πείθω G3982
To persuade, convince, or win over; in the middle/passive, to be persuaded, trust or have confidence in, or obey.
Few Greek verbs undergo as dramatic a shift in meaning between active and middle/passive voices as peitho. In the active, it means to persuade or convince someone through argument or entreaty — Herod's priests persuading the crowd to ask for Barabbas (Matt 27:20), or Paul persuading Jews and Greeks in the synagogue (Acts 18:4). In the perfect tense, however, the word settles into a state of confident trust: Paul declares 'I am persuaded' (pepeismai) that nothing can separate us from God's love (Rom 8:38). Spanish captures this distinction neatly, moving from 'persuadir' for the active effort to 'confiar' (to trust) for the settled conviction. Most surprisingly, the middle-passive extends all the way to 'obey' — Hebrews 13:17 urges believers to 'obey your leaders,' where German reaches for 'gehorchen' rather than 'uberzeugen,' revealing just how far the semantic arc bends from persuasion to compliance.
1. be persuaded or convinced — To be persuaded, won over, or come to accept something as true — the passive/middle sense in which someone receives and yields to persuasion. The crowd was 'persuaded' that John was a prophet (Luke 20:6); Gamaliel warns the Sanhedrin to leave the apostles alone, and they were 'persuaded' by him (Acts 5:40). Spanish uses 'persuadidos' and 'eran persuadidos,' while French stays close with 'persuader.' The sense emphasizes the result in the hearer rather than the effort of the speaker — a settled conviction that something is so. 19×
AR["أَطَاعُوهُ","اقتَنَعوا","تَنْقَدْ","سَيُقْنَعُونَ","صَدَّقَ","لَمْ-يَقْبَلْ","مُقتَنِعٌ","مُقْتَنِعونَ","مُقْتَنِعٌ","نَثِقُ","واثِقونَ","وَاثِقٌ"]·ben["আছে","আমরা-নিশ্চিত","আমরা-বিশ্বাস-করি","আমি-নিশ্চিত-হয়েছি","নিশ্চিত-আছি","নিশ্চিত-হয়েছি","বিশ্বাস-করবে","বিশ্বাস-করিতেছি","বিশ্বাস-করিতেছিল","মনোযোগ-দিল","মানছিল","মানলেন","মানায়","রাজি-হইও"]·DE["ueberzeugen","überzeugt"]·EN["I-am-persuaded","be-persuaded","being-persuaded","having-been-persuaded","they-were-persuaded","was-being-persuaded","we-are-persuaded","we-trust","were-being-persuaded","were-persuaded","will-they-be-persuaded"]·FR["persuader"]·heb["בּוֹטְחִים","הֶאֱמִין","הֶאֱמִינוּ","יִשָׁמְעוּ","מְשֻׁכְנָע","מְשֻׁכְנָע-אֲנִי","מְשֻׁכְנָעִים","מַאֲמִין","מֻשְׁכָנִים","נִשְׁמְעוּ","נִשְׁמַע","שֶׁמְשֻׁכָּנוּ","שֻׁכְנְעוּ","תֵּאָמֵן"]·HI["उसकी","दृढ़-विश्वास","दृढ़-हूँ","भरोस-है","मनाएंगे।","मने-गए","मान","मान-रहे-थे","मान-लिया","मानताथा","मानने-पर","विशवअस-है-मुझे","विश्वस्त-हैं","विश्वास-करते-हैं","विश्वास-है-मुझे","विश्वासकरताहूँ"]·ID["Aku-yakin","Kami-yakin","Mereka-diyakinkan","Percaya","aku-yakin","diyakinkan","kami-yakin","menaati","mereka-akan-percaya","percaya","percaya,","yakin"]·IT["persuadere"]·jav["Kula-yakin","badhe-pitados.","dipun-yakinaken","kaprecaya","kita-pitados","kita-yakin","kula-pracaya","kula-yakin","manut","pracaya,","sampun-yakin","yakin-kula"]·KO["믿는다","복종하는-자들-이","설득-되었다","설득당하지-마시오","설득당하지-않을-것이다","설득되었다","설득되지-않으므로","신뢰하였다","얼마나-가","우리가-확신한다","확신하고-있다","확신하나니","확신하노라","확신한다"]·PT["Estamos-persuadidos","Estou-convicto","