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Greek · G3983 · unreviewed

πεινάω

To famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively, to crave

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πεινάω G3983
Pronunciation peináō

What does πεινάω (peináō) mean in the Bible?

πεινάω (peináō) is a Greek word meaning "to famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively, to crave". πεινάω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for = רָעֵב ;] to hunger, be hungry: Mat.

Full entry for πεινάω (G3983) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively, to crave
Extended definition

Physical hunger and spiritual craving for righteousness use the same verb, emphasizing their parallel intensity.

to hunger, be hungry: Mat.4:2 12:1, 3 21:18 25:35, 37 25:42, 44, Mrk.2:25 11:12, Luk.1:53 4:2 6:3, Rom.12:20" (LXX), 1Co.4:11 11:21 11:34 Php.4:12, Rev.7:16; metaphorically, Mat.5:6, Luk.6:21, 25, Jhn.6:35.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Present Future
Voices
Active
Indicative states a fact or reality 15×
Aorist Active Matt 4:2 · Matt 12:3 · Matt 21:18 · Mark 2:25 · Mark 11:12 · Luke 4:2 · Luke 6:3 · Matt 25:35 · Matt 25:42 · Matt 12:1 10×
Present Active 1 Cor 11:21 · 1 Cor 11:34 · 1 Cor 4:11 3×
Future Active Luke 6:25 · Rev 7:16 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 5×
Present Active Matt 5:6 · Luke 6:21 · Matt 25:37 · Matt 25:44 · Luke 1:53 5×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Active John 6:35 1×
Present Active Rom 12:20 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active Phil 4:12 1×
23 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 21 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 10 ongoing 2 prospective 2 subjunctive 2 infinitive 1 participle 4
Tense
aorist 11 present 8 future 2
Voice
active 21
Mood
indicative 14 participle 4 subjunctive 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 4:2 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 12:1 ἐπείνασαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 12:3 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 21:18 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:35 ἐπείνασα aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:37 πεινῶντα present active participle participle Matthew 25:42 ἐπείνασα aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:44 πεινῶντα present active participle participle Mark 2:25 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 11:12 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 1:53 πεινῶντας present active participle participle Luke 4:2 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 6:21 πεινῶντες present active participle participle Luke 6:25 πεινάσετε future active indicative prospective Luke 6:3 ἐπείνασεν aorist active indicative completed John 6:35 πεινάσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Romans 12:20 πεινᾷ present active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 11:21 πεινᾷ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 11:34 πεινᾷ present active indicative ongoing Philippians 4:12 πεινᾶν present active infinitive infinitive Revelation 7:16 πεινάσουσιν future active indicative prospective

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
Luke 6:21 hungry peináō Participle · Present Active
Literal physical hunger, blessed in eschatological reversal
Matthew 5:6 hunger peináō Indicative · Future Active
Metaphorical craving for righteousness, spiritual yearning
John 6:35 hunger peináō Indicative · Future Active
Metaphorical spiritual hunger satisfied by Christ as bread of life
1 Corinthians 4:11 hunger peináō Indicative · Future Active
Literal deprivation and suffering endured by apostles
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 25 — Readiness, Stewardship, and the Final Judgment of the Son of Man Matthew 4 — The Tested Son, the Kingdom Proclaimed, and the First Disciples Called Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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