verb
speramō
Strong’sG4687
I sow, spread, scatter
stem sper-52 times in the New Testamentin 8 of 27 books22 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
Sow — the basic sense is to sow or scatter seed: used both without an object (simply "to sow") and with an object naming what is sown, describing a sower planting seed in a field or ground 124. Strong's notes that the underlying idea is one of scattering, seed being cast or spread out 2.
The word is also used figuratively, for sowing that is not literal seed but is spiritual or moral: it appears in sayings about reaping what one sows, and in describing the sowing of things like righteousness, spiritual blessings, or the body that is later "raised" in a transformed state 1. It also occurs in proverbial or illustrative statements built on the imagery of sowing and reaping 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
* σπείρω
[in LXX chiefly for זרע;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4687 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidspi'-ro
to scatter, i.e. sow (literally or figuratively)
Fromprobably strengthened from G4685 (through the idea of extending);
King Jamessow(- er), receive seed.
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
Aeolic dialect σπέρρωRefs: Ionic dialect imperfect σπείρεσκον Refs 5th c.BC+: future σπερῶ Refs 5th c.BC+; Aeolic dialect σπέρσω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἔσπειρα Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἔσπαρκα Refs 2nd c.AD+:—middle, aorist infinitive σπείρασθαι Refs 3rd c.BC+; aorist 2 σπαρέσθαι uncertain reading in Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, future σπᾰρήσομαι LXX+1st c.BC+aorist ἐσπάρην [ᾰ] Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἔσπαρμαι Refs 5th c.BC+:— sow,
I sow seed, with accusative, [κέγχρους] Refs 8th c.BC+; of Cadmus, σ. γηγενῆ στάχυν Refs (so in middle, σπείρασθαι ὀδόντας Refs 3rd c.BC+: absolutely, sow, Refs 8th c.BC+; opposed to θερίζω, Refs 5th c.BC+; καρπὸν ὧν ἔσπειρε θερίζειν Refs 5th c.BC+; σ. κατὰ πετρῶν, i.e. εἰς πέλαγος Refs 2nd c.AD+
I.2 engender, beget offspring Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ σπείραντες the parents, Refs; ἄθυτα παλλακῶν σπέρματα σ. Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, spring or be born, ὅθενπερ αὐτὸς ἐσπάρη Refs 5th c.BC+; πρὸ τοῦ Ζήνωνα.. σπαρῆναι before Z. was begotten, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.3 scatter like seed, strew, χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον Refs 5th c.BC+; of liquids, scatter or sprinkle, ἐκ τευχέων σ. δρόσον Refs 5th c.BC+; spread abroad, extend, σ. ἀγλαΐαν νάς ῳ Refs 5th c.BC+; spread rumour, σ. ματαίαν βάξιν Refs 5th c.BC+; μὴ σπεῖρε πολλοῖς τὸν παρόντα δαίμονα do not speak of it indiscriminately, Refs:—passive, to be scattered or dispersed, ἐσπαρμένος κατὰ.. πόλιν, of the ashes of Solon scattered over Salamis, Refs 5th c.BC+; of persons, ἐσπάρησαν καθ᾽ Ἑλλάδα Refs 5th c.BC+; κατὰ χώρανRefs 5th c.BC+
II sow a field, νειόν Refs 8th c.BC+; γῆν, τέμενος, πεδιάδα, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ σπειρομένη Αἴγυπτος the arable part of Egypt, Refs 5th c.BC+, of lost labour, Refs 6th c.BC+
II.2 of procreation, ματρὸς.. σ. ἄρουραν Refs 5th c.BC+; ἣν ἔσπειρε, i.e. his wife, Refs 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| sperasōσπείρεις | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | sow | 3× |
| speratōσπείρει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | sows | 1× |
| speralōσπείρουσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | sow | 2× |
| sperotōσπείρεται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | sown | 6× |
| speramaἔσπειρα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | sow | 2× |
| sperasaἔσπειρας | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | sow | 3× |
| sperataἔσπειρεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | sowed | 1× |
| speranaἐσπείραμεν | happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural | sown | 1× |
| sperateiōσπείρῃ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular | sows | 1× |
| speriteiaσπαρῇ | happened · he/she/itaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person singular | sown | 2× |
| sperarōσπείρειν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | sowed | 4× |
| speraraσπεῖραι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | sow | 2× |
| sperarōntosσπείρων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | sows | 11× |
| sperarōntoσπείροντι | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine | sower | 1× |
| sperorōntoisσπειρόμενοι | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine | sown | 2× |
| sperarantosσπείρας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | sowed | 1× |
| sperarantouσπείραντος | happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine | sower | 1× |
| sperarantoσπείραντι | happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine | sowed | 1× |
| sperirantosσπαρείς | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine | sown | 4× |
| sperirantoisσπαρέντες | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative plural masculine | sown | 1× |
| sperorēntonἐσπαρμένον | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine | sown | 1× |
| sperorēntemἐσπαρμένον | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle direct singular neuter | sown | 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, 19 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 | speramō | sperame | sperami | sperama2×ἔσπειρα | speramē | speramelē |
| you 2nd person singular | sperasō3×σπείρεις | sperase | sperasi | sperasa3×ἔσπειρας | sperasē | speraselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speratō1×σπείρει | sperate | sperati | sperata1×ἔσπειρεν | speratē | speratelē |
| we 1st person plural | speranō | sperane | sperani | sperana1×ἐσπείραμεν | speranē | speranelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | speravō | sperave | speravi | sperava | speravē | speravelē |
| they 3rd person plural | speralō2×σπείρουσιν | sperale | sperali | sperala | speralē | speralelē |
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 | speromō | sperome | speromē | speromelē |
| you 2nd person singular | sperosō | sperose | sperosē | speroselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sperotō6×σπείρεται | sperote | sperotē | sperotelē |
| we 1st person plural | speronō | sperone | speronē | speronelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperovō | sperove | sperovē | sperovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | sperolō | sperole | sperolē | sperolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sperimi | sperima |
| you 2nd person singular | sperisi | sperisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speriti | sperita |
