πείθω (G3982) — Greek Lexicon

πείθω

peíthō

G3982 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To persuade or convince someone of the truth or value of something, to bring about belief or trust through argument or demonstration; by extension, to win over, induce confidence, or induce assent. In the passive or middle voice, to be persuaded, to trust, to rely upon (often with an inward sense of conviction or confidence); also to obey or be obedient, particularly where trust leads to compliance.

Semantic Range

to persuade, to convince, to induce belief, to win over, to put confidence in, to trust, to rely upon, to obey, to yield, to be assured, to be confident, to be convinced

Root / Etymology

From the Greek root πειθ- (peith-), meaning 'to persuade' or 'to convince.' The etymology is native to Greek and can be traced to Homeric and classical usages focused on persuasion, trust, and reliability.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Πείθω is a foundational verb in Greek with deep roots extending into both secular and religious application. In classical Greek, it commonly refers to persuading or convincing someone intellectually or emotionally. In Hellenistic and Koine usage (including the Septuagint and New Testament), it often shades into meanings of 'trust' and 'rely upon,' especially in forms such as the perfect tense (e.g., πέποιθα for 'I trust, I am convinced'). In the passive or middle, the word frequently carries the sense of being persuaded, sometimes with the implication of obedience as a natural outcome of persuasion. In New Testament contexts, πείθω can refer either to intellectual persuasion (e.g., winning someone over to a view), to trust/confidence in another or in God, or to obedience that flows from such reliance. English translations variously render πείθω as 'persuade,' 'trust,' 'confide,' 'obey,' or 'be convinced,' but no single English term captures its entire semantic range. The relationship between persuasion, trust, and obedience is notable, especially in passages where trust in a person or message leads to corresponding action. The term is broader and deeper in Greek than can be expressed by modern English equivalents.

Translation Consistency

primary "persuade" 1 occurrence

The primary, prototypical meaning of πείθω is to persuade or convince (bring about belief or assent). "Persuade" maps naturally to both active uses (to win over, induce belief) and passive/middle senses when rendered as "be persuaded/convince" or "trust/submit as persuaded." It is the most frequent and natural English equivalent across contexts, allowing consistent inflection for all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"obey" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty):--agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

Root Family

πειθ- (eupeithḗs) — to persuade, to convince, to trust

Root πειθ- to persuade, to convince, to win trust, to induce confidence

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G2138	εὐπειθής	open to persuasion
G374	ἀναπείθω	strongly persuades
G3981	πειθός	to persuasive ones
G3988	πεισμονή	stubborn persistence
G4006	πεποίθησις	in confidence
G4103	πιστός	trustworthy things
G543	ἀπείθεια	to stubborn unpersuadableness
G544	ἀπειθέω	having refused persuasion
G545	ἀπειθής	unpersuadable ones

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3982-23`	πέπεισμαι	pepeismai	`V PRF PASS IND 1P SG`	I am persuaded	I stand persuaded	I have been persuaded	5
`G3982-31`	πεποιθὼς	pepoithos	`V PRF ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	confident	having become convinced	having become convinced	5
`G3982-06`	ἐπείθοντο	epeithonto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL`	followed	they were being persuaded	they were being persuaded	3
`G3982-02`	ἐπείσθησαν	epeisthesan	`V AOR PASS IND 3P PL`	they were persuaded	they were persuaded	they were persuaded	2
`G3982-08`	πείσαντες	peisantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having persuaded	having persuaded	having persuaded	2
`G3982-10`	πείσομεν	peisomen	`V FUT ACT IND 1P PL`	we shall assure	we will persuade	we will persuade	2
`G3982-14`	πείθεσθαι	peithesthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	obey	to be persuaded	to be persuaded	2
`G3982-22`	πείθων	peithon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	persuading	persuading	persuading	2
`G3982-26`	πέποιθα	pepoitha	`V PRF ACT IND 1P SG`	have confidence	I have become convinced	I have been persuaded	2
`G3982-29`	πέποιθεν	pepoithen	`V PRF ACT IND 3P SG`	He trusts	has become convinced	has persuaded	2
`G3982-32`	πεποιθότας	pepoithotas	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	having become confident	having come to trust	having come to trust	2
`G3982-33`	πεποιθότες	pepoithotes	`V PRF ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	put confidence	having persuaded	having trusted	2
`G3982-01`	ἔπεισαν	epeisan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	persuaded	they persuaded	they persuaded	1
`G3982-03`	ἔπειθέν	epeithen	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	persuaded	was persuading	was persuading	1
`G3982-04`	ἐπείθετο	epeitheto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P SG`	was persuaded	was being persuaded	was persuaded	1
`G3982-05`	ἔπειθον	epeithon	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	persuaded	they were persuading	were persuading	1
`G3982-07`	ἐπεποίθει	epepoithei	`V PLPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he had relied	he had been confident	it had relied	1
`G3982-09`	πείσας	peisas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	has persuaded	having persuaded	having persuaded	1
`G3982-11`	πεισθῇς	peisthes	`V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P SG`	be persuaded	you might be persuaded	you might be persuaded	1
`G3982-12`	πεισθήσονται	peisthesontai	`V FUT PASS IND 3P PL`	they will be persuaded	they will be persuaded	they will be persuaded	1
`G3982-13`	πείθεις	peitheis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	you persuade	you are persuading	you are persuading	1
`G3982-15`	πείθεσθε	peithesthe	`V PRS PASS IMP 2P PL`	Obey	Be persuaded	Be persuaded	1
`G3982-16`	πείθω	peitho	`V PRS ACT IND 1P SG`	do I persuade	I persuade	I persuade	1
`G3982-17`	πείθομαι	peithomai	`V PRS PASS IND 1P SG`	I am persuaded	I am persuaded	I am persuaded	1
`G3982-18`	πείθομεν	peithomen	`V PRS ACT IND 1P PL`	we persuade	we persuade	we persuade	1
`G3982-19`	πειθομένοις	peithomenois	`V PRS PASS PTCP DAT M PL`	obeying	to the trusting ones	to the ones trusting	1
`G3982-20`	πειθομένου	peithomenou	`V PRS PASS PTCP GEN M SG`	being persuaded	of one being persuaded	of one being persuaded	1
`G3982-21`	πειθόμεθα	peithometha	`V PRS PASS IND 1P PL`	we are sure	we are persuaded	we are persuaded	1
`G3982-24`	πεπεισμένος	pepeismenos	`V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	persuaded	having been convinced	having been convinced	1
`G3982-25`	πεπείσμεθα	pepeismetha	`V PRF PASS IND 1P PL`	we are convinced	we have been persuaded	we have been persuaded	1
`G3982-27`	πεποίθαμεν	pepoithamen	`V PRF ACT IND 1P PL`	we have confidence	we have become convinced	we have confidence	1
`G3982-28`	πέποιθάς	pepoithas	`V PRF ACT IND 2P SG`	you are confident	you have become convinced	you have become convinced	1
`G3982-30`	πεποιθέναι	pepoithenai	`V PRF ACT INF`	to have confidence	to have become convinced	to have confidence	1

Occurrences in Scripture

52 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3982-14`	James 3:3	πείθεσθαι	peithesthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	they may obey	to be persuaded	to obey
`G3982-10`	1 John 3:19	πείσομεν	peisomen	`V FUT ACT IND 1P PL`	we shall assure	we will persuade	we will persuade

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