To test/tempt: tempt
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πειράζω (peirazō) means to test, try, tempt, or put to the proof. The same action-language can describe a test that reveals something or a temptation that entices toward sin, so agent, purpose, object, and moral context govern translation.
Reader summary
Full entry for πειράζω (G3985) · Open the biblical lexicon
πειράζω (peirazō) means to test, try, tempt, or put to the proof. The same action-language can describe a test that reveals something or a temptation that entices toward sin, so agent, purpose, object, and moral context govern translation.
The BSB source-word alignment has 38 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include to test (5), tested (3), are you testing (2), being tempted (2), tempter (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 4:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (6), Acts (5), Hebrews (5), James (4).
πειράζω (peirazō) means to test, try, tempt, or put to the proof. The same action-language can describe a test that reveals something or a temptation that entices toward sin, so agent, purpose, object, and moral context govern translation. Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted by the devil, distinguishing God’s sovereign purpose from the tempter’s evil intent.
Religious leaders test Jesus by demanding a sign, not as humble seekers but as opponents. Paul assures believers that temptation is common to humanity and bounded by God’s faithfulness, who provides a way to endure. Hebrews presents Jesus as truly tempted in every way like us yet without sin, grounding His sympathetic high-priestly ministry. James forbids the claim that God tempts people with evil and traces temptation toward disordered desire.
The verb itself does not identify the moral agent, guarantee failure, or make every hardship a direct satanic attack.
πειράζω names testing or temptation, with moral force supplied by agent and intent. The selected passages distinguish the devil’s temptation, hostile testing of Jesus, God’s faithful provision, Christ’s sinless sympathy, and God’s freedom from tempting anyone with evil.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
The Spirit leads Jesus into the setting, while the devil is the tempter. Matthew distinguishes sovereign redemptive purpose from evil agency as Jesus remains the obedient Son where Israel failed.
Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
The leaders’ question is explicitly a test. Their demand does not arise from lack of evidence alone; Jesus exposes their failure to interpret the signs already given and their corrupt desire for another sign.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
Paul places temptation within Israel’s warning and the church’s responsibility to flee idolatry. God’s faithfulness provides a way to endure, not permission to test limits or a promise that obedience requires no costly escape.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
Jesus’ real temptation and complete sinlessness ground confidence to approach the throne of grace. Sympathy does not require personal sin; the faithful High Priest understands weakness without yielding.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
James denies evil intent in God and continues by locating temptation’s enticement in one’s own desire. The passage preserves divine holiness and human responsibility without denying that God may prove faith through trials.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Testing that probes character or loyalty, ranging from God's proving faith to Satan's seduction toward sin.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 39 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I try, tempt, test
Read verseI try, tempt, test
Read verseI try, tempt, test
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Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 39 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
πειράζω is built from this root:
Frames the wilderness encounter as covenant testing.
Echoes Israel’s testing of God.Luke 4:1–13
Affirms real testing without sin.Mark 8:11–13
Testing and temptation may occupy the same circumstance while expressing opposing intentions. The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness within God’s saving purpose; the devil tempts Him toward disobedience. Jesus answers as the faithful Son and does not sin. That victory is not merely an example. Hebrews presents Him as the sympathetic High Priest through whom weak and tempted people approach the throne of grace for timely help.
James protects God’s holiness by denying that He entices anyone with evil, then exposes desire as the place temptation gains traction. Paul adds God’s faithfulness: temptation is not uniquely unbeatable, and God provides an escape so believers can endure. The escape may be a costly act of fleeing idolatry, confessing need, seeking help, or abandoning access to sin.
Christians should neither minimize temptation nor grant it sovereignty. They resist through Scripture, prayer, the Spirit, accountable community, concrete obedience, and confidence in Christ, who was truly tempted, remained without sin, and gives mercy and grace.
Heb.4.15
πειράζω covers putting to the test and tempting toward wrongdoing. The lexeme does not encode the tester’s moral intent by itself. Agent, purpose, object, modifiers, and outcome determine whether English should emphasize test, try, or tempt. James 1 distinguishes God’s relation to trials from evil enticement.
God proves Abraham and Israel, the wilderness exposes hearts, and Israel repeatedly puts the Lord to the test. Jesus enters the wilderness as the obedient Son, defeats the tempter through faithful reliance on God’s word, and becomes the High Priest who helps His tempted people.