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Greek verb · G3982

πείθω

peithopi'-tho

trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres.; Intrans., 2 pf. πέποιθα with Pres. sense (see M; to be persuaded, believe (see M; to listen to, obey; Peitho, Persuasion (as a goddess).; per­suasion

51 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: peíthō

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G3982is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 13 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 33
    spellings
  • 6
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G3982

to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty)

The King James renders it: agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

peitho is rendered "trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres.; Intrans., 2 pf. πέποιθα with Pres. sense (see M; to be persuaded, believe (see M; to listen to, obey; Peitho, Persuasion (as a goddess).; per­suasion". It stands 51 times in the Greek text, across thirteen books.

  • Sixteen of the uses stand in Acts, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists six meanings for it, beginning with "trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres.".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 27:20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
  • The Greek text spells it thirty-three different ways.

The first use

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

Matthew 27:20ἔπεισαν

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Sixteen of the word's fifty-one uses are in Acts.

The other 14 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

The word carries six meanings: trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres., and Intrans., 2 pf. πέποιθα with Pres. sense (see M, and to be persuaded, believe (see M, and to listen to, obey, and Peitho, Persuasion (as a goddess)., and per­suasion.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres.Tagged as
  • having trusted3
  • having persuaded2
  • persuaded2
  • persuading2
  • do I seek approval1
  • have been confident1
  • having gained1
  • he had trusted1

and 11 more, 24 uses in all

WhereMatthew 28:14If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
Intrans., 2 pf. πέποιθα with Pres. sense (see MTagged as
  • I have been persuaded6
  • having been persuaded of3
  • already trusting2
  • having put confidence1
  • is persuaded1
  • you are confident1
WhereRomans 2:19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,
to be persuaded, believe (see MTagged as
  • were persuaded3
  • We have been persuaded2
  • I am persuaded1
  • we are assured1
  • were obedient1
  • will they be persuaded1
WhereLuke 16:31Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets…
to listen to, obeyTagged as
  • to obey2
  • being persuaded about1
  • do obey1
WhereActs 5:36Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him…
Peitho, Persuasion (as a goddess).Tagged aslisted under the tableWherein the ledger below
per­suasionἐν πειθοῖ (so Orig., Eus. and some cursives in 1Co.2:4 for πειθός, which see).† (AS)Tagged aslisted under the tableWhere1 Corinthians 2:4My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom…

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

πειθαρχέωpeitharcheoto obeyUses4
πειθόςpeithospersuasiveUses1

The words it stands beside

All 51, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

33 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • πέπεισμαι5
  • πεποιθὼς5
  • ἐπείθοντο3
  • πείθεσθαι2
  • πείθων2
  • πείσαντες2
  • πείσομεν2
  • πέποιθα2
  • πέποιθεν2
  • πεποιθότας2
  • πεποιθότες2
  • ἔπειθέν1

and 21 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singular5V-2RAP-NSM
  • verb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singular5V-RPI-1S
  • verb · imperfect passive, indicative · 3rd person plural3V-IPI-3P
  • verb · perfect active, indicative · 1st person singular2V-2RAI-1S
  • verb · perfect active, indicative · 3rd person singular2V-2RAI-3S
  • verb · perfect active, participle · accusative (object) · masculine plural2V-2RAP-APM
  • verb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2V-2RAP-NPM
  • verb · aorist active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2V-AAP-NPM
  • verb · future active, indicative · 1st person plural2V-FAI-1P
  • verb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singular2V-PAP-NSM
  • verb · present passive, infinitive (“to…”)2V-PPN
  • verb · pluperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singular1V-2LAI-3S

Matthew

three uses
  • But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

    Matthew 27:20

    • ἔπεισανepeisanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: persuaded
  • He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

    Matthew 27:43

    • πέποιθενpepoithenverb · perfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: He has trusted
  • If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

    Matthew 28:14

    • πείσομενpeisomenverb · future active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: will persuade

Luke

four uses
  • But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.

    Luke 11:22

    • ἐπεποίθειepepoitheiverb · pluperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: he had trusted
  • Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

    Luke 16:31

    • πεισθήσονται.¶peisthesontaiverb · future passive, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: will they be persuaded
  • To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:

    Luke 18:9

    • πεποιθόταςpepoithotasverb · perfect active, participle · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: having trusted
  • But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

    Luke 20:6

    • πεπεισμένοςpepeismenosverb · perfect passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: persuaded

Acts

sixteen uses
  • Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.

    Acts 5:36

    • ἐπείθοντοepeithontoverb · imperfect passive, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were persuaded
  • After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

    Acts 5:37

    • ἐπείθοντοepeithontoverb · imperfect passive, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were persuaded
  • Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.

