ποιέω G4160
do, make, perform, act; produce, create; cause; spend time; keep; commit
The most versatile action verb in the New Testament, covering the full spectrum of human activity—from simple doing to creative making. It appears 573 times expressing everything from performing miracles (what Jesus continually 'did') to committing crimes, from producing fruit to spending time in a place. The semantic range extends from physical construction (making straight paths) to abstract causation (making disciples) to temporal duration (spending three months). Like English 'do' or 'make,' its meaning crystallizes only in context, yet this very flexibility makes it the workhorse verb for describing how Jesus and his followers act in the world.
2. make, construct, create — To fashion, construct, or bring something into material existence—the concrete 'make' appearing 62 times. Arabic صَنَعَ/يَصْنَعُ and Korean 만들다 specify this creative/constructive sense. John the Baptist quotes Isaiah: 'Make his paths straight' (Matt 3:3). Jesus teaches we cannot 'make one hair white or black' (Matt 5:36). The sense covers both physical fabrication (making a whip, building a tabernacle) and social construction (making disciples, making arrangements). The object clause defines what comes into being through the subject's agency. 62×
AR["أَفعَلُ","أَن-تَجعَلوهُم","أَن-يَصنَعوا","أَن-يَصنَعَ","أَنْ-تَجْعَلَهَا","أَنْ-يَصْنَعَ","أَنْ-يَصْنَعُوا","اجعَلُوا","اجْعَلُوا","اصْنَعُوا","اِصْنَعُوا","صَنَعَ","عَاقِدِينَ","لِيَصنَعَ","يَجْعَلُوا","يَصْنَعَ"]·ben["কর","করতে","করতে,","করাতে","করার","করে","করো","তৈরি-কর","তৈরি-করতে","নির্মাণ-করতে","বানাও","বানিয়ে"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["doing","having-made","holding","make","to-make"]·FR["faire"]·heb["אֶעֱשֶׂה","לַעֲשׂוֹת","עֲשָׂו","עֲשֹׂוּ","עֲשׂוֹת","עֲשׂוּ","עָשָׂה","עוֹשְׂים"]·HI["करके","करना","करने","करने-का","करने-को","कराने-को","करो","बनअओ","बनाओ","बनाकर","बनाना","बनाने-को"]·ID["buatlah","membuat","mengadakan","untuk-membuat","yang-harus-kulakukan"]·IT["fare"]·jav["dadosa","damel","damela","damelaken","damelna","dipun-damel","ndadosaken","ndamel","nindakaken","sasampunipun-damel","sasampunipun-damel,"]·KO["만들기-위해","만들기를","만들라","만들라고","만들어","하게-하기를","하게-하는-것","하다","하려고","하여","행하려고"]·PT["fazei","fazer","tendo-feito"]·RU["-честь","вести","делайте","делать","заставить","приобретайте","сделав","сделайте","сделать"]·ES["a-hacer","habiendo-hecho","haced","haceos","hacer"]·SW["akitengeneza","fanyeni","jifanyieni","kufanya","kuifanya","kulifanya","kutengeneza","kuwafanya","nikilifanya","wakifanya"]·TR["-a","-o","edinin","yaparak","yapmak","yapmaya","yapmayı","yaptırmak","yapın"]·urd["بنا-کر","بناؤ","بنانا","بنانے-کو","دینا","کر-کے","کرانے","کرنے","کرنے-کو","کرو","کرکے"]
Matt 3:3, Matt 5:36, Matt 12:16, Matt 12:33, Matt 12:33, Matt 17:4, Matt 20:12, Matt 23:15, Mark 1:3, Mark 3:12, Mark 9:5, Mark 11:17 (+38 more)
▼ 10 more senses below
Senses
