“Was now full” or “Was now filling” in Mark 4:37?
Critics allege that the KJV translates the Greek infinitive verb incorrectly in the English past tense which indicates a completed act. “γεμιζεσθαι” is an infinitive verb in the present passive, so it literally means “was being to fill,” which clearly is not idiomatic. So any idiomatic English translation will not be strictly literal. The KJV rendering suffices for it captures the proper sense of the phrase. The boat “was now full.” A “full” state, however, does not indicate completion of the filling. “Full” indicates abundance rather than complete repletion. We often speak of such things as “a life full of happiness” and use “full” to indicate abundance rather than repletion. A “life full of happiness” can certainly accommodate more happiness. Likewise, a boat that “was now full” could certainly have accommodated more water. Thus, being “now full” does not indicate that the boat was filled with water to the brim.
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