah", "telah-menggenapi", "telah-menggenapi.", "untuk-menggenapi"]·IT["adempiere", "compiere"]·jav["jangkepana", "kaisi", "kangge-njangkepi", "netepi", "ngrampungaken", "njangkepi", "panjenengan-jangkepi", "sampun-netepi", "sampun-netepi.", "tiyang-tiyang-punika-ngrampungaken.", "tiyang-tiyang-punika-njangkepaken."]·KO["네가-완수하도록", "마치고", "마친", "성취하였다", "성취했다", "완성하도록", "완성하러", "이렇게", "이루다", "이루실", "채우라", "채우시도록", "충만히-전했다"]·PT["a-cumprir", "assim-cumpriu", "completai", "cumpra", "cumpras", "cumprir", "cumpriram.", "cumpriu.", "para-cumprir", "ter-completado"]·RU["-Христа", "исполнив", "исполнил", "исполнили", "исполните", "исполнить", "исполнял", "наполните"]·ES["a-cumplir", "colmad", "completad", "cumpla", "cumplas", "cumpliendo", "cumplieron", "cumplir", "cumplió", "ha-cumplido", "haber-cumplido", "para-cumplir"]·SW["-", "alitimiza", "ametimiza.", "atimize", "itimizeni", "kulitimiza", "kutimiza", "nimeitimiza", "uitimize", "wakimaliza", "walitimiza", "walitimiza."]·TR["doldurun", "tamamladılar", "tamamladım", "tamamlamak", "tamamlayan", "yerine-getirdi", "yerine-getirdiler", "yerine-getiresin", "yerine-getirmek", "yerine-getirmiştir", "yerine-getirsin"]·urd["پورا-کر-چکا-ہے", "پورا-کرنا", "پورا-کرنے", "پورا-کرنے-کو", "پورا-کرو", "پورا-کیا", "پوری-طرح-سنایا-ہے", "پوری-کر-کے", "پوری-کرے", "پُورا-کرو"]
Matt 3:15, Matt 5:17, Matt 23:32, Luke 9:31, Acts 3:18, Acts 12:25, Acts 13:27, Acts 14:26, Rom 13:8, Rom 15:19, Phil 2:2, Col 1:25 (+2 more)
4. complete a period or course — To complete a period, course, or appointed time — 10 occurrences where a temporal span reaches its appointed end. 'When Jesus had finished these sayings' (Matt 7:28 uses a different verb, but Luke 7:1 uses pleroo); 'the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled' (Luke 21:24); 'until the words of God are fulfilled' (Rev 17:17). Arabic akmala/intahat ('completed/ended') and Korean 마치다 ('to finish') both focus on temporal terminus rather than content-filling. This sense often carries eschatological weight: time itself is treated as a vessel being filled up until it overflows into a new era (Gal 4:4, 'the fullness of time'). 10×
AR["أَتَمَّ", "أَكمَلَ", "تَكتَمِلَ", "تَكمُلَ", "كَامِلًا", "لَمَّا-انْتَهَتْ", "مُكْتَمِلَةً", "يَكتَمِلَ", "يَكْتَمِلَ"]·ben["পূর্ণ", "পূর্ণ-করছিলেন", "পূর্ণ-হইয়া", "পূর্ণ-হউক", "পূর্ণ-হয়", "পূর্ণ-হয়েছে", "পূর্ণ।", "সম্পূর্ণ-করলেন"]·DE["erfuellen", "erfüllt"]·EN["are-fulfilled", "completed", "having-been-fulfilled", "he-had-fulfilled", "may-be-fulfilled", "might-be-fulfilled", "should-be-fulfilled", "was-completing"]·FR["accomplir"]·heb["הִשְׁלִים", "יִמָּלְאוּ", "מְלֵאָה", "נִמְלְאוּ", "שְׁלֵמִים", "תִּוָּשְׁלֵם", "תִּשְׁלַם"]·HI["पूरा-करता-था", "पूरा-किया", "पूरा-हो", "पूरी-हो", "पूरे-किए-हुए", "पूरे-हों", "पूरेहोनेपर", "पूर्ण"]·ID["Ia-menyelesaikan", "digenapi", "dipenuhi", "dipenuhi,", "menggenapi", "menjadi-sempurna", "sempurna", "yang-sempurna"]·IT["adempiere", "compiere"]·jav["dipunkebaki", "jangkep", "jangkep.", "kagenepan", "ketugan,", "ngrampungaken", "sampurna", "sampurna."]·KO["마쳤다", "마치고-있었다", "완성된", "차니", "차도록", "채워지도록", "채워지면", "채워질-때에", "충만해진"]·PT["completa", "completas", "completou", "cumpria", "for-cumprida", "se-completem", "se-cumpram", "seja-completa"]·RU["завершил", "заканчивал", "исполнившегося", "исполнилась", "исполнится", "исполнятся", "полной.", "полную", "совершёнными"]·ES["cumplidas", "cumplido", "cumplía", "habiendo-pasado", "sea-cumplida", "sea-cumplido", "sean-completados", "sean-cumplidos", "terminó"]·SW["alimaliza", "alipokamilisha", "ijae", "ilipomalizika", "kamili", "utakapokamilika", "watimie", "yamekamilika", "yatatimizwa"]·TR["dolunca", "tamamladı", "tamamlanacak", "tamamlandığında", "tamamlanmış", "tamamlansın", "tamamlıyordu"]·urd["مکمل", "پورا-کر-رہا-تھا", "پورا-کیا", "پوری ہو جائے", "پوری-ہو", "پورے", "پورے-ہونے-پر", "پورے-ہوں"]
