πληροφορία

From the study of Hebrews 6:11

Range of meaning

Made from plērēs ('full') and pherō ('carry'). The noun means (1) full conviction, complete certainty, settled confidence, and (2) by some interpretations, fullness or full measure. The related verb plērophoreō covers 'fulfil, accomplish' (Luke 1:1; 2 Tim 4:5, 17), 'convince fully' (Rom 4:21, Abraham 'fully convinced'; Rom 14:5), and in everyday papyri 'pay in full' or 'satisfy completely'.

Against the English

KJV, ESV and NASB have 'full assurance', which today sounds like an inner feeling of certainty. WEB has 'fullness of hope', the objective sense. NIV has 'what you hope for may be fully realized', which moves toward fulfilment. BSB has 'make your hope sure', which leans subjective but turns it into a result.

How it drifted

'Assurance' has become a technical term in Protestant theology ('assurance of salvation'), an inward certainty that one personally is saved. The Greek word is broader. It concerns full conviction about, and full possession of, the promised hope, and here it is the goal of active, eager perseverance, not of inner self-examination.

Used elsewhere in the period

The noun is rare. It is not clearly attested before the New Testament, where it appears only four times: 1 Thess 1:5 (the gospel came 'in much full conviction'), Col 2:2 ('all the riches of the full assurance of understanding'), Heb 6:11 and Heb 10:22 ('in full assurance of faith'). 1 Clement 42:3 says the apostles went out 'with full assurance of the Holy Spirit'. The verb appears in the Greek Old Testament at Ecclesiastes 8:11 (the heart 'is fully set' on doing evil) and widely in papyri for payment in full.

From the study of Colossians 2:2

Range of meaning

'Full assurance', complete certainty or conviction. It comes from the verb plērophoreō, 'to fill completely, bring to full measure', and in the passive 'to be fully convinced'. A minority take it as 'fullness'.

Against the English

'Full assurance' (KJV, ESV) is accurate, but modern church readers often hear 'assurance of salvation'. The BSB's 'complete understanding' and the NLT's 'complete confidence' keep only part of the phrase.

How it drifted

In Protestant, and especially Puritan, theology 'assurance' became a technical term for a believer's personal certainty of being saved. Paul's phrase is about certainty in understanding God's revealed purpose.

Used elsewhere in the period

The noun is rare before the NT. In the NT it appears at 1 Thessalonians 1:5 ('with full conviction'), Hebrews 6:11 ('full assurance of hope') and Hebrews 10:22 ('full assurance of faith'). The verb appears at Romans 4:21 (Abraham 'fully convinced') and Colossians 4:12, where Epaphras prays they may stand 'fully assured'. In the papyri the verb is used for paying or settling something in full.

From the study of Hebrews 10:22

Range of meaning

A rare noun. It can mean full conviction or certainty, or fullness and complete measure. The related verb plērophoreō is used in papyri for paying or satisfying something in full, and in the New Testament for being fully convinced (Rom 4:21; 14:5).

Against the English

Most versions have 'full assurance of faith'. WEB has 'fullness of faith'. NLT turns the phrase into 'fully trusting him'.

How it drifted

In later Protestant debate, 'assurance' became a technical term for a believer's inner certainty of being saved. That debate shapes how many readers hear 'full assurance' here.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it appears only at Col 2:2, 1 Thess 1:5, Heb 6:11 ('the full assurance of hope until the end') and here. Outside the New Testament it is very rare. Lexicons such as BDAG give both 'full assurance/certainty' and 'fullness' for it.