1. do, act, perform — The foundational sense of performing any action or deed—the general 'do' that appears 473 times. Arabic فَعَلَ/يَفْعَلُ and Korean 하다/행하다 capture this universal activity sense. When Jesus asks 'What do you want me to do for you?' (Matt 9:28) or the Pharisees challenge 'Why are you doing what is not lawful?' (Matt 12:2), this basic sense dominates. It's the default for unspecified action—whatever deed is contextually relevant, whether righteous or wicked, miraculous or mundane. 473×
AR["أَفعَلَ","أَن-يُفعَلَ","أَنْ يَصْنَعَ","أَنْ-أَفعَلَ","أَنْ-أَفْعَلَ","أَنْ-تَفعَلوا","أَنْ-تَفْعَلوا","أَنْ-تَفْعَلُوا","أَنْ-يَفْعَلَ","أَنْ-يَفْعَلُوا","أَنْ-يُجْرِيَ","تَصنَعوا","لِيَصْنَعَ","لِيَصْنَعُوا","نَفعَلَ","يَصْنَعَ","يَفْعَلُ"]·ben["করতে","করা"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["to-do"]·FR["faire"]·heb["לַ-עֲשׂוֹת","לַעֲשָׂוֹת","לַעֲשֹׂת","לַעֲשׂוֹת"]·HI["करन","करना","करना,","करना।","करने","करने-को","कुछ-भी"]·ID["berbuat","dilakukan","itu","kamu-lakukan","lakukan","melakukan","melakukan,","menyenangkan","untuk-dilakukan","untuk-menunjukkan"]·IT["fare"]·jav["damel","damel,","damel.","nglampahi","nindakaken","nindakaken.","nindakaken?","supados-damel"]·KO["하기라","하기를","하는-것이","하다","하도록","하려고","할-수-있는","행하기를","행하는-것이","행하라","행하시다","행하시려고","행할지","행해야-하고"]·PT["fazer","fazer,","fazerem","para-mostrar","praticar"]·RU["делать","сделать","сотворить","творить","творить,"]·ES["de-hacer","hacer"]·SW["ifanye","katika","kufanya","kufanya.","kufanya?","kumfanyia","kuridhisha","kutenda","kuwatendea","na-yale"]·TR["yapmak","yapmasını","yapmaya","yapmayı"]·urd["سے","کرنا","کرنے","کرنے-کا","کرنے-کو"]
Matt 6:1, Matt 9:28, Matt 12:2, Matt 12:12, Matt 20:15, Matt 23:23, Mark 6:5, Mark 7:12, Mark 14:7, Mark 15:15, Luke 1:72, Luke 2:27 (+38 more)
3. produce, bear fruit — Agricultural and metaphorical production of fruit or results—yielding what naturally follows from one's nature. Appearing 15 times, this sense aligns with Arabic أَثْمَرَ and Korean 맺다, Swahili kuzaa. John warns 'every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down' (Matt 3:10), and Jesus teaches that good trees 'produce good fruit' while bad ones 'produce evil fruit' (Matt 7:17-19). The sense extends from literal agriculture (trees, vines) to metaphorical spiritual productivity. 15×
AR["أَثْمَرَتْ","تَصنَعُ","تَصْنَعُ","تُثْمِرُ","تُعمَلُ","صَنَعَ","فَ-أَثْمِرُوا","فَاصْنَعُوا","يَصنَعُ"]·ben["উৎপন্ন-করে","করছে","করে","করো","দিল","দেয়","ধরে","ফলন-করল","ফলা"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["Produce","it-produces","produce","produced","produces","producing"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עֲשֹׂוּ","עֲשׂוּ","עָשָׂה","עֹשֶׂה","עוֹשֶׂה","תַּעֲשֶׂה"]·HI["उत्पन्न-करनेवाला","उत्पन्न-करो","उत्पन्न-किया","करता-हुआ","करो","दिय","देतअ-है","देता","देता-है","बारह","लाए","लानेवाली"]·ID["Hasilkanlah","menghasilkan","yang-menghasilkan"]·IT["fare"]·jav["Damelaken","Damelna","ingkang-ngasilaken","mawoh","metokaken","ngantos-wohing","ngasilaken","ngasilaken,","ngwohaken","nuwuhaken"]·KO["릺는","릺으라","만들어-낸다","맺