δοκιμάζω

Luke 12:56 δοκιμάζειν, δοκιμάζειν; to discern,, to discern?

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?

Here: To examine evidence and reach a judgment you act on, the way an assayer tests a coin. They test the signs and then act on them: they bring in the harvest or stay out of the heat.

Luke 14:19 δοκιμάσαι to prove

Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’

Romans 1:28 ἐδοκίμασαν they did see fit

Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Here: They put God to the test, as it were, and judged him not worth keeping. The word comes from testing metal and coins and from vetting officials. It describes a deliberate verdict, not ignorance.

Romans 2:18 δοκιμάζεις approve

if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

Here: The word for assaying metal or vetting a candidate. It means putting something to the test and then approving what passes. So 'approve' covers only the end of the process. Here the stress falls on the ability to discern and judge.

Romans 12:2 δοκιμάζειν to prove

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Here: To test something the way an assayer tests metal, and to accept it once it proves genuine. Here it means discerning and then embracing what God wants. The present tense makes it an ongoing practice.

Romans 14:22 δοκιμάζει. he approves.

Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

Here: "He approves": he has weighed the practice and judged it acceptable, so he does it. The happy person acts on what he has tested and approved without that same act turning into his condemnation.

1 Corinthians 3:13 δοκιμάσει. will prove.

his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.

Here: "Will test" the way metal or coins are tested to see if they are genuine. The point is to find out what holds up and approve it. Some of the work will pass (3:14) and some will burn (3:15).

1 Corinthians 11:28 δοκιμαζέτω should examine

Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

Here: A third-person command, 'let him test'. The present tense points to a habit: keep testing yourself each time the church eats together. The word comes from testing metal or coins to show they are genuine, so the aim is to come out approved, not just to find faults.

1 Corinthians 16:3 δοκιμάσητε, you shall approve,

Then, on my arrival, I will send letters with those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

Here: 'You' is plural: the congregation does the vetting, not Paul. The word means checking people and finding them reliable, which matters when they will be carrying a large sum of money.

2 Corinthians 8:8 δοκιμάζων· proving;

I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.

Here: Present participle: "putting to the test" with a view to approval. The picture is of assaying metal or checking coins, testing so that the genuine can be shown to be genuine.

2 Corinthians 8:22 ἐδοκιμάσαμεν we have proven

And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness to us many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.

2 Corinthians 13:5 δοκιμάζετε· do test;

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you fail the test?

Here: The word for assaying metal or vetting a candidate: testing with the aim of approving what is genuine. It echoes "proof" (dokimē) in verse 3 and sets up "failing the test" (adokimoi) at the end.

Galatians 6:4 δοκιμαζέτω should test

Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.

Here: A present command ("let him keep testing"). The image comes from assaying metal or checking coins: you put the work to a real test to see whether it is genuine, rather than assuming it is.

Ephesians 5:10 δοκιμάζοντες discerning

Test and prove what pleases the Lord.

Here: A present participle ('testing', 'discerning') that hangs on the command 'walk as children of light' in 5:8. Verse 9 is an aside. It describes how that walk goes: an ongoing habit of examining things to see what is genuine, the way a metal-tester assays gold, and then holding to what passes.

Philippians 1:10 δοκιμάζειν to approve

so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Here: The word for assaying metal or scrutinising a candidate: test something and then accept what passes. The present tense makes it a habit of ongoing discernment, not a single verdict.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 δεδοκιμάσμεθα δοκιμάζοντι we have been approved, is examining

Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

Here: Perfect passive: 'we have been tested and now stand approved'. God's past scrutiny produced a status that still holds. The verb was used for assaying metal and for vetting a person before office.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 δοκιμάζετε· do test;

but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.

Here: Present imperative, plural: "keep testing", as a standing practice of the whole congregation. The word comes from assaying metal and checking coins. You put something to the test in order to find out whether it is genuine and can be accepted.

1 Timothy 3:10 δοκιμαζέσθωσαν they should be tested

Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.

1 Peter 1:7 δοκιμαζομένου being refined

so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Here: Present passive participle: gold 'being tested'. The verb means putting metal through fire to prove whether it is real (and so approving it). Refining comes in alongside, but the word's focus is proof, not cleansing.

1 John 4:1 δοκιμάζετε do test

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Here: Present command: keep testing. The word was used for assaying metal or checking coins to see if they were genuine. It means examining in order to approve what is real, not suspicion for its own sake.