finds its fulfillment

πληρόω impf. 3 sg. ἐπλήρου; fut. πληρώσω; 1 aor. ἐπλήρωσα; pf. πεπλήρωκα; plpf. 3 sg. πεπληρώκει (on the omission of the augm. B-D-F §66, 1; Mlt-H. 190). Pass.: impf. ἐπληρούμην; 1 fut. πληρωθήσομαι; 1 aor. ἐπληρώθην; pf. πεπλήρωμαι; plpf. 3 sg. πεπλήρωτο (s. B-D-F §66, 1; Mlt-H. 190) (Aeschyl., Hdt.+).

① to make full, fill (full)

ⓐ of things τὶ someth. τὴν γῆν (Orig., C. Cels. 3, 8, 29) B 6:12 (Gen 1:28; cp. Ocellus [II B.C.] c. 46 Harder [1926] τὸν πλείονα τῆς γῆς τόπον πληροῦσθαι with their descendants). Pass., of a net ἐπληρώθη Mt 13:48. πᾶσα φάραγξ πληρωθήσεται Lk 3:5 (Is 40:4). ὀθόνη πλοίου ὑπὸ πνεύματος πληρουμένη a ship’s sail filled out by the wind MPol 15:2.—τόπον πληρῶσαι fill a space Hs 9, 7, 5. ἐπλήρωσεν τοὺς τύπους τῶν λίθων he filled in the impressions of the stones (that had been removed) 9, 10, 2.—Also of sounds and odors (as well as light: schol. on Pla. 914b) ἦχος ἐπλήρωσεν τὸν οἶκον a sound filled the house Ac 2:2 (Diod S 11, 24, 4 αἱ οἰκίαι πένθους ἐπληροῦντο=with cries of grief). ἡ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς the house was filled with the fragrance J 12:3 (cp. Diod S 4, 64, 1 τὴν οἰκίαν πληρώσειν ἀτυχημάτων; Ael. Aristid. 36, 84 K.=48 p. 471 D.: ὅταν οἴκημα πληρωθῇ; TestAbr A 4 p. 80, 23f [Stone p. 8] πλήρωσον τὸν οἶκον ἡμῶν [with aromatic plants]).—Also in other ways of the filling of impers. objects with real but intangible things or qualities: τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ (i.e. of the martyr Polycarp) χάριτος ἐπληροῦτο MPol 12:1 (χάρις 1 and 4). πεπληρώκατε τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ τῆς διδαχῆς ὑμῶν you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching Ac 5:28. ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε (aor. impv. as a rhetor. demand; vv.ll. πληρώσετε, ἐπληρώσατε) τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν of filling the measure of sins (cp. Da 8:23) Mt 23:32; cp. ἐπεὶ πεπλήρωτο ἡ ἡμετέρα ἀδικία Dg 9:2. θεὸς πληρώσει πᾶσαν χρείαν ὑμῶν Phil 4:19 (cp. Thu. 1, 70, 7). πλ. τὴν καρδίαν τινός fill someone’s heart, i.e. take full possession of it (cp. Eccl 9:3) ἡ λύπη πεπλήρωκεν ὑμῶν τ. καρδίαν J 16:6. διὰ τί ἐπλήρωσεν ὁ σατανᾶς τ. καρδίαν σοὺ; Ac 5:3 (Ad’Alès, RSR 24, ’34, 199f; 474f prefers the v.l. ἐπήρωσεν; against him LSt.-Paul Girard, Mém. de l’inst. franc. du Caire 67, ’37, 309–12). ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης πληροῖ τὰς ψυχάς Hm 11:2 (θείου πνεύματος πληρώσαντος … τὰς ψυχάς Orig., C. Cels. 3, 81, 20).—Of Christ, who passed through all the cosmic spheres ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα Eph 4:10 (cp. Jer 23:24; Philo, Leg. All. 3, 4 πάντα πεπλήρωκεν ὁ θεός, Vita Mos. 2, 238, Conf. Lingu. 136; Ath.8, 3 πάντα γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦτου πεπλήρωται). The mid. in the sense of the act. (B-D-F §316, 1; Rob. 805f. Cp. X., Hell. 6, 2, 14; 35 al.; Plut., Alc. 211 [35, 6]) τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν πληρουμένου Eph 1:23 (πλήρωμα 2).

