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πλανάω

planáō

G4105 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cause to wander, lead astray, or mislead; literally, to cause someone or something to move from a path or place; metaphorically, to cause to deviate from truth, correctness, or moral uprightness. The word is most frequently used in an active sense for misleading or deceiving someone (to lead astray), but also appears in passive and middle forms meaning to go astray, be misled, or stray from a correct course.

Semantic Range

to cause to wander, to lead astray, to mislead, to deceive, to seduce, to go astray, to err, to stray from a path or truth, to be misled, to deviate

Root / Etymology

From the root πλαν- meaning 'to wander'; related to πλάνη (wandering, error) and possibly linked to the older verb πλάζω (to make wander, to drive, to turn aside). The root expresses the idea of physical or metaphorical movement away from a standard or proper course.

Historical & Contextual Notes

πλανάω is found in both Classical and Koine Greek, where its primary sense is 'to lead astray' or 'to mislead.' In Classical usage, it could describe literal wandering (e.g., being driven from one’s native land), but by the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it often bore ethical or intellectual connotations: to make someone err in thought, belief, or behavior. In the Septuagint and the New Testament, πλανάω frequently refers to deception in moral or religious matters, especially straying from the truth or from fidelity to God. Passive forms (πλανῶμαι, 'I am led astray') convey the state of being misled or being in error. The English translation 'deceive' captures only part of the range, as πλανάω can also denote unconscious error or unintentional wandering—not just willful deception. The root contrasts with terms like ἀποπλανάω (to lead completely away) and ἀπατάω (to cheat, to delude), which tend to have a stronger focus on intentional deception and trickery, whereas πλανάω can express both voluntary and involuntary deviation. Modern translations sometimes restrict the sense to 'deceive,' but the broader lexical range includes physical, intellectual, and spiritual wandering.

Translation Consistency

primary "mislead" 3 occurrences

πλανάω most often means to lead someone away from the right path or truth — i.e., to deceive or lead astray. “Mislead” is a single, natural English verb that covers the primary active sense (to deceive or lead astray) and also works naturally in passive/middle contexts (to be misled, to go astray), so it supports consistent rendering across all forms.

Alternatives (36 occurrences):
"led astray" (9x) "lead astray" (5x) "all are being misled" (4x) "misled" (4x) "might lead astray" (3x) "wandering" (2x) "leading astray" (2x) "might be led astray" (1x) "those leading astray" (1x) "go astray" (1x) "deceive" (1x) "who are leading astray" (1x) "him lead astray" (1x) "deceived" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from πλάνη; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.

Root Family

πλανάω (planaō) — to wander, to lead astray, to mislead

Root πλαν- to wander, to lead astray, to mislead

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4105-06 πλανᾶσθε planasthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL be deceived you are being led astray you all are being misled 7
G4105-14 πλανώμενοι planomenoi V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL being deceived being led astray being misled 4
G4105-05 πλανᾷ plana V PRS ACT IND 3P SG deceives he/she/it leads astray he/she/it misleads 3
G4105-10 πλανήσουσιν planesousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL will deceive they will lead astray they will lead astray 3
G4105-09 πλανήσῃ planese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG deceive might lead astray might lead astray 3
G4105-17 πλανῶν planon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG who deceives leading astray leading astray 2
G4105-02 ἐπλανήθησαν eplanethesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL they went astray they were led astray they were led astray 2
G4105-08 πλανῆσαι planesai V AOR ACT INF mislead to lead astray to lead astray 2
G4105-11 πλανηθῇ planethe V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG goes astray may be led astray may be led astray 2
G4105-19 πλανῶντες planontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL deceiving those leading astray those leading astray 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4105-11 Matthew 18:12 πλανηθῇ planethe V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG goes astray may be led astray may be led astray
G4105-16 Matthew 18:12 πλανώμενον planomenon V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N SG wandering being led astray being led astray
G4105-03 Matthew 18:13 πεπλανημένοις peplanemenois V PRF PASS PTCP DAT N PL having gone astray to the ones having been led astray wandering
G4105-06 Matthew 22:29 πλανᾶσθε planasthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL you are mistaken you are being led astray you all are being misled
G4105-09 Matthew 24:4 πλανήσῃ planese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG deceive might lead astray might lead astray
G4105-10 Matthew 24:5 πλανήσουσιν planesousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL they will deceive they will lead astray they will lead astray
G4105-10 Matthew 24:11 πλανήσουσιν planesousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL will deceive they will lead astray they will lead astray
G4105-08 Matthew 24:24 πλανῆσαι planesai V AOR ACT INF mislead to lead astray to lead astray
G4105-06 Mark 12:24 πλανᾶσθε planasthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL you err you are being led astray you all are being misled
G4105-06 Mark 12:27 πλανᾶσθε planasthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL you err you are being led astray you all are being misled
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