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Greek verb · G3985

πειράζω

peirazopi-rad'-zo

to make proof of (Hom.).; to try, attempt (Luc., Polyb., with inf. (see M; In LXX and NT, like

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

Concordance spelling: peirázō

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G3985is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 12 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 20
    spellings
  • 3
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G3985

to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline

The King James renders it: assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.

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

peirazo is rendered "to make proof of (Hom.).; to try, attempt (Luc., Polyb., with inf. (see M; In LXX and NT, like". It stands 37 times in the Greek text, across twelve books.

  • Six of the uses stand in Matthew, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists three meanings for it, beginning with "to make proof of (Hom.).".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 4:1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
  • The Greek text spells it twenty different ways.

The first use

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1πειρασθῆναι

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

Where the word stands

The word stands in twelve of the 27 New Testament books.

The other 15 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

The word carries three meanings: to make proof of (Hom.)., and to try, attempt (Luc., Polyb., with inf. (see M, and In LXX and NT, like.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
to make proof of (Hom.).Tagged as
  • being tempted4
  • do you test2
  • tempted2
  • tempting2
  • to be tempted2
  • are you testing1
  • attempted1
  • having been tempted1

and 11 more, 26 uses in all

WhereMatthew 4:1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
to try, attempt (Luc., Polyb., with inf. (see MTagged as
  • he was trying1
WhereActs 9:26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him…
In LXX and NT, likeTagged as
  • testing7
  • Being tested1
  • do examine1
  • you have tested1
WhereGenesis 22:1Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.

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.

πειρασμόςpeirasmostemptation/testing: testingUses21
πεῖραpeiratestUses2
πειράωpeiraoto tryUses1

All 37, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

20 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

  • πειράζοντες5
  • πειράζετε4
  • πειραζόμενος4
  • πειράζων4
  • ἐπείρασαν2
  • ἐπείρασεν2
  • πειράσαι2
  • πειρασθῆναι2
  • ἐπείραζεν1
  • ἐπείραζον1
  • ἐπείρασας1
  • πειράζει1

and 8 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine plural5V-PAP-NPM
  • verb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singular4V-PAP-NSM
  • verb · present passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singular4V-PPP-NSM
  • verb · present active, indicative · 2nd person plural3V-PAI-2P
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person plural2V-AAI-3P
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singular2V-AAI-3S
  • verb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)2V-AAN
  • verb · aorist passive, infinitive (“to…”)2V-APN
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 2nd person singular1V-AAI-2S
  • verb · aorist passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singular1V-APP-NSM
  • verb · aorist passive, subjunctive · 2nd person plural1V-APS-2P
  • verb · aorist passive, subjunctive · 2nd person singular1V-APS-2S

Matthew

six uses
  • Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

    Matthew 4:1

    • πειρασθῆναιpeirasthenaiverb · aorist passive, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to be tempted
  • The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

    Matthew 4:3

    • πειράζωνpeirazonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: tempting
  • Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.

    Matthew 16:1

    • πειράζοντεςpeirazontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: testing
  • Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

    Matthew 19:3

    • πειράζοντεςpeirazontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: testing
  • But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?

    Matthew 22:18

    • πειράζετεpeirazeteverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person pluraltagged: do you test
  • One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

    Matthew 22:35

    • πειράζωνpeirazonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: testing

Mark

four uses
  • and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

    Mark 1:13

    • πειραζόμενοςpeirazomenosverb · present passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: being tempted
  • Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.

    Mark 8:11

    • πειράζοντεςpeirazontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: testing
  • Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.

    Mark 10:2

    • πειράζοντεςpeirazontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: testing
  • But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”

    Mark 12:15

    • πειράζετεpeirazeteverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person pluraltagged: do you test

Luke

two uses
  • where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.

    Luke 4:2

    • πειραζόμενοςpeirazomenosverb · present passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: being tempted
  • And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.

    Luke 11:16

    • πειράζοντεςpeirazontesverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: testing

John

one use
  • But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.

    John 6:6

    • πειράζωνpeirazonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: testing

Acts

five uses
  • “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

    Acts 5:9

    • πειράσαιpeirasaiverb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to test
  • When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

    Acts 9:26

    • ἐπείραζενepeirazenverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: he was trying
  • Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

    Acts 15:10

    • πειράζετεpeirazeteverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person pluraltagged: are you testing
  • And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

    Acts 16:7

    • ἐπείραζονepeirazonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they were attempting
  • and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

    Acts 24:6

    • ἐπείρασενepeirasenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: attempted

1 Corinthians

three uses
  • Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

    1 Corinthians 7:5

    • πειράζῃpeirazeverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: may tempt
  • We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.

    1 Corinthians 10:9

    • ἐπείρασανepeirasanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: tested
  • No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

    1 Corinthians 10:13

    • πειρασθῆναιpeirasthenaiverb · aorist passive, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to be tempted

2 Corinthians

one use
  • Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?

    2 Corinthians 13:5

    • πειράζετεpeirazeteverb · present active, command · 2nd person pluraltagged: do examine

Galatians

one use
  • Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

    Galatians 6:1

    • πειρασθῇςpeirastheasverb · aorist passive, subjunctive · 2nd person singulartagged: may be tempted

1 Thessalonians

two uses
  • For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and caused our labor to be in vain.

    1 Thessalonians 3:5

    • ἐπείρασενepeirasenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: tempted
    • πειράζωνpeirazonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: tempting

Hebrews

five uses
  • Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

    Hebrews 2:18

    • πειρασθείςpeirastheisverb · aorist passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: having been tempted
    • πειραζομένοιςpeirazomenoisverb · present passive, participle · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: being tempted
  • where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.

    Hebrews 3:9

    • ἐπείρασανepeirasanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: tried
  • For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.

    Hebrews 4:15

    • πεπειρασμένονpepeirasmenonverb · perfect passive, participle · accusative (object) · masculine singulartagged: tempted
  • By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,

    Hebrews 11:17

    • πειραζόμενοςpeirazomenosverb · present passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: Being tested

James

four uses
  • When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.

    James 1:13

    • πειραζόμενοςpeirazomenosverb · present passive, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: being tempted
    • πειράζομαιpeirazomaiverb · present passive, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I am being tempted
    • πειράζειpeirazeiverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: tempts
  • But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

    James 1:14

    • πειράζεταιpeirazetaiverb · present passive, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: is tempted

Revelation

three uses
  • I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

    Revelation 2:2

    • ἐπείρασαςepeirasasverb · aorist active, indicative · 2nd person singulartagged: you have tested
  • Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

    Revelation 2:10

    • πειρασθῆτεpeirastheteverb · aorist passive, subjunctive · 2nd person pluraltagged: you may be tested
  • Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

    Revelation 3:10

    • πειράσαιpeirasaiverb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to try

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 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 →