verb
peribalomō
Strong’sG4016
I cast around, clothe
stem peribal-23 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books16 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
περιβάλλω means, at its most basic, to throw or put something around, and in the New Testament this appears above all in the sense of clothing — to put clothes on someone, or to wrap oneself in a garment 1234. It is used both of dressing another person and of a person putting clothing on themselves, and in the passive perfect it describes someone who is already wrapped or arrayed in something, such as a robe or garment 1. Strong's specifically notes the sense "clothe(-d me)" among its glosses 2, and LSJ confirms this "clothe" use is the one found in the New Testament 3.
A secondary, more literal sense is to throw something around a place so as to enclose or fortify it, as in surrounding a city with a siege-wall or palisade; this occurs in one Gospel passage, though it is a marginal reading rather than the main text 1. Strong's likewise gives "invest (with a palisade... or with clothing)" as the root idea behind both uses 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
περι-βάλλω,
[in LXX chiefly for כּסה pi., also for לבשׁ, עטה, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4016 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
future -βᾰλῶ: aorist περιέβᾰλον (see. below):— throw round, about, or over, put on or over, with accusative of things, φίλας περὶ χεῖρε βαλόντε Refs 8th c.BC+; π. τινὶ δεσμά, βρόχους, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τινὰ χαλκεύματι put him round the sword, i. e. stab him, Refs 4th c.BC+; also περὶ τὰ στέρνα θώρηκας π. Refs 5th c.BC+; περὶ ἕρμα π. ναῦν wreck it on.., Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, throw round or over oneself, put on, with accusative of things, περιβαλλόμενοι τεύχεα putting on their arms, Refs 8th c.BC+; εἷμα, φᾶρος περιβάλλεσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+; frequently of defences, τεῖχος καὶ σωτηρίην περιβαλέσθαι τοῖς τε χρήμασι καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν Refs 5th c.BC+; λιμένι τεῖχος, χάρακα τῇ παρεμβολῇ, Refs 2nd c.BC+; also περὶ τὴν Πελοπόννησον τεῖχος π. Refs 5th c.BC+ build a wall round it, Refs 5th c.BC+: in perfect passive, have a thing put round one, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ τεῖχος περιβεβλημένος having his wall around him, encompassed by it, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 metaphorically, put round or upon a person, i. e. invest him with it, π. τινὶ ἀγαθόν (i. e. βασιληΐην), τυραννίδα, Refs 5th c.BC+; τινὶ π. ἀνανδρίαν, i.e. make him faint-hearted, Refs; π. τὴν αἰτίαν τῷ ἰατρῷ impute blame to.., Refs C.:—passive, with accusative, to be involved in, μεγίστην ζημίαν τὸ ταμεῖον περιβληθήσεται Refs 3rd c.AD+
II reversely with dative of things, surround, encompass with.., περιβαλεῖν πλῆθος τῶν ἰχθύων (i.e. τῷ ἀμφιβλήστρῳ) Refs 5th c.BC+; [Βόσπορον] πέδαις π. Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τινὰ χερσί embrace, Refs:—middle, surround or enclose for one's advantage or defence, τὴν νῆσον π. τείχει Refs 5th c.BC+; π. θύννους net them, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.2 metaphorically, π. τινὰ κακῷ, συμφοραῖς, involve one in evil or calamity, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τινὰ φυγῇ, i.e. banish him, Refs 1st c.AD+ — passive, [συμφοραῖς] Refs 1st c.BC+
III with accusative only, encompass, surround, περιβάλλει με σκότος, νέφος, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἀλλήλους embrace each other, Refs 5th c.BC+; also, clothe, τινα NT; τὸ περιβεβλημένον the space enclosed, enclosure, Refs 5th c.BC+ —middle, ἤλαυνον περιβαλόμενοι [τὰ ὑποζύγια] surrounding them, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 fetch a compass round, double, ἵπποι περὶ τέρμα βαλοῦσαι Refs 8th c.BC+; especially of ships, round a cape, π. τὸν Ἄθων Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, of a hare, double, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.3 amplify, expand, λόγον Refs 2nd c.AD+
IV middle, bring into one's power, compass, ἰδίῃ π. ἑωυτῷ κέρδεα Refs 5th c.BC+; σωφροσύνης δόξαν π. Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect passive, to have come into possession of.., πόλιν Refs 5th c.BC+
IV.2 appropriate mentally, comprehend, περιβάλλεσθαι τῇ διανοίᾳ τὰς πράξεις Refs; πολλὰ περιβεβλῆσθαι πράγματα to have aimed at learning many things, Refs 4th c.BC+; logically, ξύμπαντα τὰ οἰκεῖα.. γένους τινὸς οὐσίᾳ π. embrace, Refs 5th c.BC+
IV.3 use circumlocution, κομψῶς κύκλῳ π. Refs
V throw beyond, beat in throwing: hence generally, excel, surpass, μνηστῆρας δώροισι Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἀρετῇ to be superior in.., Refs 8th c.BC+
VI π. τὸ λουτρόν take a bath, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| peribaletiπεριβαλεῖται | will happen · he/she/itfuture middle indicative 3rd person singular | clothed | 1× |
| peribalanaπεριεβάλομεν | happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural | clothe | 1× |
| peribalavaπεριεβάλετέ | happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural | clothe | 2× |
| peribalalaπεριέβαλον | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | clothed | 1× |
| peribaletaπεριεβάλετο | happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular | dressed | 2× |
| peribaleseiaπεριβάλῃ | happened · youaorist middle subjunctive 2nd person singular | clothe | 1× |
| peribaleteiaπεριβάληται | happened · he/she/itaorist middle subjunctive 3rd person singular | wear | 1× |
| peribaleneiaπεριβαλώμεθα | happened · weaorist middle subjunctive 1st person plural | wear | 1× |
| peribalesarΠεριβαλοῦ | happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular | wrap | 1× |
| peribalarantosπεριβαλὼν | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | dressing | 1× |
| peribalorēntosπεριβεβλημένος | has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | wearing | 2× |
| peribalorēntasπεριβεβλημένη | has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular feminine | dressed in | 2× |
| peribalorēntonπεριβεβλημένον | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine | dressed in | 2× |
| peribalorēntarπεριβεβλημένη | has happened · direct addressperfect middle or passive participle vocative singular feminine | clothed | 1× |
