ἐπειρῶντο
peiráō
went about
To make an attempt; to try or test by experiment, inquiry, or effort. In various contexts, it may refer to making an attempt to do something, putting something or someone to the test in order to ascertain quality, character, or truth, or subjecting to examination or trial. In some cases, it conveys the sense of attempting to do something or proving by trial.
Acts 26:21 · Word #9
Lexicon G3987
| Lemma | πειράω |
| Transliteration | peiráō |
| Strong's | G3987 |
| Definition | To make an attempt; to try or test by experiment, inquiry, or effort. In various contexts, it may refer to making an attempt to do something, putting something or someone to the test in order to ascertain quality, character, or truth, or subjecting to examination or trial. In some cases, it conveys the sense of attempting to do something or proving by trial. |
Morphology V IMPF MID IND 3P PL
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | MID — Middle — The subject acts on itself or in its own interest |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 3P — 3rd person — The one spoken about ("he/she/it/they") |
| Number | PL — Plural — More than one |
Common Translation
| Phrase | went about |
| Literal | were-trying |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | πειράω |
| Strong's | G3987 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G3987-01
they were attempting for themselves
| Morphological Notes | Verb; imperfect tense (past ongoing), middle voice (self-involved), indicative mood, 3rd person plural. |
| Rendering Rationale | The imperfect tense indicates ongoing past action (“were attempting”), and the middle voice conveys action engaged in with self-involvement or vested interest (“for themselves”). This preserves the root sense of making an attempt or trial. |
View full lexicon entry for G3987 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
they were attempting
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | 'They were attempting for themselves' in P1 adds reflexivity not present in the context; 'they were attempting' accurately reflects the sense of the imperfect verb here. |