는","맺는다","맺았다","맺었을-때","맺으면"]·PT["der","fez","produz","produzi","produzindo","produziu","que-produz"]·RU["принесла","принесло","принесёт","приносит","приносящее","приносящему","сотворите","творящее"]·ES["haced","haciendo","hiciere","produce","produciendo","produjo","que-hace","que-produce"]·SW["hu-zaa.","hu-zaa;","hutoa","ilitoa","matunda","ozaa","usiotoa","utazaa","uzaao","zaa","zaeni"]·TR["veren","verin","verir","verirse","vermeyen","yapan","üretene","üretir","üretti"]·urd["اچھا","دیا","دیتا","دیتا-ہوا","دیتا-ہے","دے","لاؤ","لانے-والا","لایا","پھل","پیدا-کرنے-والی","کرو"]
Matt 3:8, Matt 3:10, Matt 7:17, Matt 7:17, Matt 7:19, Matt 13:23, Matt 13:26, Matt 21:43, Luke 3:8, Luke 3:9, Luke 6:43, Luke 6:43 (+3 more)
4. cause, render, make into — The causative sense of making someone or something become a certain state—causing an effect. Eight occurrences match Arabic جَعَلَ and Korean 하게 하다. Jesus 'made twelve' apostles (Mark 3:14-16), appointing them to a new status. He tells a parable where a man 'gives a dinner' (Luke 14:12)—causes a feast to exist. The sense involves transformation or conferral of new status, whether social (making someone an apostle) or circumstantial (making a situation occur). 8×
AR["أَقامَ","أَنْ-يَفْعَلُوا","اِجْعَلُوا","تَصْنَعُ","كانوا-يَصنَعونَ"]·ben["কর","করছিলেন","করলেন","করে","বসাও","রাখতে"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["Make","he-made","produces","they-were-causing","to-be-put","you-make"]·FR["faire"]·heb["הוֹשִׁיבוּ","לַעֲשׂוֹת","עָשְׂה","עָשׂוּ","עוֹשְׂה","תַּעֲשֶׂה"]·HI["उत्पन्न-किया","करे","छाँया","बनाया","बिठाओ"]·ID["Ia-menetapkan","Suruhlah","engkau-buat","engkau-membuat","membuat","mereka-membuat","untuk-menempatkan."]·IT["fare"]·jav["Tundhungna","damel","damel.","ndadosaken","panjenengan-damel"]·KO["만든다","만들면","사람들-을","앉게-하라","임명하셨다","주었다"]·PT["designou","faziam","fizeres","produz"]·RU["Велите","вывести","делаешь","поставил","причиняли","пускает"]·ES["Haced","causaban","hace","hagas","nombró","poner"]·SW["Wafanyeni","aliweka","inafanya","kuwaweka","unapofanya","walileta"]·TR["Oturtun","atadı","verirsen","yapıyor","yapıyorlardı","çıkarmak"]·urd["بنایا","بٹھاؤ","نکالتا-ہے","کرتے-تھے","کرنے","کرے"]
5. spend time — To spend or pass a period of time in a place or activity—temporal duration rather than action. Four attestations correspond to Arabic قَضَى and Korean 보내다. Paul writes 'I have spent three months' in Greece (Acts 20:3) and 'a night and day I have spent in the deep' (2 Cor 11:25). The sense focuses on the passage of time rather than what activities filled it, though context usually indicates the location or general activity during that period. 4×
AR["صَنَعْتُ","قَضَى","قَضَيا","وَقَضَى"]·ben["কাটিয়ে","কাটিয়েছি।"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["I-have-spent","having-spent"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עָשִׂיתִי","עָשָׂה","עוֹשִׂה","עוֹשִׂים"]·HI["बिताकर","मैंने-काटा","रहकर"]·ID["aku-alami","menghabiskan","tinggal"]·IT["fare"]·jav["kula-damel","nindakaken","sampun-damel"]·KO["보내고","보낸-후에","보냈다"]·PT["Tendo-passado","passei","tendo-passado"]·RU["Проведя","проведя","провёл"]·ES["Pasando","he-pasado","pasando"]·SW["akifanya","nimefanya;","wakifanya"]·TR["geçirdikten-sonra","geçirdim","geçirip"]·urd["کر-کے","گزار-کر","گزاری"]
