περιπᾰτ-έω G4043
To walk physically on foot; figuratively, to conduct oneself or live in a certain manner, describing ethical and spiritual behavior.
One of the New Testament's most vivid metaphors hides inside an everyday word for walking. Paul's letters are saturated with it: 'walk in love,' 'walk by the Spirit,' 'walk in newness of life.' The physical sense — Peter walking on water (Matt 14:29), Jesus walking by the sea (Matt 4:18) — provides the concrete image that the ethical metaphor depends on. The LSJ lexicon traces this figurative extension to the first century BC, but the apostolic writers made it a signature idiom. Spanish splits between 'caminar' (physical) and 'andar' (conduct), while German 'wandeln' elegantly carries both senses.
Senses
1. conduct oneself, live — The figurative sense: to conduct oneself, to live or behave in a particular way. Nearly half the occurrences (48x) describe manner of life — walking in darkness or light (John 12:35), walking according to the flesh or Spirit (Rom 8:4), walking worthily of one's calling (Eph 4:1). Spanish 'andad/caminad' and German 'wandeln/wandelt' both serve this ethical register. Mark 7:5 uses it for following tradition, showing the metaphor extends from moral to cultural conduct. 48×
AR["أنْ-تَسْلُكوا", "اسلُكوا", "امْشُوا", "اُسلُكوا", "تَسلُكوا", "سالِكينَ", "لِتَسلُكوا", "نَسلُكُ", "يَسلُكَ", "يَمشونَ"]·ben["আমরা-চলি,", "চল", "চল,", "চলছি", "চলছে", "চলতে", "চলতেছি।", "চলি", "তোমরা-চল", "হাঁটছে"]·DE["wandeln", "wandelt"]·EN["to-walk", "walk", "walking", "we-walk"]·FR["marcher"]·heb["הִתְהַלְּכוּ", "לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ", "לְכוּ", "לָלֶכֶת", "מִתְהַלְּכִים"]·HI["चलते-हुए", "चलते-हुए।", "चलते-हैं-हम", "चलते-हैन", "चलन", "चलना", "चलने", "चलनेवाले", "चलो", "चलो,", "हम-चलें"]·ID["Berjalanlah", "berjalan", "berjalan.", "berjalanlah", "berjalanlah--", "hidup", "hiduplah", "kami-berjalan", "kita-berjalan,"]·IT["camminare"]·jav["Mlampaha", "kawula-lumampah", "kawula-lumampah,", "lumampah", "lumampah-", "lumampaha", "lumampaha,", "sami-lumampah,"]·KO["걷고-있는-것을", "걷도록", "걸는-자들로", "걸는다", "걸어-다니고", "걸으나", "걸으라", "걸으며", "우리-가-걸으면", "행하고", "행하기를", "행하도록", "행하라", "행하라,", "행하지"]·PT["andai", "andai--", "andam", "andamos", "andando", "andando.", "andar", "andar.", "andardes", "andarmos", "para-andardes"]·RU["ходим", "ходим,", "ходите", "ходите-", "ходить", "ходить.", "ходят", "ходящие", "ходящих"]·ES["Caminad", "andad", "andamos", "andando", "andar", "caminad", "caminan", "caminando", "caminar", "para-caminar"]·SW["enendeni", "kuenenda", "kutembea", "tembeeni", "tukienenda", "tukienenda,", "tunaenenda,", "tunaenenda.", "tunatembea", "wakitembea", "wanatembea", "wanatembea,"]·TR["Yürüyün", "yurumek", "yurumeye", "yuruyin", "yürümek", "yürürüz", "yürüyenler", "yürüyerek", "yürüyor", "yürüyorlar.", "yürüyormuşuz-gibi", "yürüyorsak", "yürüyoruz", "yürüyün"]·urd["چلتے-ہوئے", "چلتے-ہوئے۔", "چلتے-ہیں", "چلنا", "چلنا۔", "چلنے-والے", "چلنے-کو", "چلنے-کے-لیے", "چلو", "چلیں،"]
Matt 11:5, Mark 7:5, Luke 7:22, John 12:35, Acts 21:21, Rom 6:4, Rom 8:1, Rom 8:4, Rom 13:13, Rom 14:15, 1 Cor 3:3, 1 Cor 7:17 (+36 more)
2. walk physically — The literal, physical sense: to move on foot, to walk somewhere. Jesus walking on the sea (Matt 14:25), the healed paralytic walking (Matt 9:5), and crowds walking along roads all use this concrete meaning. With 47 occurrences, the physical sense nearly matches the figurative in frequency — a reminder that the metaphor stays grounded. Spanish 'camina/caminando' and the identical French 'marcher' carry this straightforward ambulatory meaning. 47×