ⓑ of persons fill w. powers, qualities, etc. τινὰ someone ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ προφητικοῦ πνεύματος πληροῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον Hm 11:9a. τινά τινος someone with someth. (OdeSol 11:2; B-D-F §172; Rob. 510) πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης Ac 2:28 (Ps 15:11). Cp. Ro 15:13 (cp. POxy 3313, 3 χαρ[ᾶ ἡμ]ᾶ ἐπλήρωσα). τινά τινι someone with someth. (B-D-F §195, 2) ὁ διάβολος πληροῖ αὐτὸν τῷ αὐτοῦ πνεύματι Hm 11:3.—Mostly pass., in pres., impf., fut., aor. become filled or full (Scholiast on Pla. 856e of μάντις: ἄνωθεν λαμβάνειν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ πληροῦσθαι τοῦ θεοῦ); in the perf. have been filled, be full: w. gen. of thing (Diod S 20, 21, 3 τῶν βασιλείων πεπληρωμένων φόνων=when the palace was full of murderous deeds; Diog. L. 5, 42 τὸ πάσης ἀρετῆς πεπληρῶσθαι) Lk 2:40 v.l.; Ac 13:52 (Jos., Ant. 15, 421 ἐπληρώθη χαρᾶς; cp. Just., A I, 49, 5); Ro 15:14; 2 Ti 1:4; Dg 10:3; IRo ins; Ox 840, 40f.—W. dat. of thing (Aeschyl., Sept. 464 et al.; Parthenius 10, 4 ἄχει ἐπληρώθη; 2 Macc 7:21; 3 Macc 4:16; 5:30; Just., D. 7, 1 πνεύματι. Cp. BGU 1108, 12 [I B.C.]) Lk 2:40; Ro 1:29; 2 Cor 7:4; Hm 5, 2, 7; 11:9b v.l. (for πλησθεί).—W. acc. of thing (pap use the act. and pass. w. acc. of thing in the sense ‘settle in full by [paying or delivering] someth.’: PLond II, 243, 11 p. 300 [346 A.D.]; 251, 30; POxy 1133, 8; 1134, 6; PFlor 27, 3 al.; B-D-F §159, 1; Rob. 510) πεπληρωμένοι καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης Phil 1:11. Cp. Col 1:9.—W. ἐν and dat. of thing ἐν πνεύματι with the Spirit Eph 5:18. ἐν πίστει καί ἀγάπῃ ISm ins. Cp. Col 4:12 v.l., in case ἐν κτλ. here belongs to πεπληρωμένοι (s. πληροφορέω 1b); but mng. 3 also merits attention. ἐστὲ ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι Col 2:10 is prob. different, meaning not ‘with him’, but in him or through him.—Abs. Eph 3:19 (εἰς denotes the goal; s. πλήρωμα 3b). πεπλήρωμαι I am well supplied Phil 4:18 (cp. Diod S 14, 62, 5 πληροῦν τινα=supply someone fully).

