3982. peithó
Lexical Summary
peithó: To persuade, to convince, to trust, to have confidence

Original Word: πείθω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: peithó
Pronunciation: pay'-tho
Phonetic Spelling: (pi'-tho)
KJV: agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield
NASB: persuaded, convinced, persuade, confident, obey, followed, have confidence
Word Origin: [a primary verb]

1. to convince (by argument, true or false)
2. (by analogy) to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means)
3. (reflexively or passively) to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
to persuade

A primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty) -- agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

HELPS Word-studies

3982 peíthō(the root of 4102 /pístis, "faith") – to persuade; (passive) be persuaded of what is trustworthy.

The Lord persuades the yielded believer to be confident in His preferred-will (Gal 5:10; 2 Tim 1:12). 3982 (peíthō) involves "obedience, but it is properly the result of (God's) persuasion" (WS, 422).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to persuade, to have confidence
NASB Translation
assure (1), confident (3), convinced (7), followed (2), have confidence (2), having confidence (2), listen (1), obey (3), obeying (1), persuade (4), persuaded (8), persuading (1), put...trust (1), put confidence (1), put...confidence (1), relied (1), seeking the favor (1), sure (2), took...advice (1), trust (2), trusted (1), trusting (1), trusts (1), urging (1), win...over (1), won over (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3982: Πειθώ

Πειθώ, Πειθους, ,

1. Peitho, proper name of a goddess, literally, Persuasion; LatinSuada orSuadela.

2. persuasive power, persuasion: 1 Corinthians 2:4 ἐν πειθοι — accusative to certain inferior authorities. (On the word, see Müller's note on Josephus, contra Apion 2, 21, 3. (Hesiod, Herodotus, others.))

STRONGS NT 3982: πείθωπείθω ((from the root meaning 'to bind'; allied with πίστις, fides, foedus, etc.; Curtius, § 327; Vanicek, p. 592)); imperfect ἔπειθον; future πείσω; 1 aorist ἐπεισα; 2 perfect πέποιθα; pluperfect ἐπεποίθειν (Luke 11:22); passive (or middle, present πείθομαι; imperfect ἐπειθομην); perfect πέπεισμαι; 1 aorist ἐπείσθην; 1 future πεισθήσομαι (Luke 16:31); from Homer down;

1. Active;

a. to persuade, i. e. to induce one by words to believe: absolutely πείσας μετέστησεν ἱκανόν ὄχλον, Acts 19:26; τί, to cause belief in a thing (which one sets forth), Acts 19:8 R G T (cf. Buttmann, 150 (131) n.) (Sophocles O. C. 1442); with the genitive of the thing, ibid. L Tr WH; τινα, one, Acts 18:4; τινα τί, one of a thing, Acts 28:23 Rec. (Herodotus 1, 163; Plato, Apology, p. 37 a., and elsewhere; (cf. Buttmann, as above)); τινα περί τίνος, concerning a thing, ibid. G L T Tr WH.

b. as in classical Greek from Homer down, with an accusative of a person, to make friends of, win one's favor, gain one's good-will, Acts 12:20; or to seek to win one, strive to please one, 2 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 1:10; to conciliate by persuasion, Matthew 28:14 (here T WH omit; Tr brackets αὐτόν); Acts 14:19; equivalent to to tranquillize (A. V. assure), τάς καρδίας ἡμῶν, 1 John 3:19.

c. to persuade unto i. e. move or induce one by persuasion to do something: τινα followed by an infinitive (R § 139, 46), Acts 13:43; Acts 26:28 (Xenophon, an. 1, 3, 19; Polybius 4, 64,2; Diodorus 11, 15; 12, 39; Josephus, Antiquities 8, 10, 3); τινα followed by ἵνα (cf. Winers Grammar, 338 (317); Buttmann, § 139, 40), Matthew 27:20 (Plutarch, apoph. Alex. 21).

