verb
peirazamō
Strong’sG3985
I try, tempt, test
stem peiraz-39 times in the New Testamentin 12 of 27 books21 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
To try, attempt, or make an effort to do something 1234 - used especially of attempting to carry out an action, often followed by "to" plus a verb, such as attempting to enter a place, persuade someone, or accomplish some other task 13.
To test, try, or put someone or something to the proof 1234 - examining what someone or something is really like. This is sometimes a good or neutral sense, as when genuine faith or character is tested, including through trials or hardships permitted by God 1. It is sometimes a bad sense: trying to trap or catch someone with a question, tempting someone to sin - with the devil himself called "the tempter" 13 - or distrustfully testing, challenging, or provoking God 13. Strong's adds the related shades of scrutinizing, enticing, and disciplining 2.
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
πειράζω, poët. and late prose form of πειράω, q.v.,
[in LXX for נסה pi.;]
SYN.: δοκιμάζω, q.v.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3985 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpi-rad'-zo
to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline
Fromfrom G3984;
King Jamesassay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.
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
(πεῖρα) used by early authors only in present and imperfect, the other tenses being supplied by πειράω, -άομαι: Cretan dialect future πειράξω Refs: aorist 1 imperative πείρᾰσον Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist passive ἐπειράσθην LXX+NT: perfect participle πεπειρασμένος NT:—make proof or trial of, with genitive, Refs 8th c.BC+
2 with infinitive, attempt to do, NT+2nd c.BC+; π. τι attempt a thing, ἄλλος ἄλλην ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ πειράζει τέχνην Refs 2nd c.AD+make trial of, Refs: absolutely, make an attempt, Refs 2nd c.BC+
3 passive, ἤθη.. ἐν χρόνῳ πειράζεται are tried, proved, Refs 4th c.BC+; to be experienced, Refs 1st c.BC+
II with accusative person, try, tempt a person, put him to the test, LXX; ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε, εἰ.. NT; τί πειράζετε τὸν Κύριο; LXX+NT
II.2 in bad sense, seek to seduce, tempt, Ἀθηναίην Refs 3rd c.BC+ the Tempter, NT:—passive, to be sorely tried, πειραζομένη βασανίζομαι Refs 1st c.BC+; to be attacked, ὑποχύσει Refs 1st c.AD+; to be tempted to sin, NT
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| peirazatōπειράζει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | tempt | 1× |
| peirazavōπειράζετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | testing | 3× |
| peirazomōπειράζομαι | happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular | tempted | 1× |
| peirazotōπειράζεται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | tempted | 1× |
| peirazateἐπείραζεν | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | tried | 1× |
| peirazaleἐπείραζον | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | tried | 1× |
| peirazasaἐπείρασας | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | tested | 1× |
| peirazataἐπείρασεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | tried | 2× |
| peirazalaἐπείρασαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | did | 2× |
| peirazateiōπειράζῃ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular | tempt | 1× |
| peiraziseiaπειρασθῇς | happened · youaorist passive subjunctive 2nd person singular | tempted | 1× |
| peiraziveiaπειρασθῆτε | happened · yeaorist passive subjunctive 2nd person plural | tested | 1× |
| peirazavōrπειράζετε | happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural | examine | 1× |
| peirazaraπειράσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | test | 2× |
| peiraziraπειρασθῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive | tempted | 2× |
| peirazarōntosπειράζων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | test | 4× |
| peirazarōntoisπειράζοντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | test | 7× |
| peirazorōntosπειραζόμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | tempted | 4× |
| peirazorōntoiπειραζομένοις | happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative plural masculine | tempted | 1× |
| peirazirantosπειρασθείς | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine | tempted | 1× |
| peirazorēntonπεπειρασμένον | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine | tempted | 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 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 13 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazamō | peirazame | peirazami | peirazama | peirazamē | peirazamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazasō | peirazase | peirazasi | peirazasa1×ἐπείρασας | peirazasē | peirazaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazatō1×πειράζει | peirazate1×ἐπείραζεν | peirazati | peirazata2×ἐπείρασεν | peirazatē | peirazatelē |
| we 1st person plural | peirazanō | peirazane | peirazani | peirazana | peirazanē | peirazanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazavō3×πειράζετε | peirazave | peirazavi | peirazava | peirazavē | peirazavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazalō | peirazale1×ἐπείραζον | peirazali | peirazala2×ἐπείρασαν | peirazalē | peirazalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazomō1×πειράζομαι | peirazome | peirazomē | peirazomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazosō | peirazose | peirazosē | peirazoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazotō1×πειράζεται | peirazote | peirazotē | peirazotelē |
| we 1st person plural | peirazonō | peirazone | peirazonē | peirazonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazovō | peirazove | peirazovē | peirazovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazolō | peirazole | peirazolē | peirazolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazimi | peirazima |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazisi | peirazisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peiraziti | peirazita |
| we 1st person plural | peirazini | peirazina |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazivi | peiraziva |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazili | peirazila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazameiō | peirazameia | peirazameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazaseiō | peirazaseia | peirazaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazateiō1×πειράζῃ | peirazateia | peirazateiē |