② to complete a period of time, fill (up), complete (Pla., Leg. 9, 866a, Tim. 39d; Plut., Lucull. 516 [35, 8]; POxy 275, 24 [66 A.D.] μέχρι τοῦ τὸν χρόνον πληρωθῆναι; 491, 6; PTebt 374, 10; BGU 1047 III, 12 al. in pap; Gen 25:24; 29:21; Lev 8:33; 12:4; 25:30; Num 6:5; Tob 10:1; 1 Macc 3:49 al.; TestAbr B; TestJob 28:1 ἐπλήρωσα εἴκοσι ἔτη; ApcMos 13; Jos., Ant. 4, 78; 6, 49) in our lit. only pass. (Ps.-Callisth. 3, 17, 39; 41 πεπλήρωται τὰ τῆς ζωῆς ἔτη; Did., Gen. 195, 23) πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρός Mk 1:15; cp. J 7:8. χρόνος instead of καιρός Hs 6, 5, 2; cp. πληρωθέντος τοῦ χρόνου (pl.: Iren. 1, 17, 2 [Harv. I 168, 13]) when the time has elapsed 1 Cl 25:2. πεπλήρωνται αἱ ἡμέραι the days are over, have come to an end Hv 2, 2, 5. πληρωθέντων … τῶν ἡμερῶν GJs 5:2 (TestAbr B 1 p. 105, 4 [Stone p. 58]).—Ac 9:23. πεπλήρωται ὁ ὅρος τῶν ἐτῶν ending of Mk in the Freer ms. 6f. πληρωθέντων ἐτῶν τεσσερακοντα when forty years had passed Ac 7:30 (TestJud 9:2).—24:27; 1 Cl 25:5. ὡς ἐπληροῦτο αὐτῷ τεσσερακονταετὴς χρόνος when he had reached the age of 40 Ac 7:23 (PFlor 382, 6; 11 ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη ἐπλήρωσας). ἐπληρώθησαν οἱ μῆνες αὐτῆς ὡς εἶπεν ἕξ (Anna) had passed her sixth month as (the angel) said GJs 5:2 (but s. deStrycker ad loc.).

③ to bring to completion that which was already begun, complete, finish (X., Hell. 4, 8, 16; Herodian 1, 5, 8; Olympiodorus, Life of Plato p. 2 Westerm.: the hymn that was begun; Himerius, Or. 6 [2], 14 πληρῶσαι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν=fully gratify the desire, in that the Persians wished to incorporate into their great empire a small piece of the west, i.e. Greece; ApcSed 13:1 τὴν μετάνοιαν) τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ bring (the preaching of) the gospel to completion by proclaiming it in the most remote areas Ro 15:19; sim. πλ. τ. λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ Col 1:25. πληρώσατέ μου τ. χαράν Phil 2:2. Cp. 2 Th 1:11.—Pass. 2 Cor 10:6; Col 4:12 v.l. (s. 1b above). ὁ πᾶς νόμος ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ πεπλήρωται Gal 5:14 because of its past tense is prob. to be translated the whole law has found its full expression in a single word or is summed up under one entry (s. s.v. λόγος 2a; some would put this passage under 4b). οὐχ εὕρηκά σου ἔργα πεπληρωμένα Rv 3:2. Johannine usage speaks of joy that is made complete (the act. in Phil 2:2, s. above) J 3:29; 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; 1J 1:4; 2J 12.

④ to bring to a designed end, fulfill a prophecy, an obligation, a promise, a law, a request, a purpose, a desire, a hope, a duty, a fate, a destiny, etc. (Pla., Gorg. 63, 507e ἐπιθυμίας [cp. TestJos 4:7 ἐπιθυμίαν]; Herodian 2, 7, 6 ὑποσχέσεις; Epict. 2, 9, 3; 8 ἐπαγγελίαν; Plut., Cic. 869 [17, 5] τὸ χρεών [=destiny]; Procop. Soph., Ep. 68 τ. ἐλπίδας; Spartan ins in BSA 12, 1905/6, p. 452 [I A.D.] τὰ εἰθισμένα; pap, LXX; Philo, Praem. 83 τὰς θείας παραινέσεις μὴ κενὰς ἀπολιπεῖν τῶν οἰκείων πράξεων, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι τοὺς λόγους ἔργοις ἐπαινετοῖς=the divine exhortations it [God’s people] did not leave devoid of appropriate performance, but carried out the words with praiseworthy deeds; Jos., Ant. 5, 145; 14, 486).