2. Passive and middle (cf. Winers Grammar, 253 (238));

a. to be persuaded, to suffer oneself to be persuaded; to be induced to believe: absol, Luke 16:31; Acts 17:4; to have faith, Hebrews 11:13 Rec.; τίνι, in a thing, Acts 28:24; to believe, namely, ὅτι, Hebrews 13:18 L T Tr WH. πέπεισμαι τί (on the neuter accusative cf. Buttmann, § 131, 10) περί τίνος (genitive of person), to be persuaded (of) a thing concerning a person, Hebrews 6:9 (A. V. we are persuaded better things of you, etc.); πεπεισμένος εἰμί, to have persuaded oneself, and πείθομαι, to believe (cf. English to be persuaded), followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Luke 20:6; Acts 26:26; πέπεισμαι ὅτι, Romans 8:38; 2 Timothy 1:5, 12; with ἐν κυρίῳ added (see ἐν, I. 6 b.), Romans 14:14; περί τίνος ὅτι, Romans 15:14.

b. to listen to, obey, yield to, comply with: τίνι, one, Acts 5:36f, 39(); ; Romans 2:8; Galatians 3:1 Rec.; ; Hebrews 13:17; James 3:3.

3. 2 perfect πέποιθα (the Sept. mostly for בָּטַח, also for חָסָה, נִשְׁעַן Niphal of the unused שָׁעַן), intransitive, to trust, have confidence, be confident: followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Romans 2:19; by ὅτι, Hebrews 13:18 Rec.; by ὅτι with a preparatory αὐτό τοῦτο (Winer's Grammar, § 23, 5), Philippians 1:6; τοῦτο πεποιθώς οἶδα ὅτι, Philippians 1:25; πέποιθα with a dative of the person or the thing in which the confidence reposes (so in classical Greek (on its construction in the N. T. see Buttmann, § 133, 5; Winer's Grammar, 214 (201); § 33, d.)): Philippians 1:14; Philemon 1:21 (2 Kings 17:20; Proverbs 14:16; Proverbs 26:26; Isaiah 28:17; Sir. 35:24 (Sir. 32:24); Wis. 14:29); ἑαυτῷ followed by an infinitive 2 Corinthians 10:7; ἐν τίνι, to trust in, put confidence in a person or thing (cf. Buttmann, as above), Philippians 3:3, 4; ἐν κυρίῳ followed by ὅτι, Philippians 2:24; ἐπί τίνι, Matthew 27:43 L text WH marginal reading; Mark 10:24 (where T WH omit; Tr marginal reading brackets the clause); Luke 11:22; Luke 18:9; 2 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 2:13 (and very often in the Sept., as Deuteronomy 28:52; 2 Chronicles 14:11; Psalm 2:13; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 31:1); ἐπί τινα, Matthew 27:43 where L text WH marginal reading ἐπί with the dative (Isaiah 36:5; Habakkuk 2:18; 2 Chronicles 16:7f, etc.); ἐπί τινα followed by ὅτι, 2 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:4; εἰς τινα followed by ὅτι, Galatians 5:10. (Compare: ἀναπείθω.)

Topical Lexicon
Root Idea and Thematic Overview

The verb behind Strong’s 3982 gathers the concepts of persuading others, being convinced in one’s own mind, and yielding in obedient trust. In Scripture these strands interweave to depict how the gospel moves from proclamation to inward assurance and then outward submission. From the leaders who “persuaded the crowds” against Jesus (Matthew 27:20) to Paul who “tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets” (Acts 28:23), the word traces both righteous and unrighteous influence.

Persuasion in Evangelism and Apologetics

Acts repeatedly portrays evangelistic dialogue rather than coercion. In synagogue and marketplace Paul “reasoned every Sabbath, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4). Some “were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas” (Acts 17:4), while others hardened. The same term describes negative agitation: unbelieving Jews “persuaded the crowds” and stoned Paul (Acts 14:19). The church’s mission therefore depends on Spirit-empowered reasoning that appeals to mind and conscience: “Since then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11).

