verb
kopiamō
Strong’sG2872
I grow weary, toil
stem kopi-23 times in the New Testamentin 14 of 27 books19 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
The word covers two related meanings.
It can mean to grow weary, become tired 1234, the ordinary sense of feeling worn out or fatigued from exertion 123.
It can also mean to work hard, toil, labor with effort 1234, often used of exerting oneself in a task or in ministry-related work 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
κοπιάω, -ῶ
(< κόπος), [in LXX chiefly for יגע;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2872 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkop-ee-ah'-o
to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard
Fromfrom a derivative of G2873;
King James(bestow) labour, toil, be wearied.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
future -άσω [ᾱ]: aorist ἐκοπίᾱσα Refs 4th c.BC+: perfect κεκοπίᾱκα NT: (κόπος):—to be tired, grow weary, LXX+5th c.BC+, Men.[same place]; κ. ὑπὸ ἀγαθῶν to be weary of good things, NT+5th c.BC+: with participle, κ. ὀρχούμενοι Refs 5th c.BC+aorist participle κοπιάσας, defunctus laboribus, Refs:—middle in active sense, Refs 4th c.BC+
II work hard, toil, NT+2nd c.AD+: with infinitive, strive, struggle, μὴ κοπία ζητεῖν Refs
III ={κοπάζω}, come to rest: arrive at a state of saturation, Refs 3rd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| kopiamōκοπιῶ | happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular | labor | 1× |
| kopiatōκοπιᾷ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | toil | 1× |
| kopianōκοπιῶμεν | happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural | labor | 2× |
| kopialōκοπιῶσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | toil | 1× |
| kopiamaἐκοπίασα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | labor | 2× |
| kopiataἐκοπίασεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | worked | 2× |
| kopiamēκεκοπίακα | has happened · Iperfect active indicative 1st person singular | labored | 1× |
| kopiasēκεκοπίακες | has happened · youperfect active indicative 2nd person singular | grown weary | 1× |
| kopiavēκεκοπιάκατε | has happened · yeperfect active indicative 2nd person plural | labor | 1× |
| kopialēκεκοπιάκασιν | has happened · theyperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | labored | 1× |
| kopiatōrκοπιάτω | happening now · he/she/itpresent active imperative 3rd person singular | labor | 1× |
| kopiarōntonκοπιῶντα | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculine | hard-working | 1× |
| kopiarōntoκοπιῶντι | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine | labors | 1× |
| kopiarōntoisκοπιῶντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | labor | 1× |
| kopiarōntoinκοπιῶντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | labor | 2× |
| kopiarōntainκοπιώσας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural feminine | workers | 1× |
| kopiarōntoirκοπιῶντες | happening now · direct addresspresent active participle vocative plural masculine | labor | 1× |
| kopiarantoisκοπιάσαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | worked hard | 1× |
| kopiarēntosκεκοπιακὼς | has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative singular masculine | wearied | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 13 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kopiamō1×κοπιῶ | kopiame | kopiami | kopiama2×ἐκοπίασα | kopiamē1×κεκοπίακα | kopiamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kopiasō | kopiase | kopiasi | kopiasa | kopiasē1×κεκοπίακες | kopiaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kopiatō1×κοπιᾷ | kopiate | kopiati | kopiata2×ἐκοπίασεν | kopiatē | kopiatelē |
| we 1st person plural | kopianō2×κοπιῶμεν | kopiane | kopiani | kopiana | kopianē | kopianelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kopiavō | kopiave | kopiavi | kopiava | kopiavē1×κεκοπιάκατε | kopiavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kopialō1×κοπιῶσιν | kopiale | kopiali | kopiala | kopialē1×κεκοπιάκασιν | kopialelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kopiameiō | kopiameia | kopiameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kopiaseiō | kopiaseia | kopiaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kopiateiō | kopiateia | kopiateiē |
| we 1st person plural | kopianeiō | kopianeia | kopianeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kopiaveiō | kopiaveia | kopiaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kopialeiō | kopialeia | kopialeiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kopiasōr | kopiasar | kopiasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kopiatōr1×κοπιάτω | kopiatar | kopiatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kopiavōr | kopiavar | kopiavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kopialōr | kopialar | kopialēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kopiamoiō | kopiamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kopiasoiō | kopiasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kopiatoiō | kopiatoia |
| we 1st person plural | kopianoiō | kopianoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kopiavoiō | kopiavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kopialoiō | kopialoia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kopiarō | kopiari | kopiara | kopiarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 9 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kopiarōntos7× | kopiarintos | kopiarantos1× | kopiarēntos1×κεκοπιακὼς |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
kopi is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
23 occurrences, every one of them listed
kopiamō“labor”happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular1×
Colossians 1:29eis hem kai kopiamō agōnizorōntos kata tan energeian autou tan …To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working …
kopiatō“toil”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 12:27“toil”katanoavar teim krineim pōs auxanatō; ouk kopiatō oude nēthatō; legamō de vi, oude …Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in …
kopianō“labor”happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural2×
1 Corinthians 4:12“labor”kai kopianō ergazorōntois tai idiai cheirai; loidororōntois euloganō, …… hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we …
1 Timothy 4:10eis houtem gar kopianō kai oneidizonō, hoti elpizanē epi theo …To this end we labor and strive, because we have set …
kopialō“toil”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Matthew 6:28“toil”… krineim tou agrou pōs auxanalō; ouk kopialō oude nēthalō;… clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.