| we 1st person plural | peirazaneiō | peirazaneia | peirazaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazaveiō | peirazaveia | peirazaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazaleiō | peirazaleia | peirazaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazomeiō | peirazomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazoseiō | peirazoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazoteiō | peirazoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | peirazoneiō | peirazoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazoveiō | peirazoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazoleiō | peirazoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | peiraziseia1×πειρασθῇς |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peiraziteia |
| we 1st person plural | peirazineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | peiraziveia1×πειρασθῆτε |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazileia |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peirazasōr | peirazasar | peirazasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazatōr | peirazatar | peirazatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazavōr1×πειράζετε | peirazavar | peirazavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazalōr | peirazalar | peirazalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peirazosōr | peirazosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazotōr | peirazotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazovōr | peirazovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazolōr | peirazolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peirazisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazivar |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazamoiō | peirazamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazasoiō | peirazasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazatoiō | peirazatoia |
| we 1st person plural | peirazanoiō | peirazanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazavoiō | peirazavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazaloiō | peirazaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | peirazonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | peirazoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peirazimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | peirazisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peirazitoia |
| we 1st person plural | peirazinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | peirazivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | peiraziloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | peirazarō | peirazari | peirazara2×πειράσαι | peirazarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | peirazorō | peirazorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | peiraziri | peirazira2×πειρασθῆναι |
Used as an adjective — participle, 18 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | peirazarōntos11×πειράζων | peirazarintos | peirazarantos | peirazarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | peirazorōntos5×πειραζόμενος | peirazorēntos1× | ||
| acted on passive voice | peirazirintos | peirazirantos1×πειρασθείς |
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
peiraz 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.
39 occurrences, every one of them listed
peirazatō“tempt”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
James 1:13… tos gar theos apeirastos atō kakoseiu, peirazatō de autos oudenon.… tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
peirazavō“testing”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural3×
Matthew 22:18… tan ponērian autoiu legata; Tinem min peirazavō, hupokritoir?… said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?
Mark 12:15… tan hupokrisian legata autoi; Tinem min peirazavō? feravōr mi dēnariem hina horameia.… hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to …
Acts 15:10“putting … tothe test”nun oun tinem peirazavō ton theon, epitithara zugon epi ton …Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither …
peirazomō“tempted”happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular1×
James 1:13mēdenos peirazorōntos legatōr hoti Apo theou peirazomō; tos gar theos apeirastos atō kakoseiu, …… tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt …
peirazotō“tempted”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
James 1:14hekastos de peirazotō hupo tau idiau epithumiau exelkorōntos kai …But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires …
peirazate“tried”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 9:26Paragenerantos de eis Ierousalēm peirazate kollorō toi mathētoi; kai pantois fobole …When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they …
peirazale“tried”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Acts 16:7ercharantois de kata tan Musian peirazale eis tan Bithunian poreuira kai ouk …… to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit …
peirazasa“tested”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Revelation 2:2… hoti ouk dunosō bastazara kakosoin, kai peirazasa toin legarōntoin heautoin apostoloin, kai ouk …… who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who …
peirazata“tried”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Acts 24:6hos kai tem hierem peirazata bebēlara, hon kai kratana,and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we …
1 Thessalonians 3:5… gnōskara tan pistian vu, mē pōs peirazata vin tos peirazarōntos kai eis kenem …… fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that our labor might …
peirazala“did”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural2×
1 Corinthians 10:9… ekpeirazaneiō ton Christon, kathōs tinois autoiu peirazala, kai hupo toiu ofioiu apolole.… test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
Hebrews 3:9hou peirazala tois patrois vu en dokimasia kai …where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty …
peirazateiō“tempt”happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
1 Corinthians 7:5… epi tem autem aveiō, hina mē peirazateiō vin tos Satanos dia tan akrasian …… again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.