Faith, Assurance, and Conviction

Perfect-tense forms express settled certainty. “I am convinced that neither death nor life…will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39). Paul is “convinced of this” concerning the Philippians’ perseverance (Philippians 1:25) and Timothy’s sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5). Such assurance rests not on human resolve but on God’s faithfulness: “I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him” (2 Timothy 1:12).

Obedience and Submission

When the verb takes the middle/passive sense it speaks of heeding, not merely agreeing. Galatians laments, “You were running so well. Who has hindered you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7). Hebrews exhorts, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls” (Hebrews 13:17). James uses the example of bridled horses “so that they obey us” (James 3:3). Genuine persuasion of the heart produces willing obedience.

Warnings Against Misplaced Confidence

Trust can be fatally misplaced. Jesus warns, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24). The parable targets “some who were confident in their own righteousness” (Luke 18:9). Self-reliance crumbles under trial, as Paul recalls being “so utterly burdened beyond our strength…so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).

Corporate Encouragement and Mutual Confidence

Ministry teams frequently affirm trust in one another. “We are confident about you in the Lord, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command” (2 Thessalonians 3:4). Paul writes Philemon, “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask” (Philemon 1:21). Such expressions foster accountability grounded in shared submission to Christ.

Christ the Object and Model of Trust

At Calvary the mockers misunderstood true confidence: “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now if He wants Him” (Matthew 27:43). Yet Hebrews applies Isaiah’s words to Jesus: “I will put My trust in Him” (Hebrews 2:13). The Son’s perfect reliance provides the pattern and ground for the believer’s assurance.

Eschatological Hope and Moral Certainty

Persuasion shapes ethical decisions: “I am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself” (Romans 14:14). John joins assurance with loving action: “By this we will know that we belong to the truth, and we will set our hearts at rest before Him” (1 John 3:19). Future hope reinforces present steadfastness: “I am convinced that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Pastoral Application

1. Preachers: engage mind and heart, trusting the Spirit to persuade.
2. Believers: cultivate settled conviction by meditating on God’s promises.
3. Churches: practice joyful obedience to faithful leaders.
4. Evangelists: remember that counterfeit persuasions also operate; test every appeal by Scripture.

The stream of Strong’s 3982 runs from proclamation to conviction to obedient service, illustrating how divine truth wins the mind, grips the heart, and directs the will.

Forms and Transliterations
έπειθέ επειθεν ἔπειθέν επειθετο επείθετο ἐπείθετο επειθον έπειθον ἔπειθον επειθοντο επείθοντο ἐπείθοντο επεισαν έπεισαν ἔπεισαν έπεισε επείσθη επεισθησαν επείσθησαν ἐπείσθησαν επεποιθει επεποίθει ἐπεποίθει επεποίθειν επεποίθεις επεποίθεισαν επεποίθησα επεποίθησαν πειθεις πείθεις πειθεσθαι πείθεσθαι Πειθεσθε Πείθεσθε πειθομαι πείθομαι πειθομεθα πειθόμεθα πειθομεν πείθομεν πειθομενοις πειθομένοις πειθομενου πειθομένου πειθω πείθω πειθων πείθων πεισαντες πείσαντες πεισας πείσας πεισθεντες πεισθης πεισθής πεισθῇς πεισθησονται πεισθήσονται πεισομεν πείσομεν πεπεισμαι πέπεισμαι Πεπεισμεθα Πεπείσμεθα πεπεισμενος πεπεισμένος πεποιθα πέποιθα πεποιθαμεν πεποίθαμεν πεποιθας πέποιθας πέποιθάς πεποίθασιν πεποίθατε πέποιθε πεποιθεν πέποιθεν πεποιθεναι πεποιθέναι πεποιθέτω πεποιθόσιν πεποιθότα πεποιθοτας πεποιθότας πεποιθοτες πεποιθότες πεποιθυία πεποιθύια πεποιθύιαι πεποιθως πεποιθώς πεποιθὼς epeisan épeisan epeisthesan epeisthēsan epeísthesan epeísthēsan epeithen épeithén epeitheto epeítheto epeithon épeithon epeithonto epeíthonto epepoithei epepoíthei peisantes peísantes peisas peísas peisomen peísomen peisthêis peisthē̂is peisthes peisthēs peisthesontai peisthēsontai peisthḗsontai peitheis peítheis peithesthai peíthesthai Peithesthe Peíthesthe peitho peithō peítho peíthō peithomai peíthomai peithomen peíthomen peithomenois peithoménois peithomenou peithoménou peithometha peithómetha peithon peithōn peíthon peíthōn pepeismai pépeismai pepeismenos pepeisménos Pepeismetha Pepeísmetha pepoitha pépoitha pepoithamen pepoíthamen pepoithas pépoithás pepoithen pépoithen pepoithenai pepoithénai pepoithos pepoithōs pepoithṑs pepoithotas pepoithótas pepoithotes pepoithótes
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 27:20 V-AIA-3P
GRK: οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἔπεισαν τοὺς ὄχλους
NAS: and the elders persuaded the crowds
KJV: elders persuaded the multitude
INT: the elders persuaded the crowds