6. keep, observe, celebrate — To observe, celebrate, or keep a religious feast or practice—ritual observance. Three occurrences match Korean 지키다 and Swahili kusherehekea. Jesus tells disciples 'I will keep the Passover at your house' (Matt 26:18), and Paul mentions 'if I keep the Passover' (Acts 18:21, textual variant). Hebrews notes Moses 'kept the Passover' (Heb 11:28). The sense specifically applies to festival observance and religious duty, not general law-keeping. 3×
AR["أَصْنَعُ","أَنْ-أَصْنَعَ","صَنَعَ"]·ben["করছি","তিনি-আচরণ-করলেন","পালন-করতে"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["I-keep","he-made","to-keep"]·FR["faire"]·heb["לַעֲשׂוֹת","עָשָׂה","עוֹשֶׂה"]·HI["मनाता-हूं","मनाना","मनाया-है"]·ID["Aku-merayakan","ia-melakukan","merayakan"]·IT["fare"]·jav["nindakaken","sampun-nglampahi"]·KO["지키리라","지킨다","행하였으니"]·PT["celebrou","faço"]·RU["совершаю","совершил","совершить"]·ES["celebrar","celebro","ha-celebrado"]·SW["alifanya","kusherehekea","nitafanya"]·TR["yapmam","yaptı","yapıyorum"]·urd["مناتا-ہُوں","منانا","منایا"]
7. commit, perpetrate — To commit or perpetrate a wrongdoing—performing a negative deed. Two passages use this sense, corresponding to Arabic عَمِلَ (negative) and Korean 저지르다. Mark describes the insurrectionists who 'had committed murder' (Mark 15:7), and Paul asks rhetorically 'did I commit sin?' (2 Cor 11:7). The verb itself is neutral, but context specifies the action as transgressive—the object is always something morally negative (murder, sin, crime). 2×
AR["عَمِلْتُ","كَانُوا-قَدْ-فَعَلُوا"]·ben["করেছি","করেছিল"]·DE["tun"]·EN["I-committed","had-committed"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עָשְׂוּ","עָשִׂיתִי"]·HI["की-थी","मैंने-किया"]·ID["aku-perbuat","telah-melakukan"]·IT["fare"]·jav["kula-damel","sampun-nindakaken"]·KO["저질렀었다","지었는가"]·PT["cometi","tinham-cometido"]·RU["совершил","совершили"]·ES["cometí","habían-cometido"]·SW["nilifanya,","walikuwa-wamefanya"]·TR["işledim-mi","işlemişlerdi"]·urd["کیا","کیا-تھا"]
8. consider, reckon — To consider, count, or reckon something in a certain way—cognitive evaluation rather than physical action. Two occurrences match Arabic أَجْعَلُ (evaluative) and Korean 여기다. Paul writes 'I do not make account of my life' (Acts 20:24, i.e., I don't consider it precious) and 'God is my witness...how I make mention of you' (Rom 1:9, though translation traditions vary). The mental rather than physical action distinguishes this from other senses. 2×
AR["أَجْعَلُ","أَصنَعُ"]·ben["আমি-করি,","আমি-গণ্য-করি"]·DE["tun","tut"]·EN["I-make"]·FR["faire"]·heb["חוֹשֵׁב-אֲנִי","עוֹשֶׂה-אֲנִי"]·HI["करता-हूँ","गिनती-नहीं-करता"]·ID["aku-anggap","aku-buat,"]·IT["fare"]·jav["kula-damel","kula-tindakaken,"]·KO["나는-여기지-않는다","하노라"]·PT["faço"]·RU["имею","не-делаю"]·ES["hago"]·SW["nifanyavyo,","siihesabu"]·TR["yapıyorum"]·urd["سمجھتا-ہوں","میں-کرتا-ہوں"]