AR["امشِ", "امْشِ", "اِمشِ", "اِمْشِ", "ماشِيًا", "ماشِيَيْنِ", "مَاشِيًا", "مَاشِيَيْنِ", "يَمْشُونَ"]·ben["হাঁট", "হাঁট?", "হাঁটছিলেন", "হাঁটছে", "হাঁটছেন", "হাঁটতে", "হাঁটতে-হাঁটতে", "হাঁটো", "হেঁটে"]·DE["wandeln", "wandelt"]·EN["walk", "walking"]·FR["marcher"]·heb["הִתְהַלֵּךְ", "הַלֵּךְ", "הוֹלְכִים", "מְהַלְּכִים", "מְהַלֵּךְ", "מִתְהַלְּכִים", "מִתְהַלֵּךְ"]·HI["और", "चल", "चल?", "चलते-हुए", "चलते-हुए,", "चल।", "समझे"]·ID["berjalan", "berjalan,", "berjalanlah", "berjalanlah!", "berjalanlah.", "berjalanlah?", "sedang-berjalan"]·IT["camminare"]·jav["lumakua?", "lumampaha", "lumampaha!", "lumampaha?", "mlampah", "mlampah,", "mlampah.", "mlampaha.", "mlampaha?", "nalika-mlampah"]·KO["걷고-계시는-그에게", "걷고-있는", "걷는", "걷는-것을,", "걸어가면서", "걸어가시는", "걸어가시는-것을", "걸어다년라", "걸어다녔라", "걸어라", "걸으라?", "걸으며", "걸으시는-것을", "걸으시며", "그리고"]·PT["anda", "anda?", "andando", "andando,"]·RU["идущего", "идущим", "идя", "ходи", "ходи!", "ходи.", "ходи?", "ходя,", "ходящего", "ходящий", "ходящими", "ходящих"]·ES["camina", "caminando"]·SW["akitembea", "mkitembea", "tembea", "tembea?", "wakitembea"]·TR["yürü", "yürü?", "yürürken", "yürüyen", "yürüyenlere", "yürüyerek", "yürüyor"]·urd["پر", "چل", "چلتا-ہوا", "چلتے-ہوئے", "چلتے-ہوئے،"]
Matt 4:18, Matt 9:5, Matt 14:25, Matt 14:26, Matt 14:29, Matt 15:31, Mark 2:9, Mark 5:42, Mark 6:48, Mark 6:49, Mark 8:24, Mark 11:27 (+35 more)
3. sense 3 — A single occurrence in 1 Pet 5:8 where the devil 'walks about' (peripatei) like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. The English 'walks-about' and Spanish 'anda-alrededor' both emphasize restless, predatory prowling — neither mere physical walking nor ethical conduct, but a menacing, purposeful circling. The imagery merges literal motion with malevolent intent in a way that resists neat classification under either main sense. 1×
AR["يَجولُ"]·ben["ঘুরে-বেড়ায়"]·DE["wandeln"]·EN["walks-about"]·FR["marcher"]·heb["מְהַלֵּךְ"]·HI["घूमता-है"]·ID["berkeliling"]·IT["camminare"]·jav["mlampah,"]·KO["걸어-다니니"]·RU["ходит,"]·ES["anda-alrededor"]·SW["anatembea"]·TR["dolaşır"]·urd["پھرتا-ہے،"]
Related Senses
H3212 1. go, depart, travel (884×)H1980 1. to go, travel (Qal) (283×)G4198 1. go, proceed (physical movement) (139×)H1980 2. to walk in conduct (Qal) (132×)G0565 1. go away, depart physically (112×)H3212 2. walk in, follow a way (79×)G5217 1. go, proceed (78×)H1980 3. to walk about, traverse (Hitpael) (63×)H5162 1. comfort, console (Piel) (51×)H5162 2. relent, repent, change mind (Nifal) (35×)G3340 1. repent, change one's mind (34×)H1980 4. to walk habitually (Piel) (30×)H4546 1. highway, raised road (25×)H5637 1. be stubborn, rebellious (17×)G0391 1. conduct, way of life, behavior (13×)H3212 4. lead, bring, cause to go (13×)G1485 1. custom, habit, established practice (12×)H5162 3. be comforted, receive comfort (Nifal) (10×)G4198 2. walk, conduct oneself (figurative) (8×)G0390 1. conduct oneself, live (7×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
περιπᾰτ-έω, walk up and down, as in a cloister, opposed to βαδίζειν (take a walk), ἐν ταῖς στοαῖς Refs 4th c.BC+; walk about, Refs 5th c.BC+; περιπατεῖται ἡ ὁδός the road is for walking on, Refs 2nd c.AD+: with accusative, traverse, ὅλην τὴν Αἴγυπτον Refs 2nd c.AD+ __2 walk about while teaching, discourse, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἐς τοὺς ἀκροωμένους dispute, argue with them, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __3 metaphorically, walk, i.e. live, NT+1st c.BC+