ⓐ of the fulfillment of divine predictions or promises. The word stands almost always in the passive be fulfilled (Polyaenus 1, 18 τοῦ λογίου πεπληρωμένου; Alex. Aphr., Fat. 31, II 2 p. 202, 21 ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης δρᾶμα; 3 Km 2:27; TestBenj 3:8 προφητεία; Ps.-Clem., Hom. 8, 4) and refers mostly to the Tanach and its words: τοῦτο γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου (cp. 2 Ch 36:21) Mt 1:22; cp. 2:15, 17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54, 56; 27:9 (PNepper-Christensen, D. Mt-evangelium, ’58, 136–62); Mk 14:49; 15:27(28) v.l. (after Lk 22:37); Lk 1:20; 4:21; 21:22 v.l.; 24:44; J 12:38; 13:18; 15:25; 17:12; 19:24, 36; Ac 1:16 (cp. Test Napht 7:1 δεῖ ταῦτα πληρωθῆναι); Js 2:23. A vision ἔδει γὰρ τὸ τῆς … ὀπτασίας πληρωθῆναι for what (Polycarp) had seen in his vision was destined to be fulfilled MPol 12:3.—The OT type finds its fulfillment in the antitype Lk 22:16 (cp. MBlack, ET 57, ’45/46, 25f, An Aramaic Approach³, ’67, 229–36). At times one of Jesus’ predictions is fulfilled: J 18:9, 32. The act. bring to fulfillment, partly of God, who brings divine prophecies to fulfillment Ac 3:18; MPol 14:2, partly of humans who, by what they do, help to bring divine prophecies to realization (Vi. Thu. 1, 8 [=OxfT p. xii, 8] οὗτος ἐπλήρωσε τὰ μεμαντευμένα) Ac 13:27. Jesus himself fulfills his destiny by dying, as God’s messengers Moses and Elijah foretell Lk 9:31.—GPt 5:17.

ⓑ a prayer (Chariton 8, 1, 9 πεπληρώκασιν οἱ θεοὶ τὰς εὐχάς; Aristaen., Ep. 1, 16 the god πεπλήρωκε τ. εὐχήν [=prayer]; IBM 894, 8 of answered prayer) πληρῶσαί μου τὴν αἴτησιν answer my prayer ITr 13:3 (cp. Ps 19:5; TestAbr A 15 p. 96, 4 [Stone p. 40]). A command(ment) (Herodian 3, 11, 4 τὰς ἐντολάς; POxy 1252A, 9 πλήρωσον τὸ κεκελευσμένον; 1 Macc 2:55; SibOr 3, 246) πεπλήρωκεν ἐντολὴν δικαιοσύνης Pol 3:3. νόμον (Ps.-Demetr., Form. Ep. p. 12, 9; cp. Hdt. 1, 199 ἐκπλῆσαι τὸν νόμον) Ro 13:8; pass. Gal 5:14 (but s. 3 above and cp. Aeschyl., Ag. 313). τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου Ro 8:4. πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην (cp. 4 Macc 12:14 πλ. τὴν εὐσέβειαν) Mt 3:15 (s. AFridrichsen: Congr. d’Hist. du Christ. I 1928, 167–77; OEissfeldt, ZNW 61, ’70, 209–15 and s. βαπτίζω 2a, end); pass. ISm 1:1 (s. δικαιοσύνη 3b). Also ἐστὶ πρέπον πληρωθῆναι πάντα it is fitting that all things should be fulfilled GEb 18, 40 (cp. APF 3, 1906, 370 II, 7 [II A.D.] ἕως ἅπαντα τὰ κατʼ ἐμὲ πεπληρῶσθαι).—A duty or office βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν …, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς pay attention to your duty … and perform it Col 4:17 (cp. CIG 2336 πλ. πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν κ. λειτουργίαν; PFlor 382, 40 πληρῶσαι τὴν λειτουργίαν; ISardRobert I p. 39 n. 5).—Abs., in the broadest sense and in contrast to καταλύειν (s. καταλύω 3a): οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι Mt 5:17; depending on how one prefers to interpret the context, πληρόω is understood here either as fulfill=do, carry out, or as bring to full expression=show it forth in its true mng., or as fill up=complete (s. AKlöpper, ZWT 39, 1896, 1ff; AHarnack, Aus Wissenschaft u. Leben II 1911, 225ff, SBBerlAk 1912, 184ff; JHänel, Der Schriftbegriff Jesu 1919, 155ff; Dalman, Jesus 56–66 confirm; WHatch, ATR 18, ’36, 129–40; HLjungman, D. Gesetz Erfüllen, ’54; WKümmel, Verheissung u. Erfüllung³, ’56; JO’Rourke, The Fulfilment Texts in Mt, CBQ 24, ’62, 394–403).

