verb
pōlamō
Strong’sG4453
I sell
stem pōl-22 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books15 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
πωλέω means to sell or offer something for sale 1234. It covers the ordinary commercial sense of selling goods, property, or possessions — sellers in a market or temple, someone selling a field, a house, or belongings, and produce or goods sold for a price 1. Strong's derives the notion from acting as a trader or pedlar, and includes bartering under the same basic idea of selling 2. Abbott-Smith likewise notes an underlying sense of exchanging or bartering alongside outright selling 1. In wider Greek usage the word can also cover the general business of trading or dealing, and asking what price something commands 3.
In classical Greek the same verb was also used more specifically for leasing out or farming out public taxes and offices, and, in a negative extension, for giving something up or betraying it, as one might "sell" a cause or a person 3.
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
πωλέω, -ῶ,
[in LXX chiefly for מכר;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4453 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpo-leh'-o
to barter (as a pedlar), i.e. to sell
Fromprobably ultimately from πέλομαι (to be busy, to trade);
King Jamessell, whatever is sold.
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
Ionic dialectimperfect πωλέεσκε Refs 5th c.BC+: future -ήσωRefs 5th c.BC+; Doric dialect 3rd.pers. plural πωλησεῦντι Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist ἐπώλησα Refs 1st c.AD+:—passive, future in middle form πωλήσεται Refs 4th c.BC+ future πεπωλήσεται Refs 4th c.BC+: aorist ἐπωλήθην Refs 5th c.BC+:—sell or offer for sale, opposed to ὠνεῖσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to ἀποδίδοσθαι (of the actual sale), Refs 5th c.BC+; μετ᾽ ἀβακίου καὶ τραπεζίου π. ἑαυτόν sell oneself across the counter, Refs 5th c.BC+ sold at a high price for exportation to Sardis, Refs 5th c.BC+; πωλέω οὐδενὸς χρήματος refuse to sell it at any price, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ σφῶν αὐτῶν μικροῦ λήμματος π. Refs 4th c.BC+; ἔρωμαι ὁπόσου πωλε; ask what he wants for it, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὴν Ἀσίην πωλῶ πρὸς μύραRefs; π. τινί τι Refs 5th c.BC+; τι πρός τινας Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, carry on business, trade, ἐν τῇ πόλει Refs 2nd c.AD+; π. πρός τινα deal with one, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. πάλιν retail, Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, to be sold or offered for sale, εἰν ἀγορῇ πωλεύμενα Refs 8th c.BC+; of a person, to be sold up, Refs 3rd c.AD+
2 π. τέλη let out the taxes, Refs 4th c.BC+
2.b sell or farm out offices, priesthoods, etc., [τὰς ἀρχάς] Refs 4th c.BC+
3 sell, i.e. give up, betray, τὰς γραφάς Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, of persons, to be bought and sold, betrayed, Refs 5th c.BC+
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| pōlatōπωλεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | sells | 1× |
| pōlotōπωλεῖται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | sold | 1× |
| pōlolōπωλοῦνται | happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | sold | 1× |
| pōlaleἐπώλουν | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | selling | 1× |
| pōlataἐπώλησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | sold | 1× |
| pōlasarπώλησον | happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular | sell | 3× |
| pōlatarπωλησάτω | happened · he/she/itaorist active imperative 3rd person singular | sell | 1× |
| pōlavarπωλήσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | sell | 1× |
| pōlaraπωλῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | sell | 1× |
| pōlarōntoisπωλοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | sold | 1× |
| pōlarōntoinπωλοῦντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | selling | 5× |
| pōlarōntoiuπωλούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | selling | 2× |
| pōlarōntoiπωλοῦσιν | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine | selling | 1× |
| pōlorōntemπωλούμενον | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter | sold | 1× |
| pōlarantosπωλήσας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | sold | 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 140, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 5 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 | pōlamō | pōlame | pōlami | pōlama | pōlamē | pōlamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | pōlasō | pōlase | pōlasi | pōlasa | pōlasē | pōlaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlatō1×πωλεῖ | pōlate | pōlati | pōlata1×ἐπώλησεν | pōlatē | pōlatelē |
| we 1st person plural | pōlanō | pōlane | pōlani | pōlana | pōlanē | pōlanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlavō | pōlave | pōlavi | pōlava | pōlavē | pōlavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlalō | pōlale1×ἐπώλουν | pōlali | pōlala | pōlalē | pōlalelē |
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 | pōlomō | pōlome | pōlomē | pōlomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | pōlosō | pōlose | pōlosē | pōloselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlotō1×πωλεῖται | pōlote | pōlotē | pōlotelē |
| we 1st person plural | pōlonō | pōlone | pōlonē | pōlonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlovō | pōlove | pōlovē | pōlovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlolō1×πωλοῦνται | pōlole | pōlolē | pōlolelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | pōlameiō | pōlameia | pōlameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | pōlaseiō | pōlaseia | pōlaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlateiō | pōlateia | pōlateiē |
| we 1st person plural | pōlaneiō | pōlaneia | pōlaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlaveiō | pōlaveia | pōlaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlaleiō | pōlaleia | pōlaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | pōlomeiō | pōlomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | pōloseiō | pōloseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōloteiō | pōloteiē |