| we 1st person plural | sperini | sperina |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperivi | speriva |
| they 3rd person plural | sperili | sperila |
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 | sperameiō | sperameia | sperameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | speraseiō | speraseia | speraseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sperateiō1×σπείρῃ | sperateia | sperateiē |
| we 1st person plural | speraneiō | speraneia | speraneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | speraveiō | speraveia | speraveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | speraleiō | speraleia | speraleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | speromeiō | speromeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | speroseiō | speroseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speroteiō | speroteiē |
| we 1st person plural | speroneiō | speroneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | speroveiō | speroveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | speroleiō | speroleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sperimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | speriseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speriteia2×σπαρῇ |
| we 1st person plural | sperineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | speriveia |
| they 3rd person plural | sperileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | sperasōr | sperasar | sperasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speratōr | speratar | speratēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | speravōr | speravar | speravēr |
| they 3rd person plural | speralōr | speralar | speralēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | sperosōr | sperosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sperotōr | sperotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperovōr | sperovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | sperolōr | sperolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | sperisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speritar |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperivar |
| they 3rd person plural | sperilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | speramoiō | speramoia |
| you 2nd person singular | sperasoiō | sperasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speratoiō | speratoia |
| we 1st person plural | speranoiō | speranoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | speravoiō | speravoia |
| they 3rd person plural | speraloiō | speraloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | speromoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | sperosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | sperotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | speronoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | speroloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | sperimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | sperisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | speritoia |
| we 1st person plural | sperinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | sperivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | speriloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 6 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | sperarō4×σπείρειν | sperari | sperara2×σπεῖραι | sperarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | sperorō | sperorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | speriri | sperira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 24 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | sperarōntos12×σπείρων | sperarintos | sperarantos3×σπείρας | sperarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | sperorōntos2× | sperorēntos2× | ||
| acted on passive voice | speririntos | sperirantos5×σπαρείς |
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
sper 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.
52 occurrences, every one of them listed
sperasō“sow”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular3×
1 Corinthians 15:36afronor, sis hem sperasō, ouk zōopoiotō ean mē apothnēskateia;You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless …
1 Corinthians 15:37kai hem sperasō, ouk tem sōmem tem generintem sperasō …And what you sow is not the body that will …
1 Corinthians 15:37“sow”… sperasō, ouk tem sōmem tem generintem sperasō alla gumnon kokkon ei tuchatoia sitou …… what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something …
speratō“sows”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Mark 4:14tos sperarōntos ton logon speratō.The farmer sows the word.
speralō“sow”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural2×
Matthew 6:26… teim peteineim tou ouranou hoti ouk speralō oude therizalō oude sunagalō eis apothēkain, …… of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns …
Luke 12:24katanoavar toin korakoin hoti ouk speralō oude therizalō, hoi ouk atō tameiem …Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse …
sperotō“sown”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular6×
Mark 4:15… alō tois para tan hodan hopou sperotō tos logos, kai hotan akoualeia euthuos …… the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it …
1 Corinthians 15:42Houtōs kai tas anastasias toiu nekroiu. sperotō en fthora, egerotō en aftharsia;… resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable.
1 Corinthians 15:43sperotō en atimia, egerotō en doxa; sperotō …It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in …
1 Corinthians 15:43sperotō en atimia, egerotō en doxa; sperotō en asthenia, egerotō en dunamia;… is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in …
1 Corinthians 15:44sperotō sōmem psuchikem, egerotō sōmem pneumatikem. Ei …It is sown a natural body; it is raised …
James 3:18“sown”karpos de dikaiosunau en eirēna sperotō toi poiarōntoi eirēnan.… who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
sperama“sow”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular2×
Matthew 25:26… oknēror, oidaselē hoti therizamō hopou ouk sperama kai sunagamō hothen ouk diaskorpizama?… I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not …
Luke 19:22… ouk tithama kai therizarōntos hem ouk sperama?… and reaping what I did not sow?
sperasa“sow”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular3×
Matthew 13:27… legala auto; Kurior, ouchi kalem spermem sperasa en to so agro? pothen oun …… him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where …
Matthew 25:24“sow”… sklēros asō anthrōpos, therizarōntos hopou ouk sperasa kai sunagarōntos hothen ouk diaskorpizasa;… are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
Luke 19:21… ouk tithasa kai therizasō hem ouk sperasa.… and reap what you did not sow.’
