πειράζω (peirazō)
peirazō
to test/tempt: tempt
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 37 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek verb peirazō carries a dual nature, meaning to test or try someone in order to reveal their true character. In the New Testament, it describes both God refining faith through hardship and the devil seeking to lead people into sin. This duality reflects its Old Testament background, where the same Hebrew concept is used for God proving Abraham’s loyalty on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1) and for Israel challenging God’s patience in the wilderness.
The context determines whether the testing is beneficial or malicious. When Jesus faces peirazō in Matthew 4:1, it is a hostile attempt to make Him sin. In contrast, James 1:2 encourages believers to consider trials as pure joy because they produce steadfastness. The word appears frequently in Matthew and Hebrews, highlighting how early Christians understood suffering not as random punishment, but as a purposeful process of proving faith.
Translators often render peirazō as "tempt" or "test," which can obscure this nuance. English tends to view temptation only as negative, whereas the Greek word encompasses any rigorous examination of character. This distinction helps readers see that the same divine hand that permits testing also provides a way out, ensuring that believers are not overwhelmed beyond their capacity (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peirazō carries a weight that English often splits into two opposing ideas: testing and tempting. In Scripture, it describes any rigorous examination of character. Sometimes this comes from God to refine faith, as when Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil in Matthew 4:1. Other times, it is a hostile trap set by others, like the Pharisees who tested Jesus with tricky questions about divorce or signs from heaven.
Understanding this duality helps us navigate our own struggles. When hardship comes, it may feel like an attack, but God’s promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us that He provides a way out so we can endure. This is not random suffering but a purposeful process. We are invited to look at our trials with clarity, knowing that the same hand that permits testing also sustains us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 37 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- testing9×
- being tempted4×
- to be tempted2×
- tempting2×
- tempted2×
- you may be tested,1×
- you have tested1×
- tried1×
- to try1×
- to test1×
- they were attempting1×
- tested,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πειράζοντες7×
- πειράζων4×
- πειραζόμενος3×
- ἐπείρασεν2×
- πειράσαι2×
- πειράζετε2×
- πειρασθῆναι2×
- ἐπείρασας1×
- ἐπείρασαν,1×
- ἐπείρασαν1×
- ἐπείραζον1×
- ἐπείραζεν1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
This verse establishes Jesus’ own experience of being led by the Spirit into a hostile testing situation, showing that even the Son faced peirazō.
-
John 6:6
He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
Here, the word reveals Jesus’ divine foreknowledge as He intentionally tests Philip to teach a lesson about provision and faith.
-
I Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
This passage clarifies that God limits the intensity of temptation and always provides an escape route, ensuring believers are not overwhelmed.
-
II Corinthians 13:5
Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Paul uses the imperative form to urge self-examination, turning the concept inward as a spiritual discipline rather than an external event.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does peirazō mean in the New Testament?
Is peirazō always negative?
How is peirazō different from dokimazō?
Every Occurrence (37 verses across 12 books)
Matthew 6 verses
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Matthew 16:1The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 19:3Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
Matthew 22:18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
Matthew 22:35One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.