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Greek · G4105 · unreviewed

πλανάω

To (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue)

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πλανάω G4105
Pronunciation planáō

What does πλανάω (planáō) mean in the Bible?

πλανάω (planáō) is a Greek word meaning "to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue)". πλανάω, -ῶ (πλάνη), [in LXX chiefly for תָּעָה ;] to cause to wander, lead astray. Calls for vigilance against false messianic claims.

Full entry for πλανάω (G4105) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue)
Extended definition

To be led astray from truth or virtue, especially through deception or spiritual error.

(πλάνη), [in LXX chiefly for תָּעָה ;] to cause to wander, lead astray. Pass., to go astray, wander: Mat.18:12-13 Heb.11:38, 1Pe.2:25 (cf. Isa.53:6). Metaphorical, to lead astray, deceive: with accusative of person(s), Mat.24:4-5, 11 24:24, Mrk.13:5-6, Jhn.7:12, 2Ti.3:13; 1Jn.1:8 Jn 2:26 Jn 3:7, Rev.2:20 12:9 13:14 19:20 20:3, 8 20:10; pass., to be led astray, to err: Mat.22:29, Mrk.12:24, 27, Luk.21:8, Jhn.7:47, 2Ti.3:13, Tit.3:3, Heb.5:2, 2Pe.2:15, Rev.18:23; τ. καρδίᾳ, Heb.3:10; ἀπὸ τ. ἀληθείας, Jas.5:19;μὴ πλανᾶσθε, 1Co.6:9 15:33, Gal.6:7. Jas.1:16 (cf. ἀπο-πλανάω).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Calls for vigilance against false messianic claims. James 5:19–20
Describes spiritual deviation requiring restoration.
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Aorist Future Perfect
Voices
Passive Active
Imperative command or strong request 5×
Present Passive 1 Cor 6:9 · 1 Cor 15:33 · Gal 6:7 · Jas 1:16 4×
Present Active 1 John 3:7 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 11×
Present Passive 2 Tim 3:13 · Titus 3:3 · Heb 11:38 · 1 Pet 2:25 · Matt 18:12 · Heb 5:2 6×
Present Active Rev 12:9 · Rev 20:10 · 2 Tim 3:13 · 1 John 2:26 4×
Perfect Passive Matt 18:13 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 15×
Present Passive Matt 22:29 · Mark 12:24 · Mark 12:27 · Heb 3:10 4×
Present Active John 7:12 · Rev 2:20 · Rev 13:14 · 1 John 1:8 4×
Future Active Matt 24:5 · Matt 24:11 · Mark 13:6 3×
Aorist Passive 2 Pet 2:15 · Rev 18:23 2×
Perfect Passive John 7:47 1×
Aorist Active Rev 19:20 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 6×
Aorist Active Matt 24:4 · Mark 13:5 · Rev 20:3 3×
Aorist Passive Matt 18:12 · Jas 5:19 · Luke 21:8 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Active Matt 24:24 · Rev 20:8 2×
39 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 35 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 3 ongoing 7 prospective 3 resultant 1 imperative 5 subjunctive 6 infinitive 2 participle 8
Tense
present 19 aorist 11 future 3 perfect 2
Voice
passive 19 active 16
Mood
indicative 14 participle 8 subjunctive 6 imperative 5 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 18:12 πλανηθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 18:12 πλανώμενον present passive participle participle Matthew 18:13 πεπλανημένοις perfect passive participle participle Matthew 22:29 Πλανᾶσθε present passive indicative ongoing Matthew 24:11 πλανήσουσιν future active indicative prospective Matthew 24:24 πλανῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 24:4 πλανήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 24:5 πλανήσουσιν future active indicative prospective Mark 12:24 πλανᾶσθε present passive indicative ongoing Mark 12:27 πλανᾶσθε present passive indicative ongoing Mark 13:5 πλανήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 13:6 πλανήσουσιν future active indicative prospective Luke 21:8 πλανηθῆτε aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 7:12 πλανᾷ present active indicative ongoing John 7:47 πεπλάνησθε perfect passive indicative resultant 1 Corinthians 6:9 πλανᾶσθε present passive imperative imperative 1 Corinthians 15:33 πλανᾶσθε present passive imperative imperative Galatians 6:7 πλανᾶσθε present passive imperative imperative Titus 3:3 πλανώμενοι present passive participle participle Hebrews 3:10 πλανῶνται present passive indicative ongoing Hebrews 11:38 πλανώμενοι present passive participle participle James 1:16 πλανᾶσθε present passive imperative imperative James 5:19 πλανηθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive 1 Peter 2:25 πλανώμενοι present passive participle participle 2 Peter 2:15 ἐπλανήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed 1 John 1:8 πλανῶμεν present active indicative ongoing 1 John 2:26 πλανώντων present active participle participle 1 John 3:7 πλανάτω present active imperative imperative Revelation 12:9 πλανῶν present active participle participle Revelation 13:14 πλανᾷ present active indicative ongoing Revelation 18:23 ἐπλανήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Revelation 19:20 ἐπλάνησεν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 20:10 πλανῶν present active participle participle Revelation 20:3 πλανήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 20:8 πλανῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive

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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Additional Occurrences
James 5:19–20 πλανηθῇ planáō
wanders, goes astray
Luke 21:5–24 πλάνητε planáō
Be led astray
Mark 12:18–27 πλανάω planáō
to go astray, be mistaken
New Testament Witnesses
James 5:19–20 πλανηθῇ planáō Subjunctive · Aorist Passive
wander
Luke 21:7–11 πλανηθῆτε planáō Subjunctive · Aorist Passive
be deceived
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 6 — Judge Righteously, Flee Sexual Immorality, and Glorify God in Your Body Luke 21 — The Widow’s Gift, Jerusalem’s Fall, and Watchfulness before the Son of Man Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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