Matthew 27:43 V-RIA-3S
GRK: πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τὸν
NAS: HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD
KJV: He trusted in God;
INT: He trusted on

Matthew 28:14 V-FIA-1P
GRK: ἡγεμόνος ἡμεῖς πείσομεν αὐτὸν καὶ
NAS: ears, we will win him over and keep
KJV: ears, we will persuade him, and
INT: governor we will persuade him and

Mark 10:24 V-RPA-AMP
GRK: εἰσελθεῖν τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐπὶ τοῖς
KJV: is it for them that trust in
INT: to enter those who trust in

Luke 11:22 V-LIA-3S
GRK: ἐφ' ᾗ ἐπεποίθει καὶ τὰ
NAS: on which he had relied and distributes
KJV: wherein he trusted, and
INT: in which he had trusted and the

Luke 16:31 V-FIP-3P
GRK: νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται
NAS: and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even
KJV: neither will they be persuaded, though
INT: [the] dead should rise will they be persuaded

Luke 18:9 V-RPA-AMP
GRK: τινας τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐφ' ἑαυτοῖς
NAS: to some people who trusted in themselves
KJV: certain which trusted in themselves
INT: some who trusted in themselves

Luke 20:6 V-RPM/P-NMS
GRK: καταλιθάσει ἡμᾶς πεπεισμένος γάρ ἐστιν
NAS: will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John
KJV: for they be persuaded that John was
INT: will stone us persuaded indeed they are [that]

Acts 5:36 V-IIM/P-3P
GRK: πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διελύθησαν
NAS: who followed him were dispersed
KJV: as many as obeyed him,
INT: all as many as were persuaded by him were dispersed

Acts 5:37 V-IIM/P-3P
GRK: πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διεσκορπίσθησαν
NAS: those who followed him were scattered.
KJV: [even] as many as obeyed him,
INT: all as many as were persuaded by him were scattered

Acts 5:40 V-AIP-3P
GRK: ἐπείσθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ
KJV: to him they agreed: and
INT: they were persuaded moreover to him

Acts 12:20 V-APA-NMP
GRK: αὐτόν καὶ πείσαντες Βλάστον τὸν
NAS: they came to him, and having won over Blastus
KJV: chamberlain their friend, desired
INT: him and having gained Blastus who [was]

Acts 13:43 V-IIA-3P
GRK: προσλαλοῦντες αὐτοῖς ἔπειθον αὐτοὺς προσμένειν
NAS: speaking to them, were urging them to continue
KJV: to them, persuaded them
INT: speaking to them persuaded them to continue

Acts 14:19 V-APA-NMP
GRK: Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους
NAS: and Iconium, and having won over the crowds,
KJV: who persuaded the people,
INT: Jews and having persuaded the crowds

