περί G4012
About, concerning; a preposition marking reference/topic, purpose/benefit, spatial surrounding, or numerical approximation
The preposition περί (peri) is one of the workhorses of New Testament Greek, governing both genitive and accusative cases with distinct semantic effects. Its dominant sense — 'concerning, about' — frames nearly every theological discussion in the epistles and much of Jesus' teaching. Yet its older spatial meaning, 'around,' survives vividly: John the Baptist's leather belt 'around his waist' (Matt 3:4; Mark 1:6). Between these poles lie causal uses ('for, on behalf of') central to atonement theology, and approximative uses ('about the third hour,' Matt 20:3) that give the parables their temporal texture. Spanish distinguishes these neatly: 'acerca-de' for reference, 'por' for cause, 'alrededor-de' for space, 'cerca-de' for approximation.
Senses
1. concerning, about (reference) — Marks the topic or subject of discourse: 'concerning X,' 'about X,' 'with regard to X.' With 276 occurrences this is overwhelmingly the primary New Testament sense, used with the genitive. Spanish consistently renders it 'acerca-de' and German 'über,' while French uses 'au-sujet-de' — all confirming a referential rather than spatial meaning. It frames Herod's inquiry about the Christ (Matt 2:8), Jesus' teaching about anxiety (Matt 6:28), and Paul's theological arguments throughout the epistles. 276×
AR["بِ-", "بِ-شَأْنِ", "بِـ", "على", "عَلَي", "عَن", "عَنِ", "عَنْ"]·ben["-বিষয়ে", "-সম্বন্ধে", "বিষয়ে", "যার-বিষয়ে", "সম্বন্ধে"]·DE["ueber-", "über"]·EN["about", "about-", "concerning", "concerning-"]·FR["au-sujet-de"]·heb["וְ-", "לְךָ", "סְבִיב", "עֲלֵיהֶם", "עֲלֵיכֶם", "עַל", "עַל-", "עַל־", "עָלֶיךָ", "עָלָיו"]·HI["-के-बअरे-मेइन", "-के-बरे-मेइन", "-के-बारे", "-के-विषय", "-के-विषय-में", "के", "के-विषय-में", "बताते-हैं"]·ID["tentang"]·IT["riguardo-a"]·jav["bab", "tumrap"]·KO["-에-관하여", "-에-관해", "-에-대한", "~에-관하여", "~에-대하여", "에-대해"]·PT["Acerca-", "acerca", "acerca-", "acerca-de", "de-", "delas", "pelas-", "por"]·RU["О", "за", "над-", "о", "о-", "об", "об-"]·ES["acerca-de", "por-"]·SW["-", "ambaye", "kuhusu", "kuhusu-", "kukuhusu", "kumhusu", "lakini", "si", "wao"]·TR["-hakkında", "hakkında"]·urd["-پر", "-کے-بارے-میں", "بارے-میں", "کا", "کی"]
Matt 2:8, Matt 4:6, Matt 6:28, Matt 9:36, Matt 11:7, Matt 11:10, Matt 12:36, Matt 15:7, Matt 16:11, Matt 17:13, Matt 18:19, Matt 19:17 (+38 more)
2. for, on behalf of (purpose/cause) — Indicates purpose, benefit, or cause: 'for the sake of X,' 'on behalf of X,' 'because of X.' This sense appears 29 times, often in sacrificial or intercessory contexts that are theologically charged. Jesus says his blood is poured out 'for many' (Matt 26:28 — περὶ πολλῶν), and he prays 'for' Peter (Luke 22:32). Spanish shifts to 'por' (for/because of) and English to 'for,' both distinguishing this from the referential 'about.' The overlap with ὑπέρ in some manuscripts shows how closely these senses were felt. 29×
AR["عَن", "عَنَّا", "عَنِ", "عَنْ", "مِن-أَجلِ", "مِنْ-أجْلِ"]·ben["-এর-জন্য", "-এর-সম্পর্কে", "-জন্য", "-বিষয়ে", "জন্য", "বিষয়ে", "বিষয়ে-"]·DE["ueber-", "über"]·EN["concerning", "for", "for-"]·FR["au-sujet-de", "au-sujet-de-"]·heb["בַּעֲדֵנוּ", "עַל", "עַל-", "עַל-אוֹדוֹת", "עָלֵינוּ"]·HI["-के-लिए", "-के-लिये", "-के-विषय-में", "के-लिए", "के-लिये"]·ID["untuk"]·IT["riguardo-a"]·jav["bab", "kangge", "kanggé", "karana", "tumrap"]·KO["-에-관하여", "-을-위하여", "~에-관하여", "~을-위하여", "에-관하여", "에-관한"]·PT["acerca", "para", "pelo", "pelos", "por"]·RU["за-", "о-", "обо-"]·ES["acerca", "acerca-de", "por"]·SW["juu-ya", "kuhusu", "kuhusu-", "kwa-ajili", "kwa-ajili-ya", "kwa-ajili-ya-"]·TR["-için", "-nin-icin", "hakkında", "için", "için-"]·urd["-کے-لیے", "خاطر", "سے", "لیے", "کے-لِیے", "کے-لیے"]
Matt 26:28, Luke 5:14, Luke 6:28, Luke 22:32, John 10:33, John 10:33, Acts 8:15, Acts 12:5, Eph 6:18, Col 1:3, Col 4:3, 1 Thess 5:10 (+17 more)
