Reference: Perfection
Easton
See Sanctification.
Hastings
The various Biblical terms connoting 'perfection' differ in shade of meaning between wholeness, the attaining of an end or ideal, complete adjustment, full equipment in fitness for an appointed task. They are sparingly applied to God; In OT His way, work, knowledge, law are 'perfect' (Ps 18:30; De 32:4; Job 37:16; Ps 19:7); in NT the same term is used of His will, His gifts, His law (Ro 12:2; Jas 1:17,25), while Christ describes the Father in heaven as 'perfect,' and therefore as the source and pattern of moral ideals (Mt 5:48). The sense in which perfection is attributed to or urged upon men must naturally vary according to the moral conceptions of the time.
1. In OT.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am God Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfect.
For I am LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and become ye holy, since I am holy. Neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that moves upon the earth.
Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and say to them, Ye shall be holy, for I LORD your God am holy.
The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice, a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Let your heart therefore be perfect with LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with LORD his God as was the heart of David his father.
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him. And his heart was not perfect with LORD his God as the heart of David his father.
because David did that which was right in the eyes of LORD, and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
And he did that which was right in the eyes of LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
And LORD said to Satan, Have thou considered my servant Job? For there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.
And he took a potsherd for him to scrape himself with it, and he sat among the ashes.
Do thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
With the merciful thou will show thyself merciful. With the perfect man thou will show thyself perfect.
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of LORD is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
The law of LORD is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of LORD is sure, making a simple man wise.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be upright, and I shall be clear from great transgression.
The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way, but the wicked man shall fall by his own wickedness.
Think not that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I came not to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle will, no, not pass away from the law, until all things come to pass. read more. Whoever therefore may relax one of these least commandments, and may teach men so, he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever may do and may teach them, this man will be called great in the kingdom of the he For I say to you, that unless your righteousness abounds more than of the scholars and Pharisees, ye will, no, not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Ye have heard that it was said to them in old times, Thou shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to the judgment. But I say to you, that every man who is angry at his brother without cause will be liable to the judgment, and whoever speaks an insult to his brother will be liable to the council, and whoever says, Foolish man, will be liable to If therefore thou should bring thy gift to the altar, and remember there that thy brother has anything against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then, after coming, bring thy gift. Be agreeing with thine opponent quickly, while thou are with him on the way, lest the opponent deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the subordinate, and thou will be cast into prison. Truly I say to thee, thou will, no, not come out from there, until thou have paid the last quadran. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, that every man who looks on a woman to crave her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if thy right eye causes thee to stumble, remove it and cast it from thee, for it is advantageous for thee that one of thy body-parts should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand causes thee to stumble, cut it off and cast it from thee, for it is advantageous for thee that one of thy body-parts should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. And it was said, Whoever may divorce his wife, let him give her a divorce certificate. But I say to you, that whoever may divorce his wife apart from a matter of fornication, disposes her to commit adultery, and whoever may marry her who has been divorced commits adultery. Again, ye have heard that it was said to them in old times, Thou shall not swear falsely, but shall render to the Lord thine oaths. But I say to you, not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Neither shall thou swear by thy head, because thou cannot make one hair white or black. But let your word be, Yes, yes, No, no. And anything beyond these is from evil. Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, not to resist what is troublesome, but whoever will strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And to the man who wants to sue thee, and take away thy coat, thou shall leave him thy cloak also. And whoever will draft thee for one mile, go thou with him two. Give to him who asks thee, and turn thou not away from him who wants to borrow from thee. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, so that ye may become sons of your Father in the heavens, because he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and makes rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if ye love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the tax collectors the same? And if ye only greet your friends, what do ye extra? Do not even the tax collectors this way? Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
All things therefore, as many as ye may want that men should do to you, so also do ye to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
Then Peter having come to him, he said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus says to him, I say to thee, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
Jesus said to him, If thou want to be perfect, go, sell the things being possessed by thee, and give to the poor, and thou will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.