kopiama“labor”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular2×
1 Corinthians 15:10… kenas genita, alla perissoterem autoiu pantoiu kopiama, ouk mis de alla tas charitas …… was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet …
Philippians 2:16… eis kenem trechama oude eis kenem kopiama.… that I did not run or labor in vain.
kopiata“worked”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Romans 16:6aspazevar Mariam, hotinas polleim kopiata eis vin.Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
Romans 16:12… aspazevar Persidan tan agapētan, hotinas polleim kopiata en kurio.… Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.
kopiamē“labored”has happened · Iperfect active indicative 1st person singular1×
Galatians 4:11“labored”fobomō vin mē pōs eikē kopiamē eis vin.… fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
kopiasē“grown weary”has happened · youperfect active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Revelation 2:3“grown weary”… dia tem onomem mu, kai ouk kopiasē.… many things for the sake of My name.
kopiavē“labor”has happened · yeperfect active indicative 2nd person plural1×
John 4:38“labor”… apostelama vin therizarō hem ouk vis kopiavē; allosois kopialē, kai vis eis ton …I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken …
kopialē“labored”has happened · theyperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
John 4:38“labored”… therizarō hem ouk vis kopiavē; allosois kopialē, kai vis eis ton kopon autoiu …… you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”
kopiatōr“labor”happening now · he/she/itpresent active imperative 3rd person singular1×
Ephesians 4:28“labor”tos kleptarōntos mēketi kleptatōr, mallon de kopiatōr ergazorōntos tai idiai cheirai tem agathem, …… stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he …
kopiarōnton“hard-working”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculine1×
2 Timothy 2:6“hard-working”ton kopiarōnton geōrgon datō prōtem toiu karpoiu metalabarō.The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.
kopiarōnto“labors”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine1×
1 Corinthians 16:16“labors”… toioutoi kai panto to sunergarōnto kai kopiarōnto.… submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.
kopiarōntois“labor”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine1×
1 Timothy 5:17“labor”… presbuterois diplouau timau axiolōr, malista tois kopiarōntois en logo kai didaskalia;Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
kopiarōntoin“labor”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine2×
Acts 20:35“working hard”panteim hupodeikama vi hoti houtōs kopiarōntoin datō antilaborō toiu asthenarōntoiu, mnēmoneuarō tē …… I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the …
1 Thessalonians 5:12“labor”Erōtanō de vin, adelfoir, oidarē toin kopiarōntoin en vi kai prostēorōntoin vu en …But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who care for you in the Lord …
kopiarōntain“workers”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural feminine1×
Romans 16:12“workers”aspazevar Trufainan kai Trufōsan tain kopiarōntain en kurio. aspazevar Persidan tan agapētan, …Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has …
kopiarōntoir“labor”happening now · direct addresspresent active participle vocative plural masculine1×
Matthew 11:28“labor”Deute pros min pantoir tois kopiarōntoir kai fortizorēntoir, kamis anapauami vin.Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
kopiarantois“worked hard”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Luke 5:5… Simōnos legata; Epistator, dia holau nuktau kopiarantois oudenem labana, epi de te rēme …“Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But …
kopiarēntos“wearied”has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative singular masculine1×
John 4:6“wearied”… pēgas tou Iakōb. tos oun Iēsus kopiarēntos ek tau hodoiporiau kathezote houtōs epi …Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It …