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πειράζω

peirázō

G3985 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

to attempt, try, or test; to make an effort to do something; to put someone or something to the test in order to ascertain qualities or reactions; in certain contexts, to tempt or entice with the aim of seeing if one will behave in a particular way. The word can denote both a neutral testing (to prove character or quality) as well as an enticement to improper action, depending on context.

Semantic Range

to attempt, to try, to put to the test, to examine, to scrutinize, to entice, to tempt, to provoke, to prove character or faithfulness, to endeavor

Root / Etymology

Derived from πεῖρα (peira, 'trial', 'attempt', 'experience'), itself probably related to the verb πεῖραομαι ('to attempt', 'try'), and ultimately from the PIE root *per- ('to attempt', 'to risk', 'to try'). The verbal stem πειράζω is formed with the frequentative verb suffix -ζω, indicating repeated or intensified action.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, πειράζω usually means 'to make proof of, try, attempt'. The meaning extends in Hellenistic Greek to include both neutral attempts and subjective tests of character or behavior. In the Septuagint, especially when translating the Hebrew נסה (nasah), it often refers to God or humans testing one another—either neutrally (to verify faithfulness) or negatively (to provoke failure). In the New Testament, πειράζω is used both of positive testing (such as God testing Abraham, or discipleship being tested) and negative tempting (attempting to lure someone into error or wrongdoing). English translations frequently render it 'tempt' when the sense involves enticement to sin, but this can obscure the neutral sense ('test', 'try', 'prove') evident in many passages. The cognate noun πειρασμός refers similarly to a 'test' or 'temptation.' In rabbinic and Second Temple contexts, testing can be for vindication or refinement, not necessarily for enticement to fail.

Translation Consistency

primary "test" 27 occurrences

Peirázō’s primary, most typical semantic range in Biblical usage is neutral examination or trial (to put someone or something to the test). "Test" is the natural, concise English verb that covers both proving/examining and the related sense of tempting/provoking by context. It preserves consistency across forms while allowing translators to render stronger senses ("tempt") where context requires.

Alternatives (11 occurrences):
"tempted" (6x) "attempting" (1x) "trying" (1x) "attempted" (1x) "tempt" (1x) "tempts" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from πεῖρα; to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:--assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.

Root Family

πειρ- (ekpeirázō) — to try, to test, to attempt

Root πειρ- to attempt, to try, to test, to prove
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1598 ἐκπειράζω you will thoroughly test
G3987 πειράω they were attempting for themselves
G551 ἀπείραστος not subject to testing
G552 ἄπειρος an inexperienced man

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3985-20 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL tempting those testing testing 5
G3985-15 πειράζετε peirazete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL do you test you are testing you are testing 4
G3985-18 πειραζόμενος peirazomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG being tempted being tested being tempted 4
G3985-19 πειράζων peirazon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG tempter the one testing the one testing 4
G3985-01 ἐπείρασαν epeirasan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL tempted they tested they tested 2
G3985-03 ἐπείρασεν epeirasen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has tempted he tested he attempted 2
G3985-07 πειράσαι peirasai V AOR ACT INF to test to test to test 2
G3985-09 πειρασθῆναι peirasthenai V AOR PASS INF to be tempted to be tested to be tested 2
G3985-02 ἐπείρασας epeirasas V AOR ACT IND 2P SG you tested you tested you tested 1
G3985-04 ἐπειράσθησαν epeirasthesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL they were tempted they were tested they were tested 1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3985-09 Matthew 4:1 πειρασθῆναι peirasthenai V AOR PASS INF to be tempted to be tested to be tested
G3985-19 Matthew 4:3 πειράζων peirazon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG tempter the one testing the one testing
G3985-20 Matthew 16:1 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL testing those testing those testing
G3985-20 Matthew 19:3 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL testing those testing testing
G3985-15 Matthew 22:18 πειράζετε peirazete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL are you testing you are testing you are testing
G3985-19 Matthew 22:35 πειράζων peirazon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG tempting the one testing the one testing
G3985-18 Mark 1:13 πειραζόμενος peirazomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG being tempted being tested being tempted
G3985-20 Mark 8:11 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL tempting those testing testing
G3985-20 Mark 10:2 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL tempting those testing testing
G3985-15 Mark 12:15 πειράζετε peirazete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL do you test you are testing you are testing
G3985-18 Luke 4:2 πειραζόμενος peirazomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG being tempted being tested being tempted
G3985-20 Luke 11:16 πειράζοντες peirazontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL tempting those testing those testing
G3985-19 John 6:6 πειράζων peirazon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG testing the one testing the one testing
G3985-07 Acts 5:9 πειράσαι peirasai V AOR ACT INF to test to test to test
G3985-05 Acts 9:26 ἐπείραζεν epeirazen V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG he was trying he was testing he was attempting
G3985-15 Acts 15:10 πειράζετε peirazete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL do you test you are testing you are testing
G3985-06 Acts 16:7 ἐπείραζον epeirazon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL they were trying they were testing they were trying
G3985-03 Acts 24:6 ἐπείρασεν epeirasen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG tried he tested he attempted
G3985-12 1 Corinthians 7:5 πειράζῃ peiraze V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG tempt he/she/it may test may tempt
G3985-01 1 Corinthians 10:9 ἐπείρασαν epeirasan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL tempted they tested they tested
G3985-09 1 Corinthians 10:13 πειρασθῆναι peirasthenai V AOR PASS INF to be tempted to be tested to be tested
G3985-15 2 Corinthians 13:5 πειράζετε peirazete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL test you are testing you are testing
G3985-10 Galatians 6:1 πειρασθῇς peirasthes V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P SG be tempted you may be tested may be tested
G3985-03 1 Thessalonians 3:5 ἐπείρασεν epeirasen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has tempted he tested he tempted
G3985-19 1 Thessalonians 3:5 πειράζων peirazon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG tempter the one testing the one testing
G3985-08 Hebrews 2:18 πειρασθείς peirastheis V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG having been tempted having been tested having been tested
G3985-17 Hebrews 2:18 πειραζομένοις peirazomenois V PRS PASS PTCP DAT M PL who are tempted to those being tested being tested
G3985-01 Hebrews 3:9 ἐπείρασαν epeirasan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL tried they tested they tested
G3985-21 Hebrews 4:15 πεπειρασμένον pepeirasmenon V PRF PASS PTCP ACC M SG who has been tempted having been tested having been tested
G3985-18 Hebrews 11:17 πειραζόμενος peirazomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG when he was tested being tested being tested
G3985-04 Hebrews 11:37 ἐπειράσθησαν epeirasthesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL they were tempted they were tested they were tested
G3985-18 James 1:13 πειραζόμενος peirazomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG being tempted being tested being tempted
G3985-16 James 1:13 πειράζομαι peirazomai V PRS PASS IND 1P SG I am tempted I am being tested I am being tempted
G3985-13 James 1:13 πειράζει peirazei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG tempts is testing tempts
G3985-14 James 1:14 πειράζεται peirazetai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is tempted is being tested is tempted
G3985-02 Revelation 2:2 ἐπείρασας epeirasas V AOR ACT IND 2P SG you tested you tested you tested
G3985-11 Revelation 2:10 πειρασθῆτε peirasthete V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P PL you may be tested you all might be tested you all might be tested
G3985-07 Revelation 3:10 πειράσαι peirasai V AOR ACT INF to test to test to test
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