verb

psēlafamō

Greekψηλαφάω (psēlafaō)

Strong’sG5584

I feel, touch, handle, grope for

stem psēlaf-4 times in the New Testamentin 4 of 27 books4 forms occur

Translated as

touched2×reach out1×touch1×

What it means

ψηλαφάω, -ῶ

(< ψάω, to touch), [in LXX for מוּשׁ, משׁשׁ pi., etc.;]

1. to feel or grope about; c. acc, to feel about for, search after: metaph., of seeking God, Ac 17:27.

2. to feel, touch, handle: c. acc. pers., Lk 24:39, I Jo 1:1; προσεληλύθατε ψηλαφωμένῳ (ὄρει ?), He 12:18 (R, txt., a mount that might be touched; mg., a palpable and kindled fire; v. Westc., in l.).†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G5584 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidpsay-laf-ah'-o

to manipulate, i.e. verify by contact; figuratively, to search for

Fromfrom the base of G5567 (compare G5586);

King Jamesfeel after, handle, touch.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Forms in the New Testament

Form and the Greek behind it	What it is	Usually	Times
psēlafalaἐψηλάφησαν	happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural	touched	1×
psēlafavarψηλαφήσατέ	happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural	touch	1×
psēlafaloiaψηλαφήσειαν	happened · theyaorist active optative 3rd person plural	reach out	1×
psēlafirōteψηλαφωμένῳ	happening now · to, forpresent passive participle dative singular neuter	touched	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, 1 occurrence

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	psēlafamō	psēlafame	psēlafami	psēlafama	psēlafamē	psēlafamelē
you 2nd person singular	psēlafasō	psēlafase	psēlafasi	psēlafasa	psēlafasē	psēlafaselē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafatō	psēlafate	psēlafati	psēlafata	psēlafatē	psēlafatelē
we 1st person plural	psēlafanō	psēlafane	psēlafani	psēlafana	psēlafanē	psēlafanelē
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafavō	psēlafave	psēlafavi	psēlafava	psēlafavē	psēlafavelē
they 3rd person plural	psēlafalō	psēlafale	psēlafali	psēlafala1×ἐψηλάφησαν	psēlafalē	psēlafalelē

acted on passive voice

Who person	happening now present	was happening imperfect	will happen future	happened aorist	has happened perfect	had happened pluperfect
I 1st person singular	psēlafimō	psēlafime	psēlafimi	psēlafima	psēlafimē	psēlafimelē
you 2nd person singular	psēlafisō	psēlafise	psēlafisi	psēlafisa	psēlafisē	psēlafiselē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafitō	psēlafite	psēlafiti	psēlafita	psēlafitē	psēlafitelē
we 1st person plural	psēlafinō	psēlafine	psēlafini	psēlafina	psēlafinē	psēlafinelē
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafivō	psēlafive	psēlafivi	psēlafiva	psēlafivē	psēlafivelē
they 3rd person plural	psēlafilō	psēlafile	psēlafili	psēlafila	psēlafilē	psēlafilelē

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	psēlafameiō	psēlafameia	psēlafameiē
you 2nd person singular	psēlafaseiō	psēlafaseia	psēlafaseiē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafateiō	psēlafateia	psēlafateiē
we 1st person plural	psēlafaneiō	psēlafaneia	psēlafaneiē
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafaveiō	psēlafaveia	psēlafaveiē
they 3rd person plural	psēlafaleiō	psēlafaleia	psēlafaleiē

acted on passive voice

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist	has happened perfect
I 1st person singular	psēlafimeiō	psēlafimeia	psēlafimeiē
you 2nd person singular	psēlafiseiō	psēlafiseia	psēlafiseiē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafiteiō	psēlafiteia	psēlafiteiē
we 1st person plural	psēlafineiō	psēlafineia	psēlafineiē
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafiveiō	psēlafiveia	psēlafiveiē
they 3rd person plural	psēlafileiō	psēlafileia	psēlafileiē

Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence

the subject acts active voice

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist	has happened perfect
you 2nd person singular	psēlafasōr	psēlafasar	psēlafasēr
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafatōr	psēlafatar	psēlafatēr
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafavōr	psēlafavar1×ψηλαφήσατέ	psēlafavēr
they 3rd person plural	psēlafalōr	psēlafalar	psēlafalēr

acted on passive voice

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist	has happened perfect
you 2nd person singular	psēlafisōr	psēlafisar	psēlafisēr
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafitōr	psēlafitar	psēlafitēr
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafivōr	psēlafivar	psēlafivēr
they 3rd person plural	psēlafilōr	psēlafilar	psēlafilēr

Wishes — optative mood, 1 occurrence

the subject acts active voice

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist
I 1st person singular	psēlafamoiō	psēlafamoia
you 2nd person singular	psēlafasoiō	psēlafasoia
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafatoiō	psēlafatoia
we 1st person plural	psēlafanoiō	psēlafanoia
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafavoiō	psēlafavoia
they 3rd person plural	psēlafaloiō	psēlafaloia1×ψηλαφήσειαν

acted on passive voice

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist
I 1st person singular	psēlafimoiō	psēlafimoia
you 2nd person singular	psēlafisoiō	psēlafisoia
he/she/it 3rd person singular	psēlafitoiō	psēlafitoia
we 1st person plural	psēlafinoiō	psēlafinoia
ye 2nd person plural	psēlafivoiō	psēlafivoia
they 3rd person plural	psēlafiloiō	psēlafiloia

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	psēlafarō	psēlafari	psēlafara	psēlafarē
acted on passive voice	psēlafirō	psēlafiri	psēlafira	psēlafirē

Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence

Who is acting voice	happening now present	will happen future	happened aorist	has happened perfect
the subject acts active voice	psēlafarōtos	psēlafaritos	psēlafaratos	psēlafarētos
acted on passive voice	psēlafirōtos1×	psēlafiritos	psēlafiratos	psēlafirētos

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

psēlafstem+aeiwho is acting voice+mstnvl—who person+—eiroistatement, command, wish mood+ōeiaēelēwhen tense+—tthen it declines+—ogender+—sits job in the sentence case

psēlaf 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

4 occurrences, every one of them listed

psēlafala“touched”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×

1 John 1:1“touched”Hem ate apo archau, hem akouanē, hem horanē toi ofthalmoi nu, hem theasena kai tais cheirais nu psēlafala, peri tou logou tau zōauThat which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands — this is the Word of life.

psēlafavar“touch”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural1×

Luke 24:39“touch”horavar tain cheirain mu kai toin podoin mu hoti mis amō autos; psēlafavar min kai horavar, hoti pneumem sarxan kai osteim ouk echatō kathōs min theōravō echarōton.Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see — for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

psēlafaloia“reach out”happened · theyaorist active optative 3rd person plural1×

Acts 17:27“reach out”zētarō ton theon ei ara ge psēlafaloia auton kai heuriskaloia, kai ge ouk makran apo henou hekastou nu huparcharōton.God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

psēlafirōte“touched”happening now · to, forpresent passive participle dative singular neuter1×

Hebrews 12:18“touched”Ouk gar proserchavē psēlafirōte kai kaiirēte pure kai gnofo kai zofo kai thuellaFor you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;