When the Greek words “pimplemi”, “pletho”, or “pleroo” are used in connection with the Holy Spirit’s
filling, these verbs always appear in the passive voice (Dr. L. Richards, Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, p. 278). In
the passive voice, the subject is being acted upon by an outside agent.
The following Greek words
and definitions are taken from Dr. W. Perschbacher’s
The New Analytical Greek Lexicon:
“Pimplemi” – in the passive voice means “to be filled mentally
“or “be under the full influence”. It can have other meanings when used in
reference to time (p. 328).
Lk. 1:15
“he will be filled (“plesthesetai” –
p. 333) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, he would be under the full
influence of the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 1:41
“Elizabeth was filled (“eplesthe” – p. 168) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, she
was under the full influence of the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 1:67 “Zacharias was filled (“eplesthe” – p.
168) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, he was under the full influence of the
Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4 “they were all filled (“eplesthesan” –
p. 168) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, they were all under the full
influence of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:8 “Peter, filled (“plestheis” – p. 333) with the Holy
Spirit”, meaning, he was under the full influence of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31
“they were all filled (“eplesthesan” –
p. 168) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, they were all under the full
influence of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 9:17
“be filled (“plesthes” – p.
333) with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, be under the full influence of the
Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:9 “Paul, filled (“plestheis” – p. 333) with the Holy
Spirit”, meaning, he was under the full influence of the Holy Spirit.
“Pleroo” means “to pervade (with
an influence)”, “to influence fully”, “possess fully”. It can have other
meanings in other kinds of contexts (p.
332).
Eph. 5:18
“be filled (“plerousthe” – p.
332) with/by the Spirit”, meaning, you be constantly and fully influenced
with/by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:52
“disciples were continually
filled (“eplerounto”
– p. 168) with joy and with the Holy Spirit”, meaning, they were pervaded
with (the influence of) joy and fully
influenced by the Holy Spirit.
Rom. 15:13
“God … fill (“plerosai” – p.
333) you with all joy and peace in believing”, meaning, may God give you
the greatest joy and peace in believing.
Rom. 15:14
“you yourselves are …
filled (“pepleromenoi”
– p. 320) with all knowledge”, meaning, these Christians had a fuller or
wide enough scope of truth to admonish one another.
Rom. 1:29
“they … being filled (“pepleromenous” –
p. 320) with all unrighteousness”, meaning, mankind as a group, not
individually, is influenced fully with all (kinds
of) unrighteousness.
Jn. 16:6 “sorrow has filled (“pepleroken” – p.
320) your heart”, meaning, sorrow has pervaded (with an influence) your inner being.
Acts 2:28
“Thou wilt make me full (“pleroseis” – p.
333) of gladness”, meaning, God’s presence would make David
completely/fully glad.
Acts 5:3 “Satan has filled (“eplerosen” – p. 168) your heart”,
meaning, Satan has fully possessed and/or influenced you.
“Mestos” means “full”, “filled with or of” (possessing a great amount), “replete” (p. 272).
Rom. 15:14
“you yourselves are full (“mestoi” – p.
272) of goodness”, meaning, you are abundant or abounding in goodness.
Matt. 23:28
“inwardly you are full (“mestoi” – p.
272) of hypocrisy and lawlessness”, meaning, they possessed a great amount
of hypocrisy and lawlessness, or were big hypocrites and very wicked.
Jn. 19:29
“A jar full (“meston” – p.
272) of sour wine”, meaning, the jar contained as much sour wine as is
possible.
Acts 2:13
“They are full (“memestomenoi” –
p. 269) of sweet wine”, meaning, they are possessing or have drunk a great
amount of wine.
Rom. 1:29
“they … full (“mestous” – p.
272) of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice…”, meaning, mankind possesses
a great amount of these sins.
James 3:8 “the tongue … full (“meste” – p. 272)
of deadly poison”, meaning, the tongue possesses the ability to speak as
destructively as is possible.
James 3:17
“wisdom from above is …
full (“meste” –
p. 272) of mercy”, meaning, godly wisdom contains or has a great amount of
mercy toward other people.
2 Pet. 2:14
“false teachers … having
eyes full (“mestous”
– p. 272) of adultery”, meaning, these false teachers committed a great
amount of sexual lust.
“Perisseuma” means “more than enough”, “over and above”, or
“abundance” (p. 324).
Mk. 8:8 “baskets full (“perisseumata” – p. 324) of what was
left over”, meaning, baskets containing pieces over and above what was used/needed.
Matt. 12:34
“the mouth speaks out of
that which fills (“perisseumatos”
– p. 324) the heart”, meaning, the mouth speaks out of that which is in
abundance in a person’s sin nature or inner being.
“Pleres” (adjective)
means “full of”, “abounding in”, “completely under the influence of”, “wholly
occupied with “, or “affected by” (p.
332).
Lk. 4:1 “Jesus, full (“pleres”) of the Holy Spirit”, meaning,
Jesus was completely under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Jn. 1:14
“the Word … the only
begotten … full (“pleres”)
of grace and truth”, meaning, Jesus had or possessed to the maximum degree all
grace and truth.
Acts 9:36
“this woman was abounding
with (full of – “pleres”)
deeds of kindness.
Acts 6:3 “brethren … full (“pleres”) of the Spirit and of wisdom”,
meaning, these believers were completely under the influence of the Holy Spirit
and abounding in wisdom.
Acts 6:5 “a man full (“pleres”) of faith and of the Holy Spirit”,
meaning, he was abounding in faith and was completely under the influence of
the Holy Spirit.
Acts 6:8 “Stephen, full (“pleres”) of grace and power”, meaning ,
he was completely under the influence of God’s grace/favor and abounding in
power from God.
Acts 13:10
“You who are full (“pleres”) of
all deceit and fraud”, meaning, you who are wholly occupied with or abounding
in all (kinds of) deceit and fraud.
Mk. 8:19
“baskets full (“pleres”) of
broken pieces”, meaning, baskets containing a great amount of pieces.
Lk. 5:12
“a man full (“pleres”) of
leprosy”, meaning, a man covered with leprosy.
“Gemo” means “to be full” (p. 77).
Matt. 23:27
“they are full (“gemousin”)
of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness”, meaning, these scribes and Pharisees were greatly/very corrupt and
impure morally.
Rom. 3:14
“whose mouth is full (“gemai”) of cursing
and bitterness”, meaning, the mouth’s of unconverted mankind (as a whole) speak a lot of cursing and
bitter words.
Rev. 15:7 “golden bowls full (“gemousas”)
of the wrath of God”, meaning, these (figurative)
bowls contained a great amount of God’s wrath.
Rev. 17:3 “beast, full (“gemon”) of blasphemous names”, meaning,
the beast was covered with blasphemous names.
As you can see from the
above study, the words “filled” and “full of” can have various meanings
depending upon both the Greek word used and the context of each passage.