⑤ to bring to completion an activity in which one has been involved from its beginning, complete, finish (1 Macc 4:19) πάντα τὰ ῥήματα Lk 7:1 (cp. TestBenj 12:1 τοὺ λόγου). τὴν διακονίαν Ac 12:25. [τὰς τοῦ κυρίου οἰκο]νομίας πληρῶσε (=πληρῶσαι) to carry out to the end God’s designs (i.e. Paul’s life as programmed by God is about to be concluded) AcPl Ha 5, 27; cp. the restoration in 6, 26 ο̣ἰ̣κο̣ν̣[ομίαν πληρώσω] (cp. the description of Jeremiah’s death ParJer 9:31 ἐπληρώθη αὐτοῦ οἰκονομία); τὸν δρόμον Ac 13:25; cp. the abs. ἕως πληρώσωσιν until they should complete (their course) Rv 6:11 v.l. (s. 6 below). τὸ ἔργον Ac 14:26. τὴν εὐχήν MPol 15:1. τὰ κυνηγέσια 12:2 (another probability here is the quite rare [Hdt. 2, 7 al.] intr. sense be complete, be at an end). Pass. be accomplished, be finished, at an end (Ps.-Callisth. 1, 24, 9 as a saying of Philip as he lay dying: ἐμοῦ τὸ πεπρωμένον πεπλήρωται = my destiny has been fulfilled; Mel., P. 43, 297 ὁ νόμος ἐπληρώθη τοῦ εὐαγγελίου φωτισθέτος) ὡς ἐπληρώθη ταῦτα Ac 19:21. ἄχρι οὗ πληρωθῶσιν καιροὶ ἐθνῶν Lk 21:24. αἱ ἀποκαλύψεις αὗται τέλος ἔχουσιν• πεπληρωμέναι γάρ εἰσιν these revelations have attained their purpose, for they are completed Hv 3, 3, 2.

⑥ complete a number, pass. have the number made complete (since Hdt. 7, 29; Iren. 1, 16, 2 [Harv. I 161, 6]; Hippol., Ref. 6, 51, 2) ἕως πληρωθῶσιν οἱ σύνδουλοι Rv 6:11 (s. 5 above).—CMoule, Fulfilment Words in the NT, NTS 14, ’68, 293–320. DELG s.v. πίμπλημι. M-M. EDNT. TW.

βασιλεία, ας, ἡ (Heraclit. Fgm. 52; Hdt.+) a term relating to royal administration

① the act of ruling

ⓐ gener. kingship, royal power, royal rule (1 Km 15:28; 20:31; Sir 10:8; Jdth 1:1; Esth 3:6; 1 Macc 1:16 al. LXX; En 98:2; TestJob 33:9; Just., Tat., Ath.; οὐ βασιλείαν ἀλλὰ τυράνιδα Mel., P. 49, 354; Orig.) λαβεῖν ἑαυτῷ βασιλείαν obtain royal power (for oneself) Lk 19:12, 15; without dat. Rv 17:12 (cp. Jos., Ant. 13, 220); δοῦναί τινι τὴν β. vs. 17; ἔχειν β. ἐπί τινων vs. 18; ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς βασιλείαν he gave us royal jurisdiction 1:6; cp. 5:10; royal rule Lk 1:33; 22:29; 23:42 v.l. (ἐν τῇ β. σου in your royal power); Ac 1:6; Hb 1:8 (Ps 44:7); 1 Cor 15:24 (παραδιδόναι as Diod S 1, 43, 6); B 4:4 (Da 7:24). Ps 95:10 (Justin, A I, 41, 4, D. 73: ὁ κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν ἀπὸ τ. ξύλου) is the basis for β. Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ξύλου the rule of Jesus on the cross B 8:5 (s. Windisch, Hdb. ad loc.).—Hb 11:33; 1 Cl 61:1.