peiraziseia“tempted”happened · youaorist passive subjunctive 2nd person singular1×
Galatians 6:1… prautau, skoparōntos siauton, mē kai sis peiraziseia.… yourself, or you also may be tempted.
peiraziveia“tested”happened · yeaorist passive subjunctive 2nd person plural1×
Revelation 2:10“tested”… diabolos ek vu eis fulakan hina peiraziveia, kai echavi thlipsian hēmeraiu deka. genosōr …… Behold, 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 …
peirazavōr“examine”happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural1×
2 Corinthians 13:5Heautoin peirazavōr ei avō en ta pistia, heautoin …Examine yourselves to see whether you are …
peirazara“test”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Acts 5:9… pros autan; Tinem hoti sumfōnita vi peirazara tem pneumem kuriou? idou tois podois …“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter …
Revelation 3:10… mellarōntau erchorō epi tau oikoumenau holau, peirazara toin katoikarōntoin epi tau gēau.… come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
peirazira“tempted”happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive2×
Matthew 4:1… eis tan erēman hupo teu pneumeu, peirazira hupo tou diabolou.… Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
1 Corinthians 10:13… tos theos, hos ouk easati vin peirazira huper hem dunovō, alla poiati sun …… He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But …
peirazarōntos“test”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine4×
Matthew 4:3kai prosercharantos tos peirazarōntos legata auto; Ei huios asō tou …The tempter came to Him and said, “If …
Matthew 22:35“test”kai eperōtata henos ek autoiu nomikos peirazarōntos auton;One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a …
John 6:6houtem de legate peirazarōntos auton, autos gar oidatelē tinem mellate …But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He …
1 Thessalonians 3:5… vu, mē pōs peirazata vin tos peirazarōntos kai eis kenem geneteia tos kopos …… your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that …
peirazarōntois“test”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine7×
Matthew 16:1“test”Kai prosercharantois tois Farisaiois kai Saddoukaiois peirazarōntois eperōtala auton sēmem ek tou ouranou …Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 19:3“test”Kai proserchala auto Farisaiois peirazarōntois auton kai legarōntois; Ei exestinatō anthrōpo …Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce …
Mark 8:11“test”… para autou sēmem apo tou ouranou, peirazarōntois auton.… by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
Mark 10:2… auton ei exestinatō andro gunaikan apoluara, peirazarōntois auton.Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a …
Luke 11:16“test”heterois de peirazarōntois sēmem ek ouranou zētale para autou.And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
John 8:4legalō auto, peirazarōntois Didaskalor, houtas tas gunaikas katalabita epi …and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act …
John 8:6houtem de legale peirazarōntois auton, hina echaleiō katēgorarō autou. tos …They said this to test Him, in order to have a …
peirazorōntos“tempted”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine4×
Mark 1:13… ate en ta erēma tesserakonta hēmerain peirazorōntos hupo tou Satanou, kai ate meta …… was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the …
Luke 4:2hēmerain tesserakonta peirazorōntos hupo tou diabolou. kai ouk esthiata …where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing …
Hebrews 11:17Pistia prosferatē Abraam ton Isaak peirazorōntos, kai ton monogenon prosferate tos tain …By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar …
James 1:13mēdenos peirazorōntos legatōr hoti Apo theou peirazomō; tos …When tempted, no one should say, “God is …
peirazorōntoi“tempted”happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative plural masculine1×
Hebrews 2:18… gar paschatē autos peirazirantos, dunotō toi peirazorōntoi boēthara.… to help those who are being tempted.
peirazirantos“tempted”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Hebrews 2:18en he gar paschatē autos peirazirantos, dunotō toi peirazorōntoi boēthara.… He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those …
peirazorēnton“tempted”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine1×
Hebrews 4:15… mē dunorōnton sumpathara tai astheniai nu, peirazorēnton de kata panteim kata homoiotan chōris …… but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are …