Acts 17:4 V-AIP-3P
GRK: ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπείσθησαν καὶ προσεκληρώθησαν
NAS: And some of them were persuaded and joined
KJV: of them believed, and consorted
INT: of them were obedient and joined themselves

Acts 18:4 V-IIA-3S
GRK: πᾶν σάββατον ἔπειθέν τε Ἰουδαίους
NAS: Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews
KJV: sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and
INT: every Sabbath persuaded both Jews

Acts 19:8 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: διαλεγόμενος καὶ πείθων τὰ περὶ
NAS: reasoning and persuading [them] about
KJV: and persuading the things concerning
INT: reasoning and persuading concerning

Acts 19:26 V-APA-NMS
GRK: Παῦλος οὗτος πείσας μετέστησεν ἱκανὸν
NAS: Paul has persuaded and turned away
KJV: Paul hath persuaded and turned away
INT: Paul this having persuaded turned away a great many

Acts 21:14 V-PPM/P-GMS
GRK: μὴ πειθομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ
NAS: And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent,
KJV: not be persuaded, we ceased,
INT: not being persuaded moreover he

Acts 23:21 V-ASP-2S
GRK: οὖν μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς ἐνεδρεύουσιν
NAS: So do not listen to them, for more
KJV: not thou yield unto them: for
INT: therefore not be persuaded to them lie in wait

Acts 26:26 V-PIM/P-1S
GRK: τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν οὐ
NAS: since I am persuaded that none
KJV: freely: for I am persuaded that none
INT: of these things [are] not I am persuaded nothing none

Acts 26:28 V-PIA-2S
GRK: ὀλίγῳ με πείθεις Χριστιανὸν ποιῆσαι
NAS: In a short time you will persuade me to become
KJV: Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be
INT: little me you persuade a Christian to become

Acts 27:11 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: ναυκλήρῳ μᾶλλον ἐπείθετο ἢ τοῖς
NAS: was more persuaded by the pilot
KJV: the centurion believed the master
INT: ship-owner rather was persuaded than by the things

Acts 28:23 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: τοῦ θεοῦ πείθων τε αὐτοὺς
NAS: of God and trying to persuade them concerning
KJV: of God, persuading them concerning
INT: of God persuading moreover them

Acts 28:24 V-IIM/P-3P
GRK: οἱ μὲν ἐπείθοντο τοῖς λεγομένοις
NAS: Some were being persuaded by the things spoken,
KJV: some believed the things which were spoken,
INT: some indeed were persuaded of the things spoken

Strong's Greek 3982
53 Occurrences


ἔπεισαν — 1 Occ.
ἐπείσθησαν — 2 Occ.
ἔπειθέν — 1 Occ.
ἐπείθετο — 1 Occ.
ἔπειθον — 1 Occ.
ἐπείθοντο — 3 Occ.
ἐπεποίθει — 1 Occ.
πείσαντες — 2 Occ.
πείσας — 1 Occ.
πείσομεν — 2 Occ.
πεισθῇς — 1 Occ.
πεισθήσονται — 1 Occ.
πείθεις — 1 Occ.
πείθεσθαι — 2 Occ.
Πείθεσθε — 1 Occ.
πείθω — 1 Occ.
πείθων — 2 Occ.
πείθομαι — 1 Occ.
πείθομεν — 1 Occ.
πειθομένοις — 1 Occ.
πειθομένου — 1 Occ.
πειθόμεθα — 1 Occ.
πέπεισμαι — 5 Occ.
πεπεισμένος — 1 Occ.
Πεπείσμεθα — 1 Occ.
πέποιθα — 2 Occ.
πεποίθαμεν — 1 Occ.
πέποιθάς — 1 Occ.
πέποιθεν — 2 Occ.
πεποιθέναι — 1 Occ.
πεποιθὼς — 5 Occ.
πεποιθότας — 3 Occ.
πεποιθότες — 2 Occ.

3981
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