And as he was going forth on the way, one man having ran to him, and having knelt to him, questioned him, Good teacher, what should I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do thou call me good? None is good except one, God. read more. Thou know the commandments. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not testify falsely. Thou shall not defraud. Thou shall honor thy father and mother. And having answered, he said to him, Teacher, all these things I have observed from my youth. And having looked at him, Jesus loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lack. Go thou, sell as many things as thou have, and give to the poor, and thou will have treasure in heaven. And after taking up the cross, come, follow me But having become somber at the saying, he went away sorrowing, for he was a man who has many possessions. And Jesus having looked around, he says to his disciples, How difficultly those who have riches will enter into the kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished at his words. But again having answered, Jesus says to them, Children, how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were exceedingly astonished, saying among themselves, Then who can be saved? And having looked at them, Jesus says, With men, impossible, but not with God. For with God all things are possible. Peter began to say to him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And having answered, Jesus said, Truly I say to you, there is no man who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, because of me, and because of the good-news, but he will receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands--with persecutions--and in the coming age, eternal life. But many first will be last, and the last first.
And a certain ruler questioned him, saying, Good teacher, having done what, will I inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do thou call me good? None is good except one, God. read more. Thou know the commandments. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not give FALSE testimony. Honor thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these things I have kept from my youth. And when he heard these things, Jesus said to him, Yet one thing is lacking from thee. Sell all things, as many as thou have, and distribute to the poor, and thou will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. But when he heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And having seen him become very sorrowful, Jesus said, How difficultly those who have riches will enter into the kingdom of God. For it is easier for a camel to enter in through the hole of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And those who heard it said, And who can be saved? And he said, The things impossible with men are possible with God. And Peter said, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And he said to them, Truly I say to you, that there is no man who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will, no, not receive back manifold more in this time, and in the coming age eternal life.
Because of this, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so also death passed to all men, in that all sinned. For until law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. read more. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of the coming man. But in this way also, the gift is not as the transgression. For if by the trespass of the one man the many died, much more the grace of God, and the gift in grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the gift is not as through one man who sinned, for indeed the judgment from one man was for condemnation, but the gift from many offenses is for righteousness. For if, by the offense of the one man, death reigned through the one man, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. So then, as through an offense of one man was for condemnation for all men, so also through a righteousness of one man was for justification of life for all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were led sinful, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be led righteous. And the law entered so that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace was more abundant, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign, through righteousness, for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What will we say then? We continue in sin so that grace may abound? May it not happen! How will we who died to sin, still live in it? read more. Or are ye ignorant that as many as were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into his death? We were buried therefore with him through the immersion into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may walk in newness of life. For if we have become co-planted in the likeness of his death, then we will also be of the resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be inactivated, no longer to enslave us to sin. For he who has died has been made righteous away from sin. And if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. For that he died, he died to sin once, but that he lives, he lives to God. So also ye, reckon yourselves to be indeed dead to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am a wretched man. Who will rescue me out of the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, I of myself in the mind indeed serve a law of God, but in the flesh a law of sin.
But ye are not in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, this man is not of him.
And be not conformed to this age, but be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind, for ye to approve what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Love without hypocrisy, abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good,
Owe no man anything except to love each other, for he who loves the other has fulfilled law. For this, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not murder, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not testify falsely, Thou shall not covet, and if there be any other commandment it is summarized in this saying, in, Thou shall love read more. Love works no evil to the neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of law. And this, knowing the time, that the hour is now for us to awake out of sleep. For our salvation is now nearer than when we believed. The night has advanced and the day has approached. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the weapons of light. Let us walk decently as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in beddings and wantonness, not in strife and envy. But clothe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no forethought for lusts of the flesh.
Now I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and there be no divisions among you, but ye may be thoroughly prepared in the same mind and in the same understanding.
But we speak wisdom among the fully developed, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who come to nothing.
And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to the childlike in Christ.