ⓑ esp. of God’s rule the royal reign of God (usually rendered ‘kingdom of God’, and oft. understood as royal realm but with dilution of the primary component of reigning activity), a chiefly eschatological concept, beginning to appear in the prophets, elaborated in apocalyptic passages (Mi 4:7f; Ps 102:19; 144:11–13; Wsd 6:4; 10:10; Da 3:54; 4:3; cp. SibOr 3:47f.—Diod S 5, 71, 1 Zeus takes over the βασιλεία from Cronus; Sextus 311 κοινωνεῖ βασιλείας θεοῦ σοφὸς ἀνήρ) and taught by Jesus. The expressions vary; β. τοῦ θεοῦ and τῶν οὐρανῶν have essentially the same mng., since Israelites used οὐρανός (-οί) as well as other circumlocutions for θεός (cp. Mt 19:23f; s. Bousset, Rel.³ 314f); the latter term may also emphasize the heavenly origin and nature of the reign.—Dalman, Worte 75–119; JWeiss, D. Predigt Jesu v. Reiche Gottes² 1900, 1–35; ESellin, D. isr.-jüd. Heilandserwartung 1909, D. alt. Prophetismus 1912, 136ff; BDuhm, D. kommende RG 1910; SMowinckel, Psalmenstudien II 1922, 146ff; LDürr, Ursprung u. Ausbau d. isr. Heilandserwartung 1925; Bousset, Rel³ 1926, 213ff; AvGall, βασιλεία τ. θεοῦ 1926; JWissing, Het begrip van het Koningrijk Gods, diss., Leiden 1927; HGressmann, Der Messias 1929; MBuber, Königtum Gottes ’32; PVolz, D. Eschatologie der jüd. Gemeinde im ntl. Zeitalter ’34; Ltzm., D. Weltheiland 1909; TManson, The Teaching of Jesus ’55, 116–284; SAalen, NTS 8, ’61/62, 215–40 (‘house’ or ‘community’ of God); GLadd, JBL 81, ’62, 230–38 (‘realm’); FNötscher, Vom A. zum NT ’62, 226–30 (ethical).

α. β. τῶν οὐρανῶν mostly in Mt: 3:2; 4:17; 5:3, 10, 19f al.; otherw. (Did., Gen. 52, 11; 60, 28) J 3:5 v.l.; AcPl Ha 8, 31.

β. β. τοῦ θεοῦ (cp. Orig., C. Cels. 3, 40, 21) Mt 6:33; 12:28; 21:31, 43; Mk 1:15; 4:11, 26, 30 al.; Lk 4:43; 6:20; 7:28; 8:1 al.; Ac 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31; J 3:3, 5; Ro 14:17 (defined as δικαιοσύνη, εἰρήνη, χαρά); 1 Cor 4:20 al.; Ox 1 verso, 7f; Dg 9:1; B 21:1; Pol 2:3; β. θεοῦ 1 Cor 6:10, cp. 9; 15:50; Gal 5:21; Pol 5:3; β. τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ Eph 5:5; τοῦ Χριστοῦ 1 Cl 50:3.

γ. β. τοῦ πατρός Mt 13:43; 26:29.

δ. β. αὐτοῦ (=τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) Mt 13:41; Lk 24:26 v.l.; cp. Col 1:13.

ε. β. τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Δαυίδ Mk 11:10, since the Davidic kgdm. is to be reestablished under the Son of David, the Messiah (cp. Is 9:5f; Jer 23:5f).

ζ. ἡ β. τοῦ κυρίου B 4:13; ἡ β. αὐτοῦ (=κυρίου) ἡ ἐπουράνιος 2 Ti 4:18; EpilMosq 5; ἡ οὐράνιος β. MPol 22:3; ἡ ἐν οὐρανῷ β. Dg 10:2.