    Acts 12:20

    • πείσαντεςpeisantesverb · aorist active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: having gained
  • After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

    Acts 13:43

    • ἔπειθονepeithonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were persuading
  • Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.

    Acts 14:19

    • πείσαντεςpeisantesverb · aorist active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: having persuaded
  • Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

    Acts 17:4

    • ἐπείσθησανepeisthesanverb · aorist passive, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were obedient
  • Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

    Acts 18:4

    • ἔπειθένepeithenverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: was persuading
  • Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

    Acts 19:8

    • πείθωνpeithonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: persuading
  • And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

    Acts 19:26

    • πείσαςpeisasverb · aorist active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: having persuaded
  • When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

    Acts 21:14

    • πειθομένουpeithomenouverb · present passive, participle · genitive (“of”) · masculine singulartagged: is being persuaded
  • Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

    Acts 23:21

    • πεισθῇςpeistheasverb · aorist passive, subjunctive · 2nd person singulartagged: may be persuaded
  • For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

    Acts 26:26

    • πείθομαιpeithomaiverb · present passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I am persuaded
  • Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

    Acts 26:28

    • πείθειςpeitheisverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person singulartagged: you persuade
  • But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.

    Acts 27:11

    • ἐπείθετοepeithetoverb · imperfect passive, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: was persuaded
  • So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

    Acts 28:23

    • πείθωνpeithonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: persuading
  • Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.

    Acts 28:24

    • ἐπείθοντοepeithontoverb · imperfect passive, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were persuaded

Romans

five uses
  • But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

    Romans 2:8

    • πειθομένοιςpeithomenoisverb · present passive, participle · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: being persuaded about
  • if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,

    Romans 2:19

    • πέποιθάςpepoithasverb · perfect active, indicative · 2nd person singulartagged: you are confident
  • For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

    Romans 8:38

    • πέπεισμαιpepeismaiverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded
  • I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

    Romans 14:14

    • πέπεισμαιpepeismaiverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded
  • I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, brimming with knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

    Romans 15:14

    • πέπεισμαιpepeismaiverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded

2 Corinthians

four uses
  • Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.

    2 Corinthians 1:9

    • πεποιθότεςpepoithotesverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: having trusted
  • I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.

    2 Corinthians 2:3

    • πεποιθὼςpepoithosverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: having trusted
  • Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

    2 Corinthians 5:11

    • πείθομενpeithomenverb · present active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: we persuade
  • You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

    2 Corinthians 10:7

    • πέποιθενpepoithenverb · perfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: is persuaded

Galatians

three uses
  • Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

    Galatians 1:10

    • πείθωpeithoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: do I seek approval
  • You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?

    Galatians 5:7

    • πείθεσθαιpeithesthaiverb · present passive, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to obey
  • I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

    Galatians 5:10

    • πέποιθαpepoithaverb · perfect active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: have been confident

Philippians

six uses
  • being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

    Philippians 1:6

    • πεποιθὼςpepoithosverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: having been persuaded of
  • And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.

    Philippians 1:14

    • πεποιθόταςpepoithotasverb · perfect active, participle · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: already trusting
  • Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

    Philippians 1:25

    • πεποιθὼςpepoithosverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: having been persuaded of
  • And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

    Philippians 2:24

    • πέποιθαpepoithaverb · perfect active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded
  • For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

    Philippians 3:3

    • πεποιθότεςpepoithotesverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: having put confidence
  • though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

    Philippians 3:4

    • πεποιθέναιpepoithenaiverb · perfect active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to have confidence

2 Thessalonians

one use
  • And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.

    2 Thessalonians 3:4

    • πεποίθαμενpepoithamenverb · perfect active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: We have been persuaded

2 Timothy

two uses
  • I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.

    2 Timothy 1:5

    • πέπεισμαιpepeismaiverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded
  • For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

    2 Timothy 1:12

    • πέπεισμαιpepeismaiverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I have been persuaded

Philemon

one use
  • Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

    Philemon 1:21

    • Πεποιθὼςpepoithosverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: Having been persuaded of

Hebrews

four uses
  • And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”

    Hebrews 2:13

    • πεποιθὼςpepoithosverb · perfect active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: already trusting
  • Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.

    Hebrews 6:9

    • Πεπείσμεθαpepeismethaverb · perfect passive, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: We have been persuaded
  • Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.

    Hebrews 13:17

    • Πείθεσθεpeithestheverb · present passive, command · 2nd person pluraltagged: do obey
  • Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

    Hebrews 13:18

    • πειθόμεθαpeithomethaverb · present passive, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: we are assured

James

one use
  • When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.

    James 3:3

    • πείθεσθαιpeithesthaiverb · present passive, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to obey

1 John

one use
  • And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:

    1 John 3:19

    • πείσομενpeisomenverb · future active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: we will assure

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →