Bible Dictionaries
Perfect, Perfectly

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies "having reached its end" (telos), "finished, complete, perfect." It is used (I) of persons, (a) primarily of physical development, then, with ethical import, "fully grown, mature," 1 Corinthians 2:6; 14:20 ("men;" marg., "of full age"); Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:15; Colossians 1:28; 4:12; in Hebrews 5:14 , RV, "fullgrown" (marg., "perfect"), AV, "of full age" (marg., "perfect"); (b) "complete," conveying the idea of goodness without necessary reference to maturity or what is expressed under (a), Matthew 5:48; 19:21; James 1:4 (2nd part); 3:2. It is used thus of God in Matthew 5:48; (II) of "things, complete, perfect," Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 13:10 (referring to the complete revelation of God's will and ways, whether in the completed Scriptures or in the hereafter); James 1:4 (of the work of patience); James 1:25; 1 John 4:18 .

the comparative degree of No. 1, is used in Hebrews 9:11 , of the very presence of God.

is translated "perfect" in 2 Timothy 3:17 : see COMPLETE , B.

"to bring to an end by completing or perfecting," is used (I) of "accomplishing" (see FINISH , FULFILL); (II) of "bringing to completeness," (a) of persons: of Christ's assured completion of His earthly course, in the accomplishment of the Father's will, the successive stages culminating in His death, Luke 13:32; Hebrews 2:10 , to make Him "perfect," legally and officially, for all that He would be to His people on the ground of His sacrifice; cp. 5:9; 7:28, RV, "perfected" (AV, "consecrated"); of His saints, John 17:23 , RV, "perfected" (AV, "made perfect"); Philippians 3:12; Hebrews 10:14; 11:40 (of resurrection glory); 12:23 (of the departed saints); 1 John 4:18; of former priests (negatively), Hebrews 9:9; similarly of Israelites under the Aaronic priesthood, Hebrews 10:1; (b) of things, Hebrews 7:19 (of the ineffectiveness of the Law); James 2:22 (of faith made "perfect" by works); 1 John 2:5 , of the love of God operating through him who keeps His word; 1 John 4:12 , of the love of God in the case of those who love one another; 1 John 4:17 , of the love of God as "made perfect with" (RV) those who abide in God, giving them to be possessed of the very character of God, by reason of which "as He is, even so are they in this world."

"to bring through to the end" (epi, intensive, in the sense of "fully," and teleo, "to complete"), is used in the Middle Voice in Galatians 3:3 , "are ye (now) perfected," continuous present tense, indicating a process, lit., "are ye now perfecting yourselves;" in 2 Corinthians 7:1 , "perfecting (holiness);" in Philippians 1:6 , RV, "will perfect (it)," AV, "will perform." See ACCOMPLISH , No. 4.

"to render fit, complete" (artios), "is used of mending nets, Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19 , and is translated 'restore' in Galatians 6:1 . It does not necessarily imply, however, that that to which it is applied has been damaged, though it may do so, as in these passages; it signifies, rather, right ordering and arrangement, Hebrews 11:3 , 'framed;" it points out the path of progress, as in Matthew 21:16; Luke 6:40; cp. 2 Corinthians 13:9; Ephesians 4:12 , where corresponding nouns occur. It indicates the close relationship between character and destiny, Romans 9:22 , 'fitted.' It expresses the pastor's desire for the flock, in prayer, Hebrews 13:21 , and in exhortation, 1 Corinthians 1:10 , RV, 'perfected' (AV, 'perfectly joined'); 2 Corinthians 13:11 , as well as his conviction of God's purpose for them, 1 Peter 5:10 . It is used of the Incarnation of the Word in Hebrews 10:5 , 'prepare,' quoted from Psalm 40:6 (Sept.), where it is apparently intended to describe the unique creative act involved in the Virgin Birth, Luke 1:35 . In 1 Thessalonians 3:10 it means to supply what is necessary, as the succeeding words show."* [* From Notes on Thessalonians by Hogg and Vine, p. 101. See FIT , B, No. 3.

Note: Cp. exartizo, rendered "furnished completely," in 2 Timothy 3:17 , RV; see ACCOMPLISH , No. 1.

accurately, is translated "perfectly" in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 , where it suggests that Paul and his companions were careful ministers of the Word. See ACCURATELY , and see Note (2) below.

the comparative degree of No. 1, Acts 18:26; 23:15 : see CAREFULLY , EXACTLY.

"perfectly," is so translated in 1 Peter 1:13 , RV (AV, "to the end"), of setting one's hope on coming grace. See END.

Notes: (1) In Revelation 3:2 , AV, pleroo, "to fulfill," is translated "perfect" (RV, "fulfilled"). (2) For the adverb akribos in Luke 1:3 , AV, see ACCURATELY: in Acts 24:22 , AV, see EXACT. (3) For the noun akribeia in Acts 22:3 , see MANNER.