η. αἰώνιος β. τοῦ κυρίου (cp. Da 4:3; Just.; CIG II, 2715a, 3 ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν κυρίων Ῥωμαίων αἰωνίου ἀρχῆς, Dssm., B 277f) 2 Pt 1:11; cp. MPol 20:2.—The greatest blessings conceivable are found in the β. Mt 13:44f. The foll. expr. refer to obtaining it = participate in its benefits: ἅψασθαι τῆς β. B 7:11; δέχεσθαι Mk 10:15; διδόναι Lk 12:32; εἰσέρχεσθαι εἰς τὴν β. Mt 5:20; 7:21; 18:3; 19:23; Mk 10:23ff; Lk 24:26 P⁷⁵ (first hand); J 3:5; Ac 14:22; Hs 9, 12, 3f (HWindisch, D. Sprüche v. Eingehen in d. Reich Gs: ZNW 27, 1928, 163–92); εἰσήκειν εἰς τὴν β. 2 Cl 11:7; ἔρχεσθαι εἰς τὴν β. 9:6; ἑτοιμάζειν Mt 25:34; εὔθετον εἶναι τῇ β. Lk 9:62; εὑρεθῆναι εἰς τὴν β. Hs 9, 13, 2; ζητεῖν Mt 6:33; Lk 12:31; καταξιοῦσθαι τῆς β. 2 Th 1:5; κατοικεῖν ἐν τῇ β. Hs 9, 29, 2; κληρονομεῖν Mt 25:34; 1 Cor 6:9f; 15:50; IPhld 3:3; cp. κληρονόμος τῆς β. Js 2:5; μαθητεύεσθαι τῇ β. Mt 13:52; μεθιστάναι εἰς τὴν β. Col 1:13; φθάνει ἡ β. ἐπί τινα Lk 11:20. The phrase ὁρᾶν τὴν β. see the kgdm.=‘realize the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel’ occurs Mk 9:1; Lk 9:27; J 3:3; Hs 9, 15, 3. The mysteries of the kgdm. can be revealed to those for whom they are intended Mt 13:11; Mk 4:11; διαγγέλλειν Lk 9:60; διαμαρτυρεῖσθαι Ac 28:23; κηρύσσειν καὶ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι Lk 8:1; sim. 16:16; cp. κηρύσσειν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς β. Mt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; κηρύσσειν τὴν β. Lk 9:2; Ac 28:31; λαλεῖν περὶ τῆς β. Lk 9:11. Keep fr. entering: κλείειν Mt 23:13; cp. κλεῖδες τῆς β. 16:19 (s. κλεῖς 1); αἴρειν ἀπό τινος 21:43.—Spoken of as present Mt 12:28; Lk 11:20, perh. also 17:20f (see s.v. ἐντός). Viewed as future, but close at hand ἤγγικεν ἡ β. Mt 3:2; 10:7; Mk 1:15; Lk 10:9, 11; perh. Mk 1:15; ἐγγύς ἐστιν Lk 21:31; ἔρχεται Mt 6:10; Mk 11:10; Lk 11:2; 17:20; μέλλει ἀναφαίνεσθαι 19:11; προσδέχεσθαι τὴν β. Mk 15:43; ἐκδέχεσθαι τὴν β. 2 Cl 12:1; μέλλει ἔρχεσθαι 1 Cl 42:3; ἡ μέλλουσα β. 2 Cl 5:5; ἥξει ἡ β. 12:2. Conceived of as a banquet (Billerb. IV 1154ff): ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐν τῇ β. Mt 8:11; sim. 26:29; Mk 14:25; Lk 13:28f; 22:16, 18, 30; cp. the parables 14:15ff; Mt 22:2ff. Participants in it are called υἱοὶ τῆς β. Mt 8:12 (of mere external connection); 13:38. Prerequisite for participation is μετάνοια Mt 4:17; Mk 1:15; the willingness to become like children Mt 18:3f; 19:14; Mk 10:14f; Lk 18:16f. Only uprightness will inherit the β. Mt 5:20. Degrees and grades 5:19; 18:1, 4. The prosperous have difficulty entering 19:23f; Mk 10:23–25; Lk 18:24f (cp. vs. 29), those who persist in sin have no prospects at all Mt 13:24ff, 36ff, 47ff.