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ποιέω

poiéō

G4160 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To make, produce, or bring about; to perform or carry out an activity. The semantic range includes to create or manufacture (as of objects or circumstances), to do (as in accomplishing actions or tasks), to cause (to bring about a state or result), and by extension, to observe or celebrate (regarding rituals or customs). In legal and ethical contexts, can denote fulfilling obligations or acting in accordance with commands or laws. Frequently functions as a general verb of action in a wide variety of constructions. In some contexts, can be more specific: e.g., 'to keep' a command, 'to observe' a festival, or 'to produce' fruit (literal or figurative outcomes).

Semantic Range

to make, to do, to perform, to accomplish, to bring about, to produce, to act, to cause, to observe (customs or commandments), to celebrate (festivals), to fulfill, to manufacture, to keep (commands or obligations), to commit (an act), to practice, to carry out

Root / Etymology

From the root ποι-, related to the idea of making or doing. Possibly connected with classical Greek ποιέω, which continued into Koine with broadening application. Cognate with terms in other Indo-European languages (e.g. Sanskrit cinoti), but precise Indo-European origin is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ποιέω is already a common verb in classical Greek, typically meaning 'to make' (as in artistic creation or manufacture) and 'to do, accomplish.' In Koine Greek (including the New Testament, Septuagint, and contemporaneous non-literary papyri), the word's semantic range is even broader, effectively covering nearly any type of action. It appears thousands of times with a multitude of direct and indirect objects. The verb can be used alone (with the sense of 'do' or 'make') or with a supplementary object (to specify what is done or made). The term can function in idiomatic phrases, e.g., ποιεῖν δικαιοσύνην ('to do justice'), ποιεῖν νόμον ('to keep/observe the law'), or ποιεῖν ἁμαρτίαν ('to sin,' literally 'to do sin'). In the context of ritual or religious action, ποιέω often refers to observance or performance of rites—e.g., making a sacrifice, keeping a festival (ποιεῖν τὸ πάσχα, 'to celebrate the Passover'). Septuagintal and New Testament usage occasionally shifts meaning by context, so English translations variously render as 'do,' 'make,' 'perform,' 'keep,' 'produce,' etc. In contrast to πράσσω (G4238), which more often connotes the performance of an action or engagement in a practice (especially one ongoing or habitual), ποιέω leans toward creative, productive, or result-oriented aspects.

Translation Consistency

primary "do" 465 occurrences

'Do' is the most natural, versatile rendering for ποιέω across its wide semantic range. It is the most frequent P2 rendering and covers actions such as performing, carrying out, fulfilling, causing, and observing (e.g., doing a command or festival). While ποιέω can sometimes mean 'make' or 'produce,' 'do' naturally handles both general and idiomatic uses and ensures consistent, readable English across all forms.

Alternatives (103 occurrences):
"make" (27x) "having made" (10x) "making" (10x) "do, all of" (7x) "producing" (6x) "made" (5x) "produce" (4x) "produces" (3x) "might make" (3x) "produced" (3x) "having spent" (3x) "makes" (2x) "appointed" (2x) "us make" (2x) "forms" (1x) "committed" (1x) "accomplished" (1x) "carry out for" (1x) "performed" (1x) "causing" (1x) "consider" (1x) "having made for" (1x) "setting" (1x) "make for oneself" (1x) "spent" (1x) "having accomplished" (1x) "things having been made" (1x) "making for myself" (1x) "causes" (1x) "bearing" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):--abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare πράσσω.

Root Family

ποιέω (poieō) — to make, to do, to produce, to perform

Root ποι- to make, to do, to produce, to perform
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G4162 ποίησις he/she/it will do
G4169 ποῖος I make

Word Forms

69 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4160-08 ἐποίησεν epoiesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG did he made he did 75
G4160-31 ποιῆσαι poiesai V AOR ACT INF to do to make to do 46
G4160-28 ποιεῖτε poieite V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL do be doing be doing 34
G4160-22 ποιεῖ poiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG does he/she/it does he/she/it does 31
G4160-56 ποιῶν poion V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG doing one making one doing 27
G4160-23 ποιεῖν poiein V PRS ACT INF to do to make or do to do 25
G4160-47 ποιήσω poieso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG shall I do I will do I will do 25
G4160-54 ποιῶ poio V PRS ACT IND 1P SG I do I make / I do I do 23
G4160-37 ποιήσας poiesas V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG made having done having done 22
G4160-43 ποιήσει poiesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will do he/she/it will make he/she/it will do 17

Occurrences in Scripture

568 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4160-08 Matthew 1:24 ἐποίησεν epoiesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG did he made he did
G4160-28 Matthew 3:3 ποιεῖτε poieite V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL make be doing make
G4160-40 Matthew 3:8 ποιήσατε poiesate V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL bear do; carry out do, all of you
G4160-62 Matthew 3:10 ποιοῦν poioun V PRS ACT PTCP NOM N SG producing making producing
G4160-47 Matthew 4:19 ποιήσω poieso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG I will make I will do I will make
G4160-42 Matthew 5:19 ποιήσῃ poiese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG does may make may do
G4160-22 Matthew 5:32 ποιεῖ poiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG makes he/she/it does makes
G4160-31 Matthew 5:36 ποιῆσαι poiesai V AOR ACT INF make to make to do
G4160-69 Matthew 5:46 ποιοῦσιν poiousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL do they are doing they are doing
G4160-28 Matthew 5:47 ποιεῖτε poieite V PRS ACT IND 2P PL do you do be doing be doing
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