πείθω

Matthew 27:20 ἔπεισαν persuaded

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

Here: A simple past (aorist) that sums up the whole effort. The word covers argument, pressure, influence and even bribery. Matthew uses the same verb in 28:14, where the leaders promise to "persuade" the governor about the guards they have paid off.

Matthew 27:43 πέποιθεν He has trusted

He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Here: The perfect form of 'persuade' means 'has become convinced, and so now relies on'. It describes a settled state: he leans his whole weight on God. On the mockers' lips it is said with contempt.

Matthew 28:14 πείσομεν will persuade

If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

Here: 'We will win him over / placate him'. This is less about winning an argument than about managing Pilate so he takes no action, by whatever means works, possibly including money. It is the same verb used in 27:20, where these leaders 'persuaded' the crowds to ask for Barabbas.

Luke 11:22 ἐπεποίθει, he had trusted,

But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.

Luke 16:31 πεισθήσονται.¶ will they be persuaded.

Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Here: Future passive: 'they will be won over'. This is the last word of the parable. It answers the rich man's 'they will repent' (v. 30). Being persuaded here means being brought round to trust and act, not just agreeing that something is true.

Luke 18:9 πεποιθότας having trusted

To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:

Here: The perfect form of 'persuade' means 'to have been persuaded', so 'to be confident in, to rely on'. The perfect tense describes a settled state: their reliance is fixed, not a passing mood.

Luke 20:6 πεπεισμένος persuaded

But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

Acts 5:36 ἐπείθοντο were persuaded

Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.

Here: "Were being persuaded by / were following" him. The tense shows an ongoing loyalty while he lived. It is the loyalty of people who believed him, not soldiers taking orders.

Acts 5:37 ἐπείθοντο were persuaded

After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

Here: Imperfect middle/passive: 'were following him, were obeying him'. The tense describes an ongoing loyalty, people who had been won over and stayed persuaded. The same verb comes back in v. 40 ('they were persuaded by him', of the council heeding Gamaliel).

Acts 12:20 πείσαντες having gained

Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.

Here: They got Blastus on their side before making their request. The word can describe winning someone over with arguments, flattery or gifts. Bribery is possible here but is not stated.

Acts 13:43 ἔπειθον were persuading

After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Here: The tense pictures continuing action: they 'kept urging' or 'were trying to persuade'. It describes the effort, without saying it had finished succeeding.

Acts 14:19 πείσαντες having persuaded

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.

Here: 'Having won over'. They talked the crowd round. The same people who had been sure Paul was a god were now convinced he deserved death.

Acts 17:4 ἐπείσθησαν were obedient

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

Here: 'They were persuaded' or 'they became convinced'. It answers the arguing, opening up and proving of the Scriptures in vv. 2–3, so the stress falls on being won over by argument. It does not mean emotional conversion or bare obedience.

Acts 18:4 ἔπειθέν was persuading

Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

Here: Imperfect again, best taken as 'he kept trying to persuade.' The effort was ongoing, and the tense alone does not say it succeeded. Some did respond (v. 8), others resisted (v. 6).

Acts 19:8 πείθων persuading

Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

Here: 'Persuading' or 'trying to persuade'. The present tense can describe an effort still under way. Verse 9 shows that not everyone was convinced. The aim is to win real agreement by argument.

Acts 19:26 πείσας having persuaded [them]

And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

Here: 'Having persuaded.' He won people over by argument, not force or trickery. Luke uses this word throughout for Paul's way of working (18:4; 19:8).

Acts 21:14 πειθομένου is being persuaded

When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Acts 23:21 πεισθῇς may be persuaded

Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

Acts 26:26 πείθομαι I am persuaded

For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

Acts 26:28 πείθεις you [seek to] persuade

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

Here: Present tense in the sense 'you are trying to persuade'. It describes Paul's effort under way, not something achieved. The verb can also mean talking someone round, carrying the hint of pressure.

Acts 27:11 ἐπείθετο was persuaded

But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.

Acts 28:23 πείθων persuading

So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

Here: Present participle with the sense 'trying to persuade': reasoned argument aiming at conviction. The next verse picks up the same verb: some 'were persuaded'.

Acts 28:24 ἐπείθοντο were persuaded

Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.

Romans 2:8 πειθομένοις being persuaded about

But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

Here: "Being persuaded by, following." It comes from the same root as ἀπειθοῦσιν, so Paul is playing on the word: deaf to truth's persuasion, open to injustice's persuasion. Everyone is persuaded by something.

Romans 2:19 πέποιθάς you are confident

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,

Here: The perfect tense of 'persuade' means 'I have been persuaded and stay persuaded', so: you are settled in your conviction, you rely on this. It describes a firm, lasting stance, not a passing feeling.

Romans 8:38 πέπεισμαι I have been persuaded

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

Here: A perfect passive: 'I have been persuaded and remain so.' Paul is describing a settled conviction that came out of a process, and in context the process is the argument of Romans 5–8 and his own suffering. He is not reporting a passing feeling.