sperata“sowed”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 13:31“sowed”… ouranoiu kokko sinapieu, hon labarantos anthrōpos sperata en to agro autou;… kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.
sperana“sown”happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural1×
1 Corinthians 9:11ei nis vi teim pneumatikeim sperana, megem ei nis vu teim sarkikeim …If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it …
sperateiō“sows”happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Galatians 6:7… theos ouk muktērizotō; hem gar ean sperateiō anthrōpos, houtem kai therizati;… to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
speriteia“sown”happened · he/she/itaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person singular2×
Mark 4:31hōs kokko sinapieu, hos hotan speriteia epi tau gēau, mikroterem arōntem panteiu …… is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.
Mark 4:32“sown”kai hotan speriteia, anabainatō kai genotō megoterem panteiu teiu …… to be the largest of all garden plants …
sperarō“sowed”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive4×
Matthew 13:3… legarōntos; Idou exerchata tos sperarōntos teu sperarō.… saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Matthew 13:4“sowed”kai en te sperarō auton heim men piptata para tan …And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and …
Mark 4:4“sowed”kai geneta en te sperarō hem men piptata para tan hodan, …And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the …
Luke 8:5“sowed”… ton sporon autou. kai en te sperarō auton hem men piptata para tan …… to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured …
sperara“sow”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Mark 4:3Akouavōr. idou exerchata tos sperarōntos sperara.“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Luke 8:5Exerchata tos sperarōntos teu sperara ton sporon autou. kai en te …“A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was …
sperarōntos“sows”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine11×
Matthew 13:3“sower”… en parabolai legarōntos; Idou exerchata tos sperarōntos teu sperarō.… many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Matthew 13:37tos de apokrinirantos legata; Tos sperarōntos tem kalem spermem atō tos huios …He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son …
Mark 4:3“sower”Akouavōr. idou exerchata tos sperarōntos sperara.“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Mark 4:14“sower”tos sperarōntos ton logon speratō.The farmer sows the word.
Luke 8:5“sower”Exerchata tos sperarōntos teu sperara ton sporon autou. kai …“A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of …
John 4:36… karpon eis zōan aiōnian, hina tos sperarōntos homou chairateiō kai tos therizarōntos.… for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.
John 4:37… atō alēthinos hoti Allosos atō tos sperarōntos kai allosos tos therizarōntos;… in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.
2 Corinthians 9:6Houtem de, tos sperarōntos feidomenōs feidomenōs kai therizati, kai tos …Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and …
2 Corinthians 9:6… feidomenōs feidomenōs kai therizati, kai tos sperarōntos epi eulogiai epi eulogiai kai therizati.… will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Galatians 6:8hoti tos sperarōntos eis tan sarkan heautou ek tau …The one who sows to please his flesh, from the …
Galatians 6:8… tau sarkau therizati fthoran, tos de sperarōntos eis tem pneumem ek teu pneumeu …… reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the …
sperarōnto“sower”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine1×
2 Corinthians 9:10tos de epichorēgarōntos sporon to sperarōnto kai arton eis brōsian chorēgati kai …… He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply …
sperorōntois“sown”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine2×
Mark 4:16… alō homoiōs tois epi teim petrōdeeim sperorōntois, hois hotan akoualeia ton logon euthuos …Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the …
Mark 4:18… allosois alō tois eis tain akanthain sperorōntois; houtois alō tois ton logon akouarantois,Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the …
sperarantos“sowed”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Matthew 13:39“sowed”tos de echthros tos sperarantos auteim atō tos diabolos; tos de …and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters …
sperarantou“sower”happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Matthew 13:18Vis oun akouavar tan parabolan tou sperarantou.Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
speraranto“sowed”happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine1×
Matthew 13:24… Homoiita tas basileias toiu ouranoiu anthrōpo speraranto kalem spermem en to agro autou.… heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
sperirantos“sown”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular masculine4×
Matthew 13:19… houtos atō tos para tan hodan sperirantos.… his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
Matthew 13:20tos de epi teim petrōdeeim sperirantos, houtos atō tos ton logon akouarōntos …The seed sown on rocky ground is the one …
Matthew 13:22tos de eis tain akanthain sperirantos, houtos atō tos ton logon akouarōntos, …The seed sown among the thorns is the one …
Matthew 13:23tos de epi tan kalan gēan sperirantos, houtos atō tos ton logon akouarōntos …But the seed sown on good soil is the one …
sperirantois“sown”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative plural masculine1×
Mark 4:20… tois epi tan gēan tan kalan sperirantois, hotinois akoualō ton logon kai paradecholō …Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the …
sperorēnton“sown”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine1×
Mark 4:15… Satanos kai airatō ton logon ton sperorēnton eis autoin.… takes away the word that was sown in them.
sperorēntem“sown”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle direct singular neuter1×
Matthew 13:19… erchotō tos ponēros kai harpazatō tem sperorēntem en ta kardia autou; houtos atō …… comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the …