πληροφορία (plērophoria)
plērophoria
assurance
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun plērophoria denotes a state of full assurance or confident certainty. Derived from a root meaning "to fill up completely," it suggests that belief is not tentative but fully satisfied and secure. In Scripture, this confidence is not self-generated but rests on the reliability of God’s word and actions.
Its usage highlights specific objects of this trust. Paul speaks of the assurance of hope in Hebrews 6:11, while Colossians 2:2 links it to the knowledge of God’s mystery. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5, the gospel arrives with this power and conviction, showing that true faith carries an internal weight of certainty about divine promises.
Unlike mere opinion, plērophoria implies a settled mind. It describes the believer’s firm grip on spiritual realities, particularly regarding salvation and future hope. Translators often render it as "full assurance" or "confidence," capturing the sense that the heart is completely filled with trust in God’s faithfulness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read that believers possess full assurance, it is easy to feel inadequate if our own faith feels shaky at times. This word describes a confidence that does not come from our own strength or perfect performance. Instead, it rests on the reliability of God’s promises and the work of Christ. It is a settled certainty that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He has said.
This assurance anchors us when life feels uncertain. In Colossians 2:2, Paul prays for believers to gain this full understanding so they may truly know God’s mystery. It is not just intellectual knowledge but a deep, internal grip on spiritual realities. This trust allows us to face the future with hope rather than fear.
Hebrews 6:11 encourages us to maintain this diligence until the end. The assurance we have is a gift of grace, sustained by the Holy Spirit. As you read Scripture, allow these promises to fill your heart with peace. Let this confidence shape how you view your place in God’s family and your future with Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- full assurance4×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πληροφορίᾳ2×
- πληροφορίας1×
- πληροφορίαν1×
Key Verses
-
Colossians 2:2
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
This verse links assurance directly to the knowledge of God's mystery, showing that true confidence grows from understanding who Christ is.
-
Hebrews 6:11
We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,
Here the term describes a hope that remains firm and diligent until the very end, providing stability in our spiritual journey.
-
I Thessalonians 1:5
and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.
The gospel arrived with this assurance, demonstrating that genuine faith carries an internal weight of certainty about divine promises.