9. work, labor — To work or labor at a task—occupational effort. Two attestations correspond to Arabic عَمِلَ and Korean 일하다. In the vineyard parable, workers complain 'these last worked one hour' (Matt 20:12), and opponents 'were preparing an ambush' against Paul (Acts 25:3). The sense emphasizes sustained labor or effort toward a goal, overlapping with general 'do' but with stronger connotations of toil or deliberate preparation. 2×
AR["صَانِعِينَ","عَمِلوا"]·ben["করল","করিতেছে"]·DE["tut"]·EN["preparing","worked"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עָשׂוּ","עוֹשִׂים"]·HI["करतेहुए","किय"]·ID["bekerja","membuat,"]·IT["fare"]·jav["damel","damel,"]·KO["만들며","일했다"]·PT["fazendo,","trabalharam,"]·RU["делая","проработали,"]·ES["haciendo","trabajaron"]·SW["sawa","wakifanya"]·TR["kurarak","çalıştılar"]·urd["کام-کیا","کرتے-ہوئے"]
10. sense 10 — Uncertain sense with single attestation in Acts 1:1 where Luke refers to his former book about 'all that Jesus began to do and teach.' Translation traditions vary on whether this is simple narration ('made' = 'composed' the narrative) or refers to Jesus' deeds. The hapax context and metaliterary reference make classification difficult—it may simply be the general 'do' sense applied to Jesus' earthly ministry. 1×
AR["صَنَعْتُ"]·ben["হে-থিয়ফিল"]·DE["tut"]·EN["I-made"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עָשִׂיתִי"]·HI["मैंने-लिखा"]·ID["aku-telah-membuat"]·IT["fare"]·jav["kawula-damel"]·KO["기록했다"]·PT["eu-fiz"]·RU["я-сделал"]·ES["hice"]·SW["niliandika"]·TR["hakkında-"]·urd["میں-نے-لکھی"]
11. sense 11 — Another single attestation describing Moses as one 'having been appointed' or 'made faithful' (Heb 3:2). The passive or middle voice and unique context (God appointing Moses to his office) may warrant a distinct sense of divine appointment, though it could be subsumed under the causative sense (God made Moses into a faithful servant). Insufficient attestation makes a firm boundary difficult to draw. 1×
AR["أَقَامَهُ"]·ben["যিনি-বানালেন"]·DE["tun"]·EN["having-appointed"]·FR["faire"]·heb["עֹשֶׂהוּ"]·HI["बनानेवाले-के"]·ID["mengangkat"]·IT["fare"]·jav["sampun-netepaken"]·KO["세우신-자에게"]·PT["O-constituiu"]·RU["Сотворившему"]·ES["que-hizo"]·SW["aliyemweka"]·TR["atayanına"]·urd["مقرر-کرنے-والے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)H7665 1. Qal: break, shatter (50×)H8628 1. blow a trumpet/horn (49×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ποιέω, Doric dialect ποιϝέω Refs, etc.: Epic dialect imperfect ποίεον Refs 8th c.BC+; contraction ποίει Refs; Ionic dialect ποιέεσκον Refs 5th c.BC+future ποιήσω: aorist ἐποίησα, Epic dialect ποίησα Refs 8th c.BC+perfect πεποίηκα:—middle, Ionic dialect imperfect ποιεέσκετο Refs 5th c.BC+: future ποιήσομαι Refs 8th c.BC+aorist ἐποιησάμην, Epic dialect ποι- Refs 8th c.BC+perfect πεποίημαι in middle…