| we 1st person plural | pōloneiō | pōloneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōloveiō | pōloveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | pōloleiō | pōloleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 5 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | pōlasōr | pōlasar3×πώλησον | pōlasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlatōr | pōlatar1×πωλησάτω | pōlatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlavōr | pōlavar1×πωλήσατε | pōlavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlalōr | pōlalar | pōlalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | pōlosōr | pōlosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlotōr | pōlotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlovōr | pōlovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlolōr | pōlolēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | pōlamoiō | pōlamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | pōlasoiō | pōlasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlatoiō | pōlatoia |
| we 1st person plural | pōlanoiō | pōlanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlavoiō | pōlavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | pōlaloiō | pōlaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | pōlomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | pōlosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | pōlotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | pōlonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | pōlovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | pōloloiō |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | pōlarō | pōlari | pōlara1×πωλῆσαι | pōlarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | pōlorō | pōlorē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 11 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | pōlarōntos9× | pōlarintos | pōlarantos1×πωλήσας | pōlarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | pōlorōntos1× | pōlorēntos |
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
pōl 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
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
22 occurrences, every one of them listed
pōlatō“sells”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 13:44“sells”… apo tau charau autou hupagatō kai pōlatō panteim hoseim echatō kai agorazatō ton …… again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that …
pōlotō“sold”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 10:29ouchi duo strouthieim assarieu pōlotō? kai henem ek auteiu ouk pipteti …Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one …
pōlolō“sold”happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 12:6ouchi pente strouthieim pōlolō assarieiu duo? kai henem ek auteiu …Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one …
pōlale“selling”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 17:28… tai hēmerai Lōt; esthiale, pinale, agorazale, pōlale, futeuale, oikodomale;… were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
pōlata“sold”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 5:1… onome sun Sapfira ta gunaika autou pōlata ktēmem… together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
pōlasar“sell”happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular3×
Matthew 19:21… Iēsus; Ei thelasō teleios arō, hupagasōr pōlasar su teim huparcharōnteim kai dōasar ptōchoi, …… you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the …
Mark 10:21… Henem sin husteratō; hupagasōr hoseim echasō pōlasar kai dōasar toi ptōchoi, kai echasi …… is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to …
Luke 18:22… henem si leipatō; panteim hoseim echasō pōlasar kai diadōasar ptōchoi, kai echasi thēsauron …… him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to …
pōlatar“sell”happened · he/she/itaorist active imperative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 22:36… kai pēran, kai tos mē echarōntos pōlatar tem himatiem autou kai agorazatar machairan.… the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.
pōlavar“sell”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural1×
Luke 12:33pōlavar teim huparcharōnteim vu kai dōavar eleēmosunan; …Sell your possessions and give to the …
pōlara“sell”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Revelation 13:17… hina mē tinos dunoteiō agorazara ē pōlara ei mē tos echarōntos tem charagmem, …… that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark — the …
pōlarōntois“sold”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Acts 4:34“sold”… gar ktētōrois chōrieiu ē oikiaiu huparchale, pōlarōntois ferale tain timain teiu pipraskorōnteiuThere were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,
pōlarōntoin“selling”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine5×
Matthew 21:12… tem hierem, kai ekbalata pantoin toin pōlarōntoin kai agorazarōntoin en te hiere kai …… out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of …
Matthew 25:9… kai vi; poreuovōr mallon pros toin pōlarōntoin kai agorazavar heautai.… you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
Mark 11:15… eis tem hierem archeta ekbalarō toin pōlarōntoin kai toin agorazarōntoin en te hiere, …… out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of …
Luke 19:45… eis tem hierem archeta ekbalarō toin pōlarōntoin,… to drive out those who were selling there.
John 2:14kai heuriskata en te hiere toin pōlarōntoin bouoin kai probateim kai peristerain kai …… the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money …
pōlarōntoiu“selling”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine2×
Matthew 21:12… kollubistoiu katastrefata kai tain kathedrain toiu pōlarōntoiu tain peristerain,… changers and the seats of those selling doves.
Mark 11:15… toiu kollubistoiu kai tain kathedrain toiu pōlarōntoiu tain peristerain katastrefata… changers and the seats of those selling doves.
pōlarōntoi“selling”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine1×
John 2:16kai toi tain peristerain pōlarōntoi legata; Airavar houteim enteuthen, mē poiavōr …To those selling doves He said, “Get these out …
pōlorōntem“sold”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter1×
1 Corinthians 10:25pantem tem en makelle pōlorōntem esthiavōr mēdenem anakrinarōntois dia tan suneidēsian,Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising …
pōlarantos“sold”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Acts 4:37huparcharōntou auto agrou pōlarantos ferata tem chrēmem kai tithata para …sold a field he owned, brought the …