Romans 14:14 πέπεισμαι I have been persuaded

I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Here: Perfect passive: "I have been brought to conviction and remain convinced." The passive form hints that the conviction came to him from outside, from somewhere other than his own preference. Paul uses the same form in Romans 8:38 ("I am persuaded that neither death nor life…").

Romans 15:14 πέπεισμαι I have been persuaded

I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, brimming with knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

Here: A perfect passive: 'I have been brought to a conviction and I still hold it.' This is a settled confidence, not a passing impression. It is the same verb Paul used in 8:38 ('I am convinced that neither death nor life…') and 14:14.

2 Corinthians 1:9 πεποιθότες having trusted

Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.

Here: In the perfect tense πείθω means 'to have settled confidence in, rely on'. It describes a settled state of reliance, not one passing act of trust.

2 Corinthians 2:3 πεποιθὼς having trusted

I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be grieved by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.

Here: A perfect form ('having been persuaded'), so a settled state: 'being confident'. Even while writing a hard letter, Paul says he trusted them.

2 Corinthians 5:11 πείθομεν, we persuade

Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

Here: A present tense that probably means 'we try to persuade' (an ongoing effort). It is the standard word for what public speakers do, so it carries the overtone: 'Yes, we do persuade people, but not by trickery.'

2 Corinthians 10:7 πέποιθεν is persuaded

You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

Here: Perfect tense of 'persuade': 'has been persuaded' and so 'is now confident'. It describes a settled self-assurance.

Galatians 1:10 πείθω do I seek approval

Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Here: Present tense of effort: 'am I trying to win over / get on the good side of.' Here it is less about arguing a case than about winning someone's favour (as in Acts 12:20 and Matthew 28:14).

Galatians 5:7 πείθεσθαι; to obey?

You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?

Here: Present infinitive, middle or passive: "to go on being persuaded by" or "to keep heeding" the truth. It means obedience that comes from being convinced. It sets up the wordplay in the next verse, where the rivals' "persuasion" (peismonē) does not come from God.

Galatians 5:10 πέποιθα have been confident

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

Here: A perfect form with present meaning: "I have been persuaded and stay persuaded," so "I am confident." It picks up the persuasion words of verses 7–8 ("obey" and "persuasion").

Philippians 1:6 πεποιθὼς having been persuaded of

being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Here: A perfect participle: 'having been persuaded and so remaining sure.' It ties back to Paul's joyful prayer in vv. 3–4. He gives thanks because he is confident.

Philippians 1:14 πεποιθότας already trusting

And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.

Here: Perfect participle: "having come to be convinced" and now holding steady trust. It describes a settled state that resulted from what they saw happen to Paul.

Philippians 1:25 πεποιθὼς having been persuaded of

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Here: A perfect participle: Paul has been persuaded and the persuasion now stands. It means 'being settled in the confidence that…'. It is the same verb as in 1:6 ('being confident of this, that he who began a good work…') and 1:14.

Philippians 2:24 πέποιθα I have been persuaded

And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

Philippians 3:3 πεποιθότες, having put confidence,

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Here: The perfect tense of 'persuade' means 'to have become convinced', and so 'to rely on, put trust in'. It describes a settled reliance. They do not rest their standing on the flesh.

Philippians 3:4 πεποιθέναι to have confidence

though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

2 Thessalonians 3:4 πεποίθαμεν We have been persuaded

And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.

Here: The perfect form means 'we have come to trust and still do', a settled confidence that is still in place. It comes first in the sentence for emphasis: Paul begins with his confidence before he gives any command.

2 Timothy 1:5 πέπεισμαι I have been persuaded

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.

Here: 'I have been persuaded and remain so,' a settled conviction rather than a guess. Paul uses the same form in v.12: 'I am convinced that he is able to guard…'.

2 Timothy 1:12 πέπεισμαι I have been persuaded

For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

Here: Perfect passive: 'I have been persuaded and remain so', a conviction that has been tested. Paul uses the same form in Romans 8:38, 'I am convinced that neither death nor life…'.

Philemon 1:21 Πεποιθὼς Having been persuaded of

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Hebrews 2:13 πεποιθὼς already trusting

And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”

Here: The perfect form of 'persuade' means 'to have been persuaded and so to rely on.' It describes a settled confidence. The Son is pictured as a human being who leans his whole weight on God.

Hebrews 6:9 Πεπείσμεθα We have been persuaded

Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.

Hebrews 13:17 Πείθεσθε do obey

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Here: Present imperative in the middle/passive form: 'keep heeding, keep following.' With a dative object this form regularly means 'obey' or 'comply with', but it is the verb of being won over, so it pictures following someone whose guidance you trust, not just carrying out orders.

Hebrews 13:18 πειθόμεθα we are assured

Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

Here: "We are persuaded / convinced." It deliberately picks up the same verb used in v.17, πείθεσθε ("be persuaded by, obey" your leaders). The readers are to be persuaded by their leaders, and the author is persuaded of his own integrity.

James 3:3 πείθεσθαι to obey

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.

1 John 3:19 πείσομεν we will assure

And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:

Here: 'We will persuade', in the sense of calming or winning over. We will settle an anxious, accusing heart. The exact form appears in Matthew 28:14 ('we will satisfy/pacify him').