κορέννυμι (korennumi)
korennumi
to satisfy
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb korennumi means to fill someone up until they no longer have room for more, describing a state of complete satiation. It is used literally in Acts 27:38, where the exhausted passengers on Paul’s ship eat their last meal and feel satisfied enough to sleep after days of storm-tossed hunger.
Paul uses this concrete image metaphorically in 1 Corinthians 4:8 to critique the Corinthian church’s arrogance. He writes that they are already "filled" (korennumi) and have become rich without needing him or Christ. The word highlights a dangerous self-sufficiency, where spiritual hunger is replaced by a false sense of having arrived.
Its root relates to kōros, meaning surfeit or excess. While it simply denotes satisfaction in Acts, Paul twists the term to show that true fulfillment comes from dependence on God, not from worldly status. Translators often render it "satisfied" or "filled," capturing the physical fullness that Paul contrasts with spiritual poverty.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word korennumi describes a state of complete satiation, where one is filled to the point of having no room for more. In Acts 27:38, this term captures the physical relief of exhausted sailors who finally eat after days of storm-tossed hunger. It is a simple, honest description of bodily need being met.
Paul uses this same word in 1 Corinthians 4:8 to highlight a spiritual danger. He addresses believers who feel they have already arrived, becoming rich and self-sufficient without dependence on Christ or the church. This false sense of completion replaces true spiritual hunger with arrogance.
True fulfillment is not found in worldly status or self-reliance. Instead, it comes from acknowledging our need for God. When we recognize our spiritual poverty, we open ourselves to the grace that truly satisfies the soul.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- satiated1×
- Having been filled1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κορεσθέντες1×
- κεκορεσμένοι1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:38
When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
This verse uses the word literally to describe physical satiation after extreme hunger, providing the concrete image Paul later subverts.
-
I Corinthians 4:8
You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
Paul employs the term metaphorically to expose the Corinthians' arrogant self-sufficiency, contrasting their perceived fullness with their actual spiritual lack.