| peribalorēntoisπεριβεβλημένοι | has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine | clothed | 2× |
| peribalorēntoinπεριβεβλημένους | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine | dressed | 2× |
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, 7 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 | peribalamō | peribalame | peribalami | peribalama | peribalamē | peribalamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalasō | peribalase | peribalasi | peribalasa | peribalasē | peribalaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalatō | peribalate | peribalati | peribalata | peribalatē | peribalatelē |
| we 1st person plural | peribalanō | peribalane | peribalani | peribalana1×περιεβάλομεν | peribalanē | peribalanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalavō | peribalave | peribalavi | peribalava2×περιεβάλετέ | peribalavē | peribalavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalalō | peribalale | peribalali | peribalala1×περιέβαλον | peribalalē | peribalalelē |
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 | peribalomō | peribalome | peribalomē | peribalomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalosō | peribalose | peribalosē | peribaloselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalotō | peribalote | peribalotē | peribalotelē |
| we 1st person plural | peribalonō | peribalone | peribalonē | peribalonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalovō | peribalove | peribalovē | peribalovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalolō | peribalole | peribalolē | peribalolelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalemi | peribalema |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalesi | peribalesa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribaleti1×περιβαλεῖται | peribaleta2×περιεβάλετο |
| we 1st person plural | peribaleni | peribalena |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalevi | peribaleva |
| they 3rd person plural | peribaleli | peribalela |
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 | peribalameiō | peribalameia | peribalameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalaseiō | peribalaseia | peribalaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalateiō | peribalateia | peribalateiē |
| we 1st person plural | peribalaneiō | peribalaneia | peribalaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalaveiō | peribalaveia | peribalaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalaleiō | peribalaleia | peribalaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalomeiō | peribalomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | peribaloseiō | peribaloseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribaloteiō | peribaloteiē |
| we 1st person plural | peribaloneiō | peribaloneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribaloveiō | peribaloveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | peribaloleiō | peribaloleiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalemeia |
| you 2nd person singular | peribaleseia1×περιβάλῃ |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribaleteia1×περιβάληται |
| we 1st person plural | peribaleneia1×περιβαλώμεθα |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribaleveia |
| they 3rd person plural | peribaleleia |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peribalasōr | peribalasar | peribalasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalatōr | peribalatar | peribalatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalavōr | peribalavar | peribalavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalalōr | peribalalar | peribalalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peribalosōr | peribalosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalotōr | peribalotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalovōr | peribalovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalolōr | peribalolēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | peribalesar1×Περιβαλοῦ |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribaletar |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalevar |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalelar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalamoiō | peribalamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalasoiō | peribalasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalatoiō | peribalatoia |
| we 1st person plural | peribalanoiō | peribalanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalavoiō | peribalavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | peribalaloiō | peribalaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribalotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | peribalonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | peribaloloiō |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | peribalemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | peribalesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | peribaletoia |
| we 1st person plural | peribalenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | peribalevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | peribaleloia |
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 | peribalarō | peribalari | peribalara | peribalarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | peribalorō | peribalorē | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | peribaleri | peribalera |
Used as an adjective — participle, 12 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | peribalarōntos | peribalarintos | peribalarantos1×περιβαλὼν | peribalarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | peribalorōntos | peribalorēntos11×περιβεβλημένος | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | peribalerintos | peribalerantos |
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
peribal 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
peribaleti“clothed”will happen · he/she/itfuture middle indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 3:5“clothed”tos nikarōntos houtōs peribaleti en himatiei leukei, kai ouk mē …Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will …
peribalana“clothe”happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural1×
Matthew 25:38… xenon kai sunagana, ē gumnon kai peribalana?… take You in, or naked and clothe You?