Estou-persuadido","confiamos","confiava,","convencido","creio","eram-persuadidos","estamos-persuadidos","estou-persuadido","sendo-persuadido","serão-persuadidos"]·RU["-убеждён","Убеждены","доверял","поверят","поддавайся","послушались","слушались","убедились","убеждались","убеждающегося","убеждён","убеждён-я","убеждённый","уверены-мы"]·ES["Estamos-persuadidos","confiamos","eran-persuadidos","estamos-persuadidos","estoy-convencido","estoy-persuadido","fueron-persuadidos","hacía-caso","persuadido","se-persuadirán","seas-persuadido","siendo-persuadido"]·SW["Nimesadikishwa","Tumeshawishika","akikubali","alisikiliza","kubaliwe","nimesadiki","nimesadikishwa","ninaamini","tunaamini","walikubali","waliomfuata","walishawishiwa","wameamini","wataaamini"]·TR["güveniyoruz","ikna-ol","ikna-olacaklar","ikna-oldular","ikna-oldum","ikna-olmuş","ikna-olunca","ikna-oluyordu","ikna-oluyorlardı","inanıyorum","uymuştu","İkna-olduk","İkna-oldum","İnanıyoruz"]·urd["قائل-ہوئے","مان-لیتے-تھے","مان-گئے","مانتا-تھا","مانتے-تھے","مانتے-ہوئے","مانیو","مانیں-گے","میں-یقین-رکھتا-ہوں","ہم-بھروسہ-رکھتے-ہیں","یقین-رکھتا-ہوں","یقین-رکھتے-ہیں"]
Luke 16:31, Luke 20:6, Acts 5:36, Acts 5:37, Acts 5:40, Acts 17:4, Acts 21:14, Acts 23:21, Acts 26:26, Acts 27:11, Acts 28:24, Rom 8:38 (+7 more)
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
2. trust or have confidence in — To trust, have confidence in, or rely upon someone or something, typically expressed through the Greek perfect tense (pepoitha, pepeismai) denoting a settled state of reliance rather than an act of persuasion. Paul writes 'I am confident (pepoithōs) of this very thing' (Phil 1:6); Jesus rebukes those who 'trusted in themselves that they were righteous' (Luke 18:9). Spanish distinguishes this clearly with 'confiando' and 'confiaba' (trusting, trusted), while German uses 'uberzeugt' (convinced) — but the force is not momentary persuasion but ongoing confidence. The perfect aspect is the grammatical fingerprint of this sense. 17×
AR["أثِقُ","أَثِقُ","أَنْ-يَثِقَ","الواثِقينَ","الْمُتَّكِلِينَ","اِتَّكَلَ","تَوَكَّلَ","مُتَوَكِّلًا","واثِقينَ","واثِقًا","وَ-واثِقٌ","يَثِقُ"]·ben["আস্থাশীল-হয়ে","তুমি-বিশ্বাস-কর","নির্ভর-করতে","নির্ভরশীল","নিশ্চিত","নিশ্চিত-হয়ে","বিশ্বস্ত-হয়ে","বিশ্বাস-করা","বিশ্বাস-করি","বিশ্বাস-করে","বিশ্বাসী","ভরসা-করে","ভরসা-করেছে","ভরসা-ছিল"]·DE["ueberzeugen","überzeugt"]·EN["I-trust","am-confident","having-confidence","having-trusted","he-had-trusted","he-trusted","to-trust","trusting","trusts"]·FR["persuader"]·heb["בָּטֵחַ-אַתָּה","בָּטַח","בָּטוּחַ-אֲנִי","בֹּטֵחַ","בּוֹטְחִים","בּוֹטְחִים,","בּוֹטֵחַ","בּוֹטֵחַ,","הַבּוֹטְחִים","לִבְטֹחַ"]·HI["भरोस-करके","भरोस-करके,","भरोस-करन","भरोस-करनेवले","भरोस-करनेवलोन,","भरोस-रखत-हुन","भरोसा-करता-था","भरोसा-करनेवालों-के-लिए","भरोसा-किया-है","भरोसा-रखता-है","भरोसा-रखते-हुए","भरोसा-रखने-वाले","भरोसा-रखने-वालों","भरोसा-रखनेवाला","भरोसे-वल","मैन-भरोस-करत-हुन"]·ID["Dia-percaya","Percaya","aku