What Does 1 John 1:4 Mean in the King James?
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The writing does not merely describe joy; it carries shared life to you until joy reaches fullness.
THE MEANING
What is seen and heard is written to you, and that shared life reaches you now. Joy does not stay private; as the message makes fellowship possible, it comes to fullness.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that joy has to be generated alone: sharing what has been encountered is named as part of how joy becomes full.
THE ROOT
πεπληρωμένη
peplērōmenē
GROWS FROM
πληρόω, from the stem πληρ- (plēroō, plēr-)
To fill, bring to fullness, or complete.
The KJV “full” can sound like a static condition, but πεπληρωμένη is a perfect passive participle of πληρόω: joy is pictured as having been brought to a full state. The sentence ties this fullness to the writing reaching you, so joy is communicated rather than merely possessed.
ALSO GROWS
plērōma: Fullness; that which fills or completes.
πλήρωμα
It names the state reached through filling, the realized fullness toward which the verse points.
plērēs: Full, complete.
πλήρης
This adjective describes the state of fullness, while the verb family in the verse shows joy being brought there.
THE PATTERN
Joy reaches fullness as life in God’s presence is received and shared.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.THE THREAD
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.This verse uses the same Greek word χαρά (chara, “joy”) and fullness form πεπληρωμένη (peplērōmenē, “brought to a full state”). John 15:11 makes the movement explicit: joy is spoken, received, and remains in another until it is full.
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