5. fill spatially (active) — To fill spatially (active) — to fill a physical space, container, or place with tangible substance — 10 occurrences. Every valley shall 'be filled' (Luke 3:5 quoting Isaiah), the house 'was filled' with the fragrance of ointment (John 12:3), 'a sound filled the whole house' at Pentecost (Acts 2:2), and Ananias 'filled' his heart with Satan's deception (Acts 5:3, a metaphorical extension of the spatial image). Arabic mala'a/yamla' (root m-l-', 'to fill a container') and Korean 채우다 ('to fill, pour into') both deploy concrete-filling vocabulary here, distinct from the abstract completion terms used for senses 1, 3, and 4. Swahili -jaza ('to fill up, pour full') further confirms the spatial-physical boundary. 10×
AR["المالِئِ", "سَتَمْلَأُنِي", "سَيَمْلَأُ", "سَيُمْلَأُ", "قَدْ-مَلَأَ", "مَلَأَ", "مَلَأْتُمْ", "يَملأَ", "يَمْلَأُ-كُمْ"]·ben["পরিপূর্ণ-করিবে", "পূর্ণ-করবেন", "পূর্ণ-করল", "পূর্ণ-করিল", "পূর্ণ-করুক", "পূর্ণ-করেছ", "পূর্ণ-করেছে", "পূর্ণ-করেন", "পূর্ণ-হবে", "যিনি-পূর্ণ-করেন"]·DE["erfuellen", "erfüllt"]·EN["fill", "filling", "has-filled", "he-might-fill", "it-filled", "may-fill", "will-be-filled", "will-fill", "you-have-filled", "you-will-fill"]·FR["accomplir"]·heb["הַמְמַלֵּא", "יְמַלֵּא", "יִמָּלֵא", "מִלְּאָה", "מִלֵּא", "מִלֵּאתֶם", "תְּמַלֵּא"]·HI["-शिक्षा-से", "-हृदय", "पोओर-करेग", "भर-गई-है", "भर-दे", "भरने-वअले", "भरी-जाएगी", "भरेगा", "वोह-भरपुर-करे", "सारे"]·ID["Dia-memenuhi", "Engkau-akan-memenuhi", "akan mencukupi", "akan-ditimbun", "kamu-memenuhi", "kiranya-memenuhi", "memenuhi", "memenuhi.", "telah-memenuhi"]·IT["adempiere", "compiere"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-manuhi", "badhé-dipun-undhaki,", "badhé-ngebakaken", "badhé-nyekapi", "ingkang-ngiseni.", "kebak", "ngebaki", "ngiseni", "ngiseni-panjenengan-sedaya", "pepak"]·KO["가득-채웠다", "너희-가", "사단-이", "영혼-을", "채우시기를", "채우시는-분의.", "채우시려", "채우시리라", "채워질-것이다", "채웠다"]·PT["encha", "encherás", "enchesse", "encheu", "preenche.", "será-enchido", "suprirá"]·RU["Ты-исполнишь", "восполнит", "всякой", "наполнил", "наполнила", "наполнили-вы", "наполнится", "наполнить", "наполняющего."]·ES["ha-llenado", "habéis-llenado", "llenando", "llenarás", "llene", "llenó", "será-llenado", "suplirá"]·SW["ajazaye", "ajaze", "alijaza", "atatimiza", "awajaze", "ilijaza", "imejaza", "litajazwa", "mmejaza", "utanijaza"]·TR["-yi-", "dolduracaksın", "doldurdu", "doldurdunuz", "doldursun", "doldurulacak", "saglayacak"]·urd["بھر دیا ہے", "بھر-دیا", "بھر-دیا-ہے", "بھر-دے", "بھر-دے-گا", "بھرنے-والے-کی", "بھرے-گی", "پوری-کرے-گا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πληρ-όω, 3rd.pers. plural imperfect ἐπληροῦσαν cited by Refs 5th c.BC+: future -ώσω: perfect πεπλήρωκα, Aeolic dialect participle πεπληρώκων Refs —middle, future πληρώσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐπληρωσάμην Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, future -ωθήσομαιRefs 5th c.BC+; future middle in passive sense, Refs 5th c.BC+:—make full: __I with genitive of things, fill full of, λάρνακας λίθων Refs 5th c.BC+;…