percaya","ia-percaya","percaya","yakin","yang-percaya"]·IT["persuadere"]·jav["Pitados","Piyambakipun-pitados","dipunpracaya","kula-yakin","pitados","sami-pitados","sami-yakin","sampun-pitados","yakin"]·KO["신뢰하기를","신뢰하는","신뢰하는,","신뢰하는-자들","신뢰하였다","의지하던","확신하노라","확신하는","확신하는지","확신하며","확신하여,","확신한다면"]·PT["Confiando","confia","confiando","confiante","confiar","confio","confiou","estás-convicto","que-confiam","tendo-confiado","tendo-confiança"]·RU["Уверенный","доверяющие","надеющиеся","надеющимся","надеялся","надеяться","уверен","уверенный","уверенным","уверившись","уповал","уповающим"]·ES["Confiando","confiaba","confiando","confiar","confía","confías","confío","habiendo-confiado","que-confiaban","que-confían"]·SW["alitegemea","anaamini","anamtumaini","kumkamatia","kutumainia","naamini","nikiamini","nikimtumaini","nikiwa-na-hakika","tukitumainia","umejiamini","wakiwa-na-ujasiri","waliojitumainia","wanaotumainia"]·TR["Güvenerek","emin-olan","guvenen","guvenenler","guveniyorsun","guvenmek","guvveniyorum","güvendi","güvenen","güvenenler","güveniyordu","güveniyorsa","güveniyorum","üzerine-"]·urd["بھروسہ-تھا","بھروسہ-رکھتا-ہے","بھروسہ-رکھتے-ہوئے","بھروسہ-رکھنا","بھروسہ-رکھنے-والا","بھروسہ-رکھنے-والے","بھروسہ-کرتا-ہوں","بھروسہ-کرتا-ہے","بھروسہ-کرتے-ہوئے","بھروسہ-کرنے-والوں","یقین-رکھتا-ہوا","یقین-رکھتا-ہوں","یقین-رکھتا-ہے","یقین-رکھنے-والوں-کو"]
Matt 27:43, Mark 10:24, Luke 11:22, Luke 18:9, Rom 2:19, 2 Cor 1:9, 2 Cor 2:3, 2 Cor 10:7, Gal 5:10, Phil 1:6, Phil 1:14, Phil 1:25 (+5 more)
3. persuade or convince someone — To actively persuade, convince, or win over another person through argument, reasoning, or appeal. This is the transitive Qal-like active: Paul and Barnabas 'persuading' converts to continue in grace (Acts 13:43); the chief priests 'persuaded' the multitudes to ask for Barabbas (Matt 27:20); Jewish opponents from Antioch 'persuaded' the crowds against Paul (Acts 14:19). Spanish marks this with 'persuadiendo' and 'persuadieron,' and German with 'uberzeugen' in its active deployment. The agency and effort of the speaker are in focus — this is rhetoric as action. 13×
AR["أستَميلُ","أَقنَعوا","أَقْنَعَ","أَقْنَعُوا","تُقْنِعُنِي","سَنُطَمئِنُ","مُقنِعًا","مُقْنِعًا","مُقْنِعِينَ","نُقنِعُ","وَكَانَ-يُقْنِعُ"]·ben["আমরা-বোঝাই","আমি-কি-মানাই,","আশ্বস্ত-করব","তিনি-প্ররোচিত-করতেন","প্ররোচিত-করতে","প্ররোচিত-করে","প্রেরিত-করল","বিশ্বাস-দিতেচেষ্টা-করিতেছ","বিশ্বাস-দেওয়াইতেছিল","বোঝাব","রাজি-করছিলেন","রাজি-করিয়ে","রাজি-করে"]·DE["ueberzeugen","überzeugt"]·EN["do-I-persuade","having-persuaded","persuaded","persuading","was-persuading","we-persuade","we-will-persuade","were-persuading","will-persuade","you-are-persuading"]·FR["persuader"]·heb["מְשַׁכְנְעִים","מְשַׁכְנֵעַ","מְשַׁכְנֵעַ-אֲנִי","נְשַׁכְנַע","נַרְגִּיעַ","שִׁכְנְע-וּ","שִׁכְנְעוּ","שִׁכְנֵעַ"]·HI["उकसाया","मना-लेंगे","मनाकर","मनाता-था","मनाताहै","मनाते-हुए","मैन-मनत-हुन,","समझाकर","समझाते-थे","समझाते-हुए","समझाते-हैं-हम","हम-आश्वस्त-करेंगे"]·ID["akan-membujuk","aku-meyakinkan","kami-meyakinkan","kita-akan-meyakinkan","membujuk","meyakinkan"]·IT["persuadere"]·jav["badhé-mbujuk","kawula-badhe-ngyakinaken","kawula-ngyakinaken","kula-yakinaken,","mbujuk","ngajèng","ngedap","ngyakinaken","panjenengan-ajak"]·KO["권했다","그가-설득했다","내가-설득하느냐,","설득하느냐","설득하리라","설득하며","설득하여","설득한다","설득했다","우리-가-설득할-것이다"]·PT["asseguraremos","persuades","persuadiam","persuadimos","persuadindo","persuadiram","persuado","tendo-persuadido","tendo-persuadido,"]·RU["Убеждал","убедив","убедив,","убедили","убедим","убеждаем","убеждаешь","убеждали","убеждаю","убеждая","успокоим"]·ES["persuades","persuadiendo","persuadieron","persuadimos","persuadiremos","persuado","persuadía","persuadían"]·SW["akishawishi","akiwashawishi","nawasihi","tunawashawishi","tutamshawishi","tutayatuliza","unanishawishi","wakimshawishi","wakiwashawishi","waliwashawishi"]·TR["Tanrı'ya","hakkında","ikna-edeceğiz","ikna-eden","ikna-ederek","ikna-edip","ikna-ediyordu","ikna-ediyorlardı","ikna-ediyorsun","ikna-ediyorum","ikna-ettiler"]·urd["بہکایا","تسلی-دیں-گے","راضی-کرتا-ہے","راضی-کریں-گے","سمجھاتے-تھے","قائل-کر-کے","قائل-کرتا-تھا","قائل-کرتا-ہوا","قائل-کرتے-ہوئے","قائل-کرتے-ہیں","منا-کر","مناتا-ہوں"]
Matt 27:20, Matt 28:14, Acts 12:20, Acts 13:43, Acts 14:19, Acts 18:4, Acts 19:8, Acts 19:26, Acts 26:28, Acts 28:23, 2 Cor 5:11, Gal 1:10 (+1 more)
4. obey or comply with — To obey, comply with, or yield to authority — the furthest extension of the middle/passive, where being persuaded shades into submission. Hebrews 13:17 commands 'Obey (peithesthe) your leaders and submit'; James 3:3 uses the cognate of horses obeying the bit; Galatians 5:7 asks 'who hindered you from obeying the truth?' Spanish shifts decisively from 'persuadir' to 'obedecer' (to obey), and German from 'uberzeugen' to 'gehorchen' (to obey), confirming that the translations recognize a distinct sense. The pathway from persuasion to obedience is: I was convinced, therefore I comply. 5×
AR["أَطِيعُوا","تُطيعوا","تُطيعَنا","وَ-المُطيعينَ"]·ben["বাধ্য-হও","মানতে","মানতে?","মানার","মান্যকারীদের"]·DE["ueberzeugen"]·EN["Obey","obeying","to-obey"]·FR["persuader"]·heb["לְהִשְׁמַע","לְהִשָּׁמַע","נִשְׁמָעִים","שִׁמְעוּ"]·HI["न-मअन्न?","मानते-हैं","मानो","वश-में-करने-को"]·ID["Taatilah","menaati","taat"]·IT["persuadere"]·jav["Sumangga-kita-manut","manut","manut?"]·KO["순종하게-하기-위해","순종하는-자들에게","순종하라","순종하지","순종하지?"]·PT["Obedecei","obedecendo","obedecer","obedecerem"]·RU["Повинуйтесь","повиноваться","покоряться","покоряющимся"]·ES["Obedeced","obedecer","que-obedecen"]·SW["Watiini","itii","tii","wakitii","watutii"]·TR["bize-itaat-etmeleri","itaat-edenlere","itaat-etmeyesiniz","itaat-etmeyin","İtaat-edin"]·urd["تابعداری-کرو","فرمانبرداری","ماننا>","ماننے-سے","ماننے-والے"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)H0539 2. faithful, trustworthy, sure (39×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)G4105 2. to go astray, wander, err (13×)H5377 1. deceive, beguile (Hifil active) (13×)G0114 1. reject or refuse (12×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πείθω, persuade, imperfect ἔπειθον Refs 8th c.BC+; Epic dialect and Lyric poetry πεῖθον Refs 5th c.BC+: future πείσω Refs 8th c.BC+; Epic dialect infinitive πεισέμεν Refs: aorist 1 ἔπεισα Refs 8th c.BC+ has only optative πείσειε Refs 8th c.BC+; Aeolic dialect participle πείσαις Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist 2 ἔπῐθον Refs 8th c.BC+ only in Epic dialect reduplicate forms πεπίθωμεν Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect…