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πταίω

ptaíō

G4417 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To stumble, trip, or lose one's footing; figuratively, to make a misstep, to err, commit a fault, or experience a lapse of judgment or ethical conduct. In physical contexts, the word denotes an actual stumbling or tripping. In metaphorical usage, πταίω refers to a failure—moral, spiritual, or practical—such as a mistake, a sin, or an act of causing offense.

Semantic Range

to trip over something, to stumble physically, to make a mistake, to err, to sin, to falter ethically or spiritually, to cause offense, to cause someone else to stumble or falter

Root / Etymology

From the root πτα-; related in sense to πίπτω ('to fall'), but formed with its own stem, meaning 'to stumble' or 'to trip.' The precise original connection is uncertain, but it is distinct from, though overlapping with, verbs indicating falling or collapse.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, πταίω is found as early as Homer (Il. 5.118) primarily in the literal sense 'to stumble, to strike one’s foot.' Over time, metaphorical extensions appear, especially in philosophical and moral contexts, where it means to make a misstep in conduct, judgment, or ethics. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb frequently carries the sense of a spiritual or ethical lapse, equivalent to 'sin' or 'err' (e.g., Jas 3:2: 'we all stumble in many ways'). The verb also appears with reference to causing another to stumble, i.e. to be the occasion for another’s error or misstep (cf. Rom 11:11). English translations often render πταίω as 'stumble' or 'offend,' but 'offend' is a narrowing; the term is broader, including any kind of moral or practical failure. It differs from πίπτω ('to fall') in that πταίω emphasizes the act of tripping or slipping—a potentially recoverable misstep—whereas πίπτω typically denotes a completed fall. LXX usage generally aligns with its Greek background, but the figurative sense of moral lapse is more frequent in Hellenistic-Jewish and early Christian literature. The term does not inherently include ideas of final spiritual ruin, but rather error, fault, or faltering.

Translation Consistency

primary "stumble" 5 occurrences

“Stumble” naturally covers both the physical sense (trip, lose footing) and the common figurative senses (err, falter morally, cause offense or cause another to falter). It is the most idiomatic, typical English rendering across contexts and preserves the nuance of accidental or inadvertent failure better than narrower alternatives like “sin” or “trip.”

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a form of πίπτω; to trip, i.e. (figuratively) to err, sin, fail (of salvation):--fall, offend, stumble.

Root Family

πταίω (ptaio) — to stumble, to trip, to slip, to err

Root πτα- to stumble, to trip, to slip

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4417-04 πταίσῃ ptaise V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG stumbles might stumble might stumble 1
G4417-05 πταίσητέ ptaisete V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL stumble you might stumble you might stumble 1
G4417-01 ἔπταισαν eptaisan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they stumbled they stumbled they stumbled 1
G4417-03 πταίομεν ptaiomen V PRS ACT IND 1P PL we stumble we are stumbling we stumble 1
G4417-02 πταίει ptaiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG stumbles is stumbling stumbles 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4417-01 Romans 11:11 ἔπταισαν eptaisan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they stumbled they stumbled they stumbled
G4417-04 James 2:10 πταίσῃ ptaise V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG stumbles might stumble might stumble
G4417-03 James 3:2 πταίομεν ptaiomen V PRS ACT IND 1P PL we stumble we are stumbling we stumble
G4417-02 James 3:2 πταίει ptaiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG stumbles is stumbling stumbles
G4417-05 2 Peter 1:10 πταίσητέ ptaisete V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL stumble you might stumble you might stumble
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