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πράσσω

prássō

G4238 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To do, to practice, or to carry out (an action), especially involving regularity, repetition, or habit; in context, to engage in an activity as a pattern of life or ongoing practice rather than a singular event. May also carry the sense of execution, accomplishment, or involvement in a particular kind of action. In certain contexts, used for the collection of taxes or dues, or to engage in commercial or professional activity. More rarely, can imply dealing with something by specific means or methods (even by artifice or stratagem).

Semantic Range

to do, to practice habitually, to act repeatedly, to carry out or perform (an action), to accomplish or execute, to manage (business or affairs), to collect (dues or taxes), to conduct oneself, to employ means or stratagems

Root / Etymology

Rooted in the Greek stem πραγ- (from πράγμα, 'deed,' 'thing done,' 'act') and related to the verb πράττω (alternative spelling for πράσσω in later and Koine Greek). Cognate with classical πράσσω and Latin 'practico', and related to πρᾶξις ('practice,' 'action'). The precise Indo-European origin is debated, but the development within Greek is clear.

Historical & Contextual Notes

πράσσω is distinguished from ποιέω (poieō), which focuses on the act of making or creating, by its emphasis on the process, carrying out, or repeated/habitual action rather than a single event. In classical Greek, πράσσω could refer to general doing or acting, especially with a view toward outcome or result (success, failure), as in political or legal spheres. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, including the Septuagint and New Testament, πράσσω often denotes continual or characteristic practice, either positive (as in practicing righteousness) or negative (as in committing sin). It also appears in financial or administrative contexts (such as collecting taxes or managing affairs), and in idiomatic expressions (e.g., πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια, 'to mind one's own business'). English Bibles often translate πράσσω as 'do' or 'commit,' but this can miss the word's sense of repeated or habitual action. The distinction from ποιέω is particularly important in ethical and moral discourse in the New Testament, where ποιέω may refer to single acts and πράσσω to ongoing behavior. Attested in classical authors (Herodotus, Thucydides), Hellenistic literature, the Septuagint, and throughout the New Testament. Related substantives include πρᾶξις (practice, deed) and πρᾶγμα (thing done, matter, business).

Translation Consistency

primary "practice" 21 occurrences

πράσσω most often carries the sense of doing something as a regular, repeated, or habitual action (to carry out a pattern of behavior, manage a practice, or engage in an ongoing activity). "Practice" preserves the habitual/ongoing nuance better than the overly general "do," fits natural English (e.g. "practice sin," "practice medicine/business"), and was the most frequent precise render in the provided data.

Alternatives (17 occurrences):
"do" (5x) "done" (2x) "did" (2x) "those having carried out" (2x) "received" (1x) "might do" (1x) "committed" (1x) "does" (1x) "carried out" (1x) "doing" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; to "practise", i.e. perform repeatedly or habitually (thus differing from ποιέω, which properly refers to a single act); by implication, to execute, accomplish, etc.; specially, to collect (dues), fare (personally):--commit, deeds, do, exact, keep, require, use arts.

Root Family

πράσσω (prassō) — to do, to practice, to accomplish, to carry out, to manage

Root πραγ- to do, to practice, to accomplish, to manage, to carry out

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4238-10 πράσσειν prassein V PRS ACT INF to do to practice habitually to practice habitually 4
G4238-14 πράσσω prasso V PRS ACT IND 1P SG I practice I practice I practice 4
G4238-16 πράσσοντας prassontas V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL practice those practicing those practicing 3
G4238-08 πεπραγμένον pepragmenon V PRF PASS PTCP NOM N SG done having been practiced done 2
G4238-13 πράσσετε prassete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL do/exact Keep practicing do 2
G4238-17 πράσσοντες prassontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL practice those practicing those practicing 2
G4238-23 πραξάντων praxanton V AOR ACT PTCP GEN M PL having done of those having carried out of those having carried out 2
G4238-05 ἔπραξεν epraxen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has done he/she carried out he/she practiced 2
G4238-09 πράσσει prassei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG does practices does 1
G4238-20 πράσσουσιν prassousin V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL practicing to those practicing practicing 1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4238-13 Luke 3:13 πράσσετε prassete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL do/exact Keep practicing do
G4238-01 Luke 19:23 ἔπραξα epraxa V AOR ACT IND 1P SG have received I carried out I received
G4238-10 Luke 22:23 πράσσειν prassein V PRS ACT INF do to practice habitually do
G4238-08 Luke 23:15 πεπραγμένον pepragmenon V PRF PASS PTCP NOM N SG done having been practiced done
G4238-02 Luke 23:41 ἐπράξαμεν epraxamen V AOR ACT IND 1P PL we did we were practicing we did
G4238-05 Luke 23:41 ἔπραξεν epraxen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has done he/she carried out he/she practiced
G4238-15 John 3:20 πράσσων prasson V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG does practicing practicing
G4238-22 John 5:29 πράξαντες praxantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL who practiced having carried out having practiced
G4238-04 Acts 3:17 ἐπράξατε epraxate V AOR ACT IND 2P PL ye did you carried out you did
G4238-10 Acts 5:35 πράσσειν prassein V PRS ACT INF to do to practice habitually to practice habitually
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