Brothers, become not children in your thoughts. Instead be childlike in wickedness, but in your thoughts become mature.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
And those of the Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and the lusts. If we live in Spirit, we should also march in Spirit.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every patriarchy in heavens and on earth is named. read more. So that he would grant you, according to the wealth of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit for the inner man. For the Christ to dwell in your hearts through faith, having been rooted and grounded in love, so that ye may be able to grasp with all the sanctified what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to become aware of the love of the Christ, which transcends knowledge, so that ye may be filled in all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do above extraordinary--above all things that we ask or think--according to the power that works in us,
Now to him who is able to do above extraordinary--above all things that we ask or think--according to the power that works in us,
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, one body, and one Spirit. Just as also ye were called in one hope of your calling, read more. one Lord, one faith, one immersion,
darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the callousness of their heart.
Become ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
Being confident of this same thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
For it is God who works in you both to desire and to work for approval.
Not that I have already obtained or have already been fully perfected, but I press forward, if also I might seize upon that for which also I was seized by Christ Jesus.
As many therefore as are perfect should think this way. And if ye think anything differently, this also God will reveal to you.
Rejoice in Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice. Let your meekness be known to all men. The Lord is near. read more. Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thankfulness make your requests known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are commendable, if anything is a virtue, and if And what ye learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do, and the God of peace will be with you.
I can do all things in the Christ who strengthens me.
the man who also made clear to us your love in Spirit. Because of this we also, from the day that we heard, cease not praying for you and making request that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Because of this we also, from the day that we heard, cease not praying for you and making request that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. For you to walk worthily of the Lord for every desire to please, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God, read more. being strengthened in every ability, according to the dominion of his glory, for all perseverance and longsuffering with joy. Giving thanks to the Father who made us qualified for the share of the portion of the sanctified in light. Who rescued us out of the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, who is an image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Because in him all things were created, things in the heavens and things upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or lordships or principal offices or positions of authority, all things have been created And he is before all, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become preeminent in all things. Because in him it was considered good for all the fullness dwell, and through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him whether things upon the earth or things in the heavens. And you, being formerly alienated and hostile in mind, in works, in things evil. But now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblemished and unblameable before him. If ye truly continue in the faith, founded, and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the good-news that ye heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I Paul became a helper.
Whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
and above all these things, love, which is the bond of perfection.
Epaphras, the bondman of Christ from you, salutes you, always striving for you in prayers, so that ye may stand perfect and made full in all the will of God.
For it was fitting for him, through whom are all things, and because of whom are all things, having brought many sons to glory, to make the pathfinder of their salvation fully perfect through sufferings.
And having been fully perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him,
About whom, much subject matter from us is also difficult to explain, since ye have become sluggish in hearing.
Therefore having left the word of the primacy of Christ, let us be brought forward to perfection, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
If indeed therefore perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people had received the law), what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated For the priesthood being changed, of necessity a change of law also occurs. read more. For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, from which no man has attended to the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose out of Judah, regarding which tribe Moses spoke nothing about the priesthood. And it is still far more evident, if according to the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest, who has become, not according to a law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For he testifies, Thou are a priest into the age according to the order of Melchizedek. For indeed there becomes an annulment of a preceding commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing fully perfect), and an introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
For the law appoints men high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath after the law, a Son who has been fully perfected into the age.
Which is a figure for the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered that are not able to make the man officiating fully perfect in respect to conscience,
For by one offering he has fully perfected forever those being sanctified.
God having foreseen something superior concerning us, so that without us they would not be made fully perfect.
to a festal gathering and assembly of firstborn sons who were enrolled in the heavens, and to God, a Judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men who were made fully perfect,
may he make you fully qualified in every good work in order to do his will, doing in you what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory into the ages of the ages. Truly.
And let perseverance have a perfect work, so that ye may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
Every good gift and every perfect endowment is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation nor shadow of turning.
But he who stooped to look into the perfect law, the one of liberty, and who remained, this man, who did not become a forgetful hearer but a doer of work, this man will be blessed in his doing.
For we all stumble in many things. If any man does not stumble in word, this is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
Whom, not having seen, ye love, in whom, not now seeing but believing, ye exult in inexpressible and glorified joy,