peribalava“clothe”happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural2×
Matthew 25:36gumnos kai peribalava min, asthenama kai episkepteva min, en …I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you …
Matthew 25:43… ouk sunagava min, gumnos kai ouk peribalava min, asthenos kai en fulaka kai …… was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in …
peribalala“clothed”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
John 19:2“clothed”… autou ta kefala, kai himatiem porfurouem peribalala auton,… it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.
peribaleta“dressed”happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 6:29“dressed”… Solomōnos en panta ta doxa autou peribaleta hōs henem houteiu.… not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
Luke 12:27“dressed”… Solomōnos en panta ta doxa autou peribaleta hōs henem houteiu.… not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
peribaleseia“clothe”happened · youaorist middle subjunctive 2nd person singular1×
Revelation 3:18“clothe”… hina ploutaseia, kai himatieim leukeim hina peribaleseia kai mē faneriteia tas aischunas tau …… by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to …
peribaleteia“wear”happened · he/she/itaorist middle subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 19:8“wear”kai dōita auta hina peribaleteia bussinem lamprem katharem, tem gar bussinem …… clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears …
peribaleneia“wear”happened · weaorist middle subjunctive 1st person plural1×
Matthew 6:31… esthianeia? ē; Tinem pinaneia? ē; Tinem peribaleneia?… we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
peribalesar“wrap”happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular1×
Acts 12:8… poiata de houtōs. kai legatō auto; Peribalesar tem himatiem su kai akolouthasōr mi.… so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow …
peribalarantos“dressing”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Luke 23:11… sun tei strateumei autou kai empaizarantos peribalarantos esthan lampran anapempata auton to Pilato.… his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they …
peribalorēntos“wearing”has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine2×
Mark 14:51Kai neaniskos tinos sunakolouthate auto peribalorēntos sindonan epi gumneu, kai kratalō auton,… who had been following Jesus was wearing a linen cloth around his body …
Revelation 19:13“clothed”kai peribalorēntos himatiem baptorēntem haime, kai kalotē tem …… in a robe dipped in blood, and His name …
peribalorēntas“dressed in”has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular feminine2×
Revelation 12:1“clothed with”… megem horita en to ourano, gunaikas peribalorēntas ton hēlion, kai tas selēnas hupokatō …And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet …
Revelation 17:4kai tas gunaikas ate peribalorēntas porfurouem kai kokkinem, kai chrusorēntas chrusie …The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with …
peribalorēnton“dressed in”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine2×
Mark 16:5… horala neaniskon kathorōnton en tei dexei peribalorēnton stolan leukan, kai ekthambila.… tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the …
Revelation 10:1… angelon ischuron katabainarōnton ek tou ouranou, peribalorēnton nefelan, kai tas irias epi tan …… mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above …
peribalorēntar“clothed”has happened · direct addressperfect middle or passive participle vocative singular feminine1×
Revelation 18:16… ouai, tas polar tas megar, tas peribalorēntar bussinem kai porfurouem kai kokkinem kai …… Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and …
peribalorēntois“clothed”has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine2×
Revelation 7:13“clothed”… toiu presbuteroiu legarōntos mi; Houtois tois peribalorēntois tain stolain tain leukain tinois alō …… one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes,” he asked, “who are they, and …
Revelation 11:3… kai profēteuali hēmerain chilioi diakosioi hexēkonta, peribalorēntois sakkoin.… and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
peribalorēntoin“dressed”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine2×
Revelation 4:4… toin thronoin eikosi tessares presbuteroin kathorōntoin peribalorēntoin en himatiei leukei, kai epi tain …… on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on …
Revelation 7:9“clothed”… tou thronou kai enōpion teu arnieu, peribalorēntoin stolain leukain, kai foinikois en tai …… standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.