ψεύδομαι (G5574) — Greek Lexicon

ψεύδομαι

pseúdomai

G5574 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To knowingly speak what is untrue; to tell a falsehood; to state something with the intent to deceive. The term may imply making a false statement, presenting something as true when it is known to be false, or more broadly engaging in deliberate deception within speech. In various contexts, it can refer to simple lying, giving false testimony, or misleading others.

Semantic Range

to lie, to utter something untrue, to speak deceitfully, to bear false witness, to provide false testimony, to intend to deceive, to mislead through speech

Root / Etymology

From the root ψευδ- (pseud-), meaning 'false' or 'to lie', which is seen in related nouns (e.g., ψεῦδος, 'falsehood', 'lie') and adjectives (e.g., ψευδής, 'lying', 'false'). Likely related to the Proto-Indo-European root *swedh- ('to make or perform'), but the direct etymology beyond Greek is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ψεύδομαι appears in classical Greek texts (e.g., Homer, Herodotus, Plato) generally in the middle voice, which here conveys deliberate personal involvement in the act of lying or describing oneself as being engaged in falsehood. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, ψεύδομαι often appears in judicial or ethical contexts (e.g., giving false witness, bearing false testimony) and is consistently associated with moral condemnation of deception. The verb maintains its core meaning across time, though it may be part of larger legal or ethical discussions (such as prohibitions in Decalogue traditions, e.g., Exodus 20:16 LXX). English translations usually render ψεύδομαι as 'lie' or 'to speak falsely,' but they may not always reflect the clear intentionality present in the Greek. Related terms like ψεῦδος (falsehood) and ψευδής (false) form a semantic field of words concerning deception, as opposed to other Greek terms for error or ignorance (e.g., ἁμαρτάνω, 'to err').

Translation Consistency

primary "lie" 8 occurrences

'Lie' is the most natural, common English verb that captures the primary sense of ψεύδομαι — knowingly uttering what is untrue or intending to deceive (including false testimony). It easily yields natural inflections (lies, lied, lying) and avoids the vagueness of 'speak' or the ambiguity of 'tell.'

Alternatives (4 occurrences):

"speak falsely" (4x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood:--falsely, lie.

Root Family

ψεύδομαι (pseudomai) — to lie, to speak falsely, to deceive by falsehood

Root ψευδ- to lie, to speak falsely, to deceive by falsehood

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G5574-03`	ψεύδομαι	pseudomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I lie	I speak falsely	I speak falsely	4
`G5574-02`	ψεύδεσθε	pseudesthe	`V PRS MID IMP 2P PL`	lie	be lying	You (pl.) be lying	2
`G5574-07`	ψεύσασθαί	pseusasthai	`V AOR MID INF`	to lie	to tell a lie	to tell a lie	2
`G5574-01`	ἐψεύσω	epseuso	`V AOR MID IND 2P SG`	lied	you lied	you lied	1
`G5574-04`	ψευδόμενοι	pseudomenoi	`V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL`	falsely	lying	lying	1
`G5574-06`	ψεύδονται	pseudontai	`V PRS MID IND 3P PL`	they lie	they are lying	they are lying	1
`G5574-05`	ψευδόμεθα	pseudometha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we lie	we are lying	we are lying	1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G5574-04`	Matthew 5:11	ψευδόμενοι	pseudomenoi	`V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL`	falsely	lying	lying
`G5574-07`	Acts 5:3	ψεύσασθαί	pseusasthai	`V AOR MID INF`	to lie	to tell a lie	to tell a lie
`G5574-01`	Acts 5:4	ἐψεύσω	epseuso	`V AOR MID IND 2P SG`	lied	you lied	you lied
`G5574-03`	Romans 9:1	ψεύδομαι	pseudomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I lie	I speak falsely	I speak falsely
`G5574-03`	2 Corinthians 11:31	ψεύδομαι	pseudomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I am lying	I speak falsely	I speak falsely
`G5574-03`	Galatians 1:20	ψεύδομαι	pseudomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I lie	I speak falsely	I speak falsely
`G5574-02`	Colossians 3:9	ψεύδεσθε	pseudesthe	`V PRS MID IMP 2P PL`	lie	be lying	You (pl.) be lying
`G5574-03`	1 Timothy 2:7	ψεύδομαι	pseudomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I lie	I speak falsely	I speak falsely
`G5574-07`	Hebrews 6:18	ψεύσασθαι	pseusasthai	`V AOR MID INF`	to lie	to tell a lie	to tell a lie
`G5574-02`	James 3:14	ψεύδεσθε	pseudesthe	`V PRS MID IMP 2P PL`	lie	be lying	You (pl.) be lying
`G5574-05`	1 John 1:6	ψευδόμεθα	pseudometha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we lie	we are lying	we are lying
`G5574-06`	Revelation 3:9	ψεύδονται	pseudontai	`V PRS MID IND 3P PL`	they lie	they are lying	they are lying

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