—Paul thinks of the β. as someth. that effects changes in pers. resulting in righteousness, peace (w. God) and joy Ro 14:17. It manifests itself in deeds, not in words 1 Cor 4:20. Those committed to sin will not inherit it 6:9f; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5 (cp. 2 Cl 9:6); the latter passages show that for Paul the kgdm. is essentially future, since Christians await the complete victory of the spirit over the flesh. Cp. also 2 Ti 4:1. Flesh and blood will not inherit it, i.e. bodies under the direction of the spirit of Christ are required for entrance 1 Cor 15:50 (JJeremias, NTS 2, ’56, 151–59). None other than God calls people into it 1 Th 2:12.—HJWesterink, Het Koninkrijk Gods bij Pls ’37.—The most important lit. to 1931 in PFeine, Theol. d. NTs⁷ ’36, 73. Additional lit.: GGloege, Reich Gs u. Kirche im NT 1929; RFrick, D. Gesch. des R.-Gs-Gedankens in d. alten Kirche 1929; EScott, The Kgdm. of God in the NT ’31; H-DWendland, Reichsidee u. Gottesreich ’34; ROtto, Reich Gottes u. Menschensohn ’34 (Eng. tr., The Kgdm. of God and the Son of Man, tr. Filson and Woolf, ’43 and ’51); TW I 562–95; WKümmel, D. Eschatologie der Evangelien ’36, Verheissg. u. Erfüllg. ’45 and ’53; JHéring, Le Royaume de Dieu et sa Venue (Jesus, Paul) ’38 and ’59; JTheissing, D. Lehre Jesu v. d. ew. Seligkeit ’40; FGrant, The Gospel of the Kgdm. ’40; JWellhagen, Anden och Riket ’41 (Lk); WMichaelis, D. Herr verzieht nicht d. Verheissung ’42; RLiechtenhan, D. Kommen des RGs nach dem NT ’44; GKnight, From Moses to Paul, ’49, 173–87; WArndt, CTM 21, ’50, 8–29; JBright, The Kgdm. of God: The Biblical Concept and Its Mng. for the Church ’53; RSchnackenburg, Gottes Herrschaft u. Reich,⁴ ’65, tr. JMurray,² ’68; ELadd, Jesus and the Kgdm., ’64; NPerrin, The Kgdm. of God in the Teaching of Jesus, ’66; MWolter, NTS 41, ’95, 541–63 [Lk].—OT background: WSchmidt, Königtum Gottes in Ugarit u. Israel, ’61; KBernhardt, D. Problem der altorientalischen Königs-Ideologie im AT, VetusT Suppl. 8, ’61.—Patristics: GLampe, JTS 49, ’48, 58–73.

② territory ruled by a king, kingdom (Diod S 4, 68, 4; Appian, Mithrid. 105 §496 ἡ βας. ὅλη=the whole kingdom; OGI 383, 25 [I B.C.]; Ps 67:33; 134:11; Bar 2:4; Tob 1:21; 1 Macc 1:6; 3:27; 2 Macc 9:25; 3 Macc 6:24 al. LXX) Mt 12:25f; 24:7; Mk 3:24; 6:23 (Socrat., Ep. 1, 10 τ. βασιλείας μέρος διδόναι); 13:8; Lk 11:17f; 21:10; αἱ β. τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου IRo 6:1. In the account of the temptation Mt 4:8; Lk 4:5 (in a manner very different from Jesus, Alexander [Diod S 17, 51, 2] asks his father, Zeus Ammon, for τὴν ἁπάσης τῆς γῆς ἀρχήν and finds a hearing).—EDNT. DELG s.v. βασιλεύς. M-M. TW. Spicq. Sv.