3. around, surrounding (spatial) — Spatial sense indicating encirclement or proximity: 'around X,' 'surrounding X,' used with the accusative. Nineteen occurrences preserve the word's etymological core (cognate with Sanskrit pári, 'round about'). John the Baptist wears a belt 'around his waist' (Matt 3:4; Mark 1:6); a millstone is hung 'around the neck' (Matt 18:6); crowds press 'around' Jesus (Mark 3:8). Spanish 'alrededor-de' and German 'um' capture the physical encirclement that 'concerning' cannot. 19×
amh["በዙሪያ"]·AR["حول", "حَولَ", "حَولَهُ", "حَوْلَ", "حَوْلَهَا", "حَوْلَهُ", "عَلَى", "فِي"]·ben["-কে-ঘিরে", "-চারপাশে", "-তে", "আশে-পাশের", "ঘিরে", "চারপাশে", "বিষয়ে", "সাথে"]·ces["kolem"]·dan["omkring-"]·DE["ueber-", "um", "über"]·ell["περί"]·EN["around", "around-"]·FR["au-sujet-de", "au-sujet-de-", "autour"]·guj["આસપાસના"]·hat["bò"]·hau["kusa-da"]·heb["סְבִיב", "סְבִיבִיב", "סְבִיבָיו", "סְבִיבוֹת", "סָבִיב", "סביב", "עַל־"]·HI["-के-आसपास", "-के-चारों-ओर", "-के-साथ", "-पर", "-मेइन", "आस-पास", "आस-पास-की", "और", "के", "के-चारों-ओर", "को", "चारों-ओर", "बारह", "सूर"]·hun["körülöttük"]·ID["di", "di-sekeliling", "di-sekitar", "sekitar", "tentang"]·IT["intorno", "riguardo-a", "riguardo-a-"]·jav["bab", "ing", "ngubengi", "sakiwa-tengen", "sakiwa-tengenipun", "saubeng", "tiyang-sakiwa-tengen", "tiyang-sakiwa-tengenipun,", "wonten-ing"]·JA["-の周り-の"]·KO["-를-둘러", "-에", "-에-대하여", "-의", "-주위", "-주위에", "-주위에서", "-주위의", "대한", "둘레-에", "에", "에-관한", "주위에", "주위에-있는-자들이"]·mar["सभोवती-"]·mya["ပတ်ဝန်းကျင်"]·nld["rondom"]·nor["omkring"]·pnb["آلے-دوالے"]·pol["wokół"]·PT["ao-redor", "ao-redor-de", "ao-redor-de-", "com,", "partes-ao-redor"]·ron["din-jurul"]·RU["бывшие-с", "вокруг", "вокруг-", "на", "около", "около-", "по-"]·ES["alrededor", "alrededor-de", "alrededor-de-"]·SW["karibu-na", "karibu-na-", "karibu-naye", "kuhusu,", "kunizunguka-", "kuuzunguka", "kuwazunguka", "kuzunguka", "kuzunguka-", "kwenye", "pamoja-na", "shingoni", "walio-karibu-naye"]·swe["omkring"]·tam["-சுற்றியுள்ள"]·tel["-చుట్టూ"]·tgl["sa-paligid"]·TH["รอบๆ"]·TR["-de", "-e", "-etrafında", "civarından", "etrafına", "etrafında", "etrafındakiler", "etrafını", "yanındaki-ler", "yer", "çevresinde", "çevresindeki", "çevresine"]·ukr["навколо"]·urd["-پر", "-کے-ارد-گرد", "-کے-پاس", "-کے-گرد", "ارد-گرد", "بارے", "بارے-میں", "چاروں-طرف", "کے-آس-پاس", "کے-ارد-گرد-", "گرد", "گِرد"]·VI["xung-quanh"]·yor["tí-ó-yí-ka"]·yue["周圍-嘅"]·ZH["周围"]
4. about, approximately (numerical) — Marks numerical or temporal approximation: 'about X,' 'approximately X,' used with the accusative of measure. Nine occurrences cluster in the parable of the laborers (Matt 20:3, 5, 6, 9 — 'about the third hour,' 'about the sixth hour') and at the crucifixion ('about the ninth hour,' Matt 27:46). Spanish 'cerca-de/del' (near to) and English 'about' both capture the inexactness. This sense bridges spatial proximity ('near a number') and abstract reference, showing how concrete meaning bleeds into abstract. 9×
AR["حَوَالَي", "نَحوَ", "نَحْوَ"]·ben["-কাছে", "আসপাশে", "প্রায়", "বিষয়ে", "সময়ে"]·DE["ueber-", "über"]·EN["about", "about-", "around"]·FR["au-sujet-de", "au-sujet-de-"]·heb["בְּ", "בְּ-", "בַּ-", "סָבִיב"]·HI["-के-लगभग", "-को", "आता-है", "के-आसपास", "लगभग"]·ID["pukul", "sekitar"]·IT["riguardo-a", "riguardo-a-"]·jav["Kirang-langkung", "kirang-langkung", "wanci", "watawis"]·KO["-에", "-에-대해", "-쥼", "-쯤에", "~즈음에"]·PT["Por-volta-da-", "da-", "por-volta", "por-volta-da-"]·RU["Около", "около", "около-"]·ES["acerca-de", "cerca-de", "cerca-del", "de-cerca-de", "hacia"]·SW["-", "karibu-na", "lakini", "saa-sita"]·TR["-de", "-hakkında", "civarında", "civarındakiler"]·urd["-کے-قریب", "قریب"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
περί, Thess., Delph. περ Refs 5th c.BC+, also Aeolic dialect, see below Refs 4th c.BC+ V; Elean παρ Refs: preposition with genitive, dative, and accusative:—round about, all round (properly different from ἀμφί, on both sides). (Cogn. with Sanskrit pári 'round about'.) __A WITH GENITIVE, __A.I of Place, sometimes in Poets, round about, around, τετάνυστο π. σπείους ἡμερίς Refs 8th c.BC+, on both…