Greek · G4160 · unreviewed
ποιέω
To make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
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ποιέω G4160
Pronunciation poiéō
What does ποιέω (poiéō) mean in the Bible?
ποιέω (poiéō) is a Greek word meaning "to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)". ποιέω, -ῶ, [in LXX for a great variety of words, but chiefly for עשׂה ;] __1. Emphasizes active obedience as evidence of belonging. This term runs through the canonical themes of Faith.
Meaning
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Creates or performs action; πράσσω (prássō) denotes habitual practice versus specific deed.
1to make, produce, create, cause: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.17:4, Mrk.9:5, Jhn.9:11, Act.9:39, Rom.9:20, al.; of God as Creator (with accusative of person(s) also), Mat.19:4, Mrk.10:6, Luk.11:40, Act.4:24, Heb.1:2, al.; like Heb. עשׂה, absol. = ἐργάζομαι, to work, Mat.20:12 (cf. Rut.2:19; so AV, but see infr.), Rev.13:5, R, mg. (but see infr.); σκάνδαλα, Rom.16:17; εἰρεήνην, Eph.2:15, Jas.3:18; ἐπίστασιν, Act.24:12; συστροφήν, Act.23:12; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Luk.1:68, Act.15:3; with nouns expressing action or its accomplishment, forming a periphr. for the cogn. verb: ὁδόν π. (cl. ὁ ποιεῖσθαι), to go on, advance, Mrk.2:23; πόλεμον, Rev.11:7, al.; ἐκδίκησιν, Luk.18:7, 8; ἐνέδραν, Act.25:3; κρίσιν, Jhn.5:27, Ju 15; ἔργα, Jhn.5:36, al.; (σημεῖα), Jhn.2:23 and freq., Act.2:22, al.; so also mid. ποιεῖσθαι: μονήν, Jhn.14:23; πορείαν, Luk.13:22; κοινωνίαν, Rom.15:26; of food, to make ready, prepare: δεῖπνον, Mrk.6:21, al.; δοχήν, Luk.5:29 14:13; γάμους, Mat.22:2; of time, to spend (cl.): ὥραν, Mat.20:12, RV (but see supr. and cf. McN, in l.); μῆνας, Rev.13:5, R, txt. (cf. Swete, in l.; but see supr.); ἐνιαυτόν, Jas.4:13; with accusative before ἐκ, Jhn.2:15, al.; with accusative and accusative pred., Mat.3:3 12:16, Mrk.1:3 3:12, Jhn.5:11, al.; with adv., καλῶς, Mrk.7:37; ἑορτὴν π. (Dem., Exo.23:16, al.), Act.18:21, Rec.; πάσχα, Mat.26:18; to make or offer a sacrifice (Plat., Xen., al.; Job.42:8, 3Ki.11:33; so some understand τοῦτο ποιεῖτε, Luk.22:19, but see Abbott, Essays, 110ff.); before ἵνα (WM, 422f.; M, Pr., 228), Jhn.11:37, Col.4:16, Rev.3:9.
2to do, perform, carry out, execute: absol., with adv., καλῶς π., Mat.12:12, 1Co.7:37, 38 Jas.2:19; id. before ptcp. (cl.; see M, Pr., 228), Act.10:33, Php.4:14, 2Pe.1:19, 3Jo.6; οὕτως, Mat.24:46, Luk.9:15, al.; ὡς (καθώς), Mat.1:24 2:16, al.; ὁμοίως, Luk.3:11; ὡσαύτως, Mat.20:5; with ptcp., ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα, 1Ti.1:13; with accusative of thing(s): τί interrog., Mat.12:3, Mrk.2:25, Luk.6:2, al.; τοῦτο, Mat.13:28, Mrk.5:32, Luk.22:19 (WH om.; see supr., ref. to Abbott, Essays), Rom.7:20, al.; with nouns expressing command or regulation: τ. νόμον (not as in cl., to make a law), Jhn.7:19, Gal.5:3 (cf. in LXX, Jos.22:5, 1Ch.22:12, al.); τ. ἐντολάς, Mat.5:19; similarly with other nouns expressing conduct: τ. δικαιοσύνην, Mat.6:1, al.; τ. ἀλήθειαν, Jhn.3:21, al., etc.; with dupl. accusative, Mat.27:22, Mrk.15:12; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s) (commod., incomm.; rare in cl.), Mat.7:12, Mrk.5:19, 20 Luk.1:49, Jhn.9:26, al.
Why This Word Matters
Emphasizes active obedience as evidence of belonging.
Expresses active obedience as evidence of faith. Luke 8:19–21
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 286×
Aorist Active Matt 1:24 · Matt 12:3 · Matt 13:26 · Matt 13:28 · Matt 13:58 · Matt 19:4 · Matt 20:5 · Matt 21:15 · Matt 21:31 · Matt 22:2 · Matt 26:12 · Matt 26:13 · Matt 27:23 · Mark 2:25 · Mark 3:14 · Mark 3:16 116×
Present Active Matt 5:32 · Matt 6:3 · Matt 7:17 · Matt 7:24 · Matt 8:9 · Matt 13:23 · Matt 26:73 · Mark 4:32 · Mark 7:37 · Luke 7:8 · John 4:1 · John 5:19 · John 5:20 · John 7:4 · John 7:19 · John 7:51 96×
Future Active Matt 18:35 · Matt 21:40 · Mark 9:39 · Mark 12:9 · Luke 18:8 · Luke 20:15 · John 7:31 · John 14:12 · Acts 13:22 · Rom 9:28 · 1 Cor 7:37 · 1 Cor 7:38 · 1 Cor 10:13 · 1 Thess 5:24 · Heb 13:6 · Rev 11:7 40×
Imperfect Active Mark 3:8 · Mark 15:8 · Luke 9:43 · Luke 14:16 · John 2:23 · John 5:16 · John 6:2 · Acts 6:8 · Acts 8:6 · Acts 9:36 · Acts 9:39 · Acts 16:18 · Acts 19:11 · Luke 6:23 · Luke 6:26 · Acts 15:3 17×
Perfect Active Mark 5:19 · Mark 7:37 · Luke 1:25 · Heb 11:28 · 1 John 5:10 · John 13:12 · 2 Cor 11:25 · Mark 11:17 · Luke 17:10 9×
Present Middle Acts 20:24 · Rom 1:9 · Luke 5:33 · Eph 4:16 4×
Pluperfect Active Mark 15:7 1×
Future Middle John 14:23 1×
Aorist Middle Acts 1:1 1×
Imperfect Middle Acts 27:18 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 76×
Aorist Active Matt 5:36 · Matt 9:28 · Matt 20:15 · Matt 23:15 · Matt 23:23 · Mark 6:5 · Mark 7:12 · Mark 14:7 · Mark 15:15 · Luke 1:72 · Luke 2:27 · Luke 5:34 · Luke 11:42 · Luke 12:4 · Luke 17:10 · John 11:37 46×
Present Active Matt 6:1 · Matt 7:18 · Matt 12:2 · Matt 12:12 · Mark 2:23 · John 3:2 · John 5:19 · John 5:27 · John 5:30 · John 6:6 · John 7:17 · John 8:44 · John 9:16 · John 9:33 · John 15:5 · Acts 1:1 25×
Present Middle 2 Pet 1:10 · 2 Pet 1:15 2×
Perfect Active John 12:18 1×
Aorist Middle Rom 15:26 1×
Present Passive 1 Tim 2:1 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 100×
Present Active Matt 7:21 · Matt 7:26 · Luke 6:47 · John 3:21 · John 5:18 · John 8:34 · John 18:30 · John 19:12 · Acts 10:2 · Acts 15:17 · Acts 19:24 · Rom 2:3 · Rom 3:12 · Rom 12:20 · Eph 2:15 · 1 Tim 4:16 52×
Aorist Active Luke 6:49 · Luke 10:25 · Luke 10:37 · Luke 11:40 · Luke 12:47 · Luke 12:48 · Luke 18:18 · John 2:15 · John 5:11 · John 5:15 · Acts 4:24 · Acts 7:36 · Acts 17:24 · Acts 18:23 · Acts 20:3 · Acts 28:17 32×
Present Middle Luke 13:22 · Eph 1:16 · Phil 1:4 · Phlm 1:4 · Jude 1:3 · 1 Thess 1:2 6×
Perfect Active Acts 21:33 · Jas 5:15 · John 12:37 · John 18:18 · Acts 3:12 5×
Aorist Middle Acts 25:17 · Heb 1:3 · Acts 23:13 3×
Future Active Acts 24:17 1×
Perfect Passive Heb 12:27 1×
Imperative command or strong request 44×
Aorist Active Matt 3:8 · Matt 12:33 · Matt 23:3 · Luke 3:8 · Luke 12:33 · Luke 16:9 · John 2:5 · John 6:10 · 1 Cor 16:1 · Col 4:16 · Matt 8:9 · Luke 4:23 · Luke 7:8 · Luke 15:19 · John 13:27 · Acts 7:40 22×
Present Active Matt 3:3 · Matt 7:12 · Matt 23:3 · Mark 1:3 · Luke 3:4 · Luke 6:27 · Luke 6:31 · Luke 22:19 · John 2:16 · 1 Cor 10:31 · 1 Cor 11:24 · 1 Cor 11:25 · Eph 6:9 · Phil 2:14 · Heb 12:13 · Jas 2:12 21×
Present Middle Rom 13:14 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 61×
Aorist Active Matt 19:16 · Matt 20:32 · Matt 27:22 · Mark 10:17 · Mark 10:36 · Mark 10:51 · Mark 15:12 · Luke 12:17 · Luke 16:3 · Luke 16:4 · Luke 18:41 · Luke 20:13 · John 4:34 · John 17:4 · Acts 22:10 · 1 Cor 6:15 39×
Present Active John 13:15 · John 13:17 · John 15:14 · 2 Cor 13:7 · Gal 5:17 · Col 3:17 · Col 3:23 · Matt 6:2 · Mark 11:28 · Luke 14:12 · Luke 14:13 · Rom 13:4 · Matt 7:12 · Luke 6:31 · Rom 2:14 · Heb 13:17 22×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Active Luke 6:11 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 552 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 258 present 220 future 41 imperfect 18 perfect 14 pluperfect 1
Voice
active 530 middle 20 passive 2
Mood
indicative 282 participle 91 infinitive 74 subjunctive 61 imperative 43 optative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:24 ἐποίησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 3:10 ποιοῦν present active participle participle Matthew 3:3 ποιεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 3:8 ποιήσατε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 4:19 ποιήσω future active indicative prospective Matthew 5:19 ποιήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 5:32 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 5:36 ποιῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 5:46 ποιοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 5:47 ποιεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Matthew 5:47 ποιοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 6:1 ποιεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 6:2 ποιῇς present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 6:2 ποιοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 6:3 ποιοῦντος present active participle participle Matthew 6:3 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 7:12 ποιῶσιν present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 7:12 ποιεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 7:17 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 7:17 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 7:18 ποιεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 7:18 ποιεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 7:19 ποιοῦν present active participle participle Matthew 7:21 ποιῶν present active participle participle Matthew 7:22 ἐποιήσαμεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 7:24 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 7:26 ποιῶν present active participle participle Matthew 8:9 Ποίησον aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 8:9 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 9:28 ποιῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 12:12 ποιεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 12:16 ποιήσωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 12:2 ποιοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 12:2 ποιεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 12:3 ἐποίησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 12:33 ποιήσατε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 12:33 ποιήσατε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 12:50 ποιήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:23 ποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 13:26 ἐποίησεν aorist active indicative completed
+512 more occurrences
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)
Canonical Themes
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
New Testament Witnesses
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
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.
Acts 14 — Through Many Hardships into the Kingdom Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Galatians 6 — Boasting Only in the Cross: Spirit-Shaped Community and New Creation John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 18 — The Arrested King: Betrayal, Sovereign Surrender, Denial, Trial, and the Kingdom Not of This World Luke 10 — The Kingdom Mission Expanded, Mercy Defined, and the Better Portion Chosen Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Luke 8 — The Word Heard, the Kingdom Revealed, and the Lord’s Authority Displayed Mark 15 — The Crucified King: Condemnation, Mockery, Death, Confession, and Burial Mark 3 — The Servant-King Confronted: Sabbath Mercy, Demonic Accusation, and the Family of God Mark 7 — True Defilement and Boundary-Crossing Mercy Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 23 — Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain