ἐκπειράζω

Pronunciation Guide: ek-pay-RAD-zoh (with emphasis on the third syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1598: ἐκπειράζω (ekpeirazō) describes the deliberate testing or challenging of someone’s limits, particularly with the intent to expose weakness or force action. In biblical contexts, it specifically refers to putting God to the test in a presumptuous manner, demanding proof of His power, faithfulness, or patience beyond what He has already demonstrated. This testing is characterized by doubt, arrogance, or manipulative intent rather than faithful trust.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Verb
• Compound word: formed from the preposition ἐκ (ek, “out of” or “thoroughly”) + πειράζω (peirazō, “to test/try”)
• Language origin: Koine Greek
• Primary usage: Found in teaching sections, particularly admonitions
• Appears only 4 times in the New Testament
• Related to πειρασμός (peirasmos, “temptation” or “testing”)
• Voice: Active
• Mood variations: Indicative, imperative (negative)

ἐκπειράζω Morphology:

• ἐκπειράζω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I put to the test thoroughly
• ἐκπειράσεις (future active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you will put to the test thoroughly
• ἐκπειράζετε (present active indicative, 2nd person plural) – you put to the test thoroughly
• ἐκπειράζωμεν (present active subjunctive, 1st person plural) – let us put to the test thoroughly
• μὴ ἐκπειράζετε (present active imperative, 2nd person plural with negative particle) – do not put to the test thoroughly

Origin & History

The compound verb ἐκπειράζω represents an intensified form of πειράζω, with the prefix ἐκ serving to amplify the action of testing. In classical Greek literature, πειράζω and its variants were used to describe testing or making trials of something or someone, but the compound form ἐκπειράζω is rare outside biblical literature.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the root word πειράζω appears frequently in contexts describing Israel’s testing of God in the wilderness, most notably in the account at Massah and Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7), where the people demanded water and questioned God’s presence among them. The psalmist references this incident in Psalm 94:8-9 (LXX 95:8-9), using a form of πειράζω to describe Israel’s rebellion. The intensified ἐκπειράζω form appears in Deuteronomy 6:16, which explicitly forbids testing God as they did at Massah. This passage became foundational for the New Testament understanding of the term, especially as quoted by the Messiah in His wilderness temptation.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• A thorough testing or challenging of someone’s boundaries, patience, or capabilities
• A presumptuous demanding of proof from God, going beyond faith to manipulative testing
• An intentional provocation designed to elicit a specific response
• Testing to the point of exasperation or exhaustion
• Trying someone’s limits with skeptical or rebellious intent

ἐκπειράζω Translation Options:

• “To put to the test thoroughly” – Captures the intensification provided by the ἐκ prefix
• “To test presumptuously” – Emphasizes the inappropriate attitude involved in such testing
• “To test beyond limits” – Highlights the excessive nature of the testing implied
• “To provoke deliberately” – Focuses on the intentional challenging aspect
• “To test out of unbelief” – Addresses the motivational aspect often present in the biblical usage

Biblical Usage

The term ἐκπειράζω appears only four times in the New Testament, but these occurrences are theologically significant. Its first appearance is in Matthew 4:7, where the Messiah quotes Deuteronomy 6:16 in response to Satan’s temptation to throw Himself from the temple pinnacle. By invoking this prohibition against testing God, Jesus identifies the improper nature of demanding divine intervention as proof.

In the parallel temptation account in Luke 4:12, we see the same usage. The other two occurrences appear in 1 Corinthians 10:9, where Paul warns against testing the Messiah as the Israelites tested God in the wilderness, and in Luke 10:25, describing a lawyer who stood up to “test” Jesus with a question about eternal life. The distribution and contexts suggest that this term carries special weight in describing a particular type of testing that crosses boundaries of appropriate relationship with God.

• “Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test [ἐκπειράζω].”‘” Matthew 4:7
• “And Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test [ἐκπειράζω].”‘” Luke 4:12
• “We must not put Christ to the test [ἐκπειράζω], as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents.” 1 Corinthians 10:9
• “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test [ἐκπειράζω], saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’” Luke 10:25

Cultural Insights

In ancient Jewish thought, the concept of “testing God” was particularly associated with the generation of Israelites in the wilderness. The incident at Massah (which literally means “testing” in Hebrew, מַסָּה) became emblematic of inappropriate relationship with God. According to rabbinic interpretation, testing God after He had already demonstrated His power and faithfulness was considered an egregious sin because it demonstrated ingratitude and distrust.

The wilderness temptation of Jesus deliberately echoes Israel’s wilderness experience, but with a crucial difference. Where Israel failed by testing God repeatedly, Jesus refused to test His Father even once. The pinnacle of the Temple from which Satan suggested Jesus jump was likely the southeast corner overlooking the Kidron Valley, a drop of approximately 450 feet. Any survival of such a fall would indeed require miraculous intervention. The cultural understanding of this location would have heightened the dramatic nature of the temptation, as crowds in the temple courts and Kidron Valley below would have witnessed such a spectacular demonstration.

Theological Significance

The prohibition against ἐκπειράζω establishes a fundamental boundary in the relationship between humanity and God. It reinforces that God is not obligated to prove Himself on human terms or according to human timetables. The command recognizes the proper order of relationship—humans are to trust God based on His revealed character and previous faithfulness rather than demand new proofs when doubt arises.

This concept reveals much about God’s character. He is not a deity who must continually validate His credentials or respond to human manipulation. Rather, He has established covenantal relationships based on promises and faithfulness. When we attempt to force God’s hand through presumptuous testing, we actually demonstrate our lack of faith in His wisdom, timing, and sovereign purposes. The prohibition protects the integrity of faith itself, which by definition involves trust without complete sight (Hebrews 11:1).

The Messiah’s refusal to ἐκπειράζω God demonstrates perfect trust and submission to the Father’s will and timing. Even at the cross, when mockingly urged to prove His identity by coming down, Jesus refused to demand divine intervention on His terms. Instead, He trusted the Father’s plan even when it led through suffering. This reveals that genuine faith accepts God’s methods and timing, even when they conflict with human expectations or desires.

Personal Application

Examining ἐκπειράζω in our own lives requires honest reflection on our prayers and expectations. Do we make conditional demands of God? Do we set up arbitrary tests for Him to pass to earn our continued faith? Such approaches reveal immaturity in our spiritual understanding and relationship with Him.

Instead, we can cultivate a faith that rests in God’s demonstrated character and promises. When facing uncertainty or hardship, rather than demanding miraculous intervention as proof of His care, we can choose to remember His faithfulness throughout Scripture and in our own past experiences. True faith doesn’t eliminate questions or struggles, but it prevents us from making our continued trust contingent upon God meeting our self-imposed conditions. As we mature spiritually, we move from demanding signs to resting in His sovereign wisdom, even when His ways remain mysterious to us.

Related Words

• πειράζω (peirazō, “to test/tempt”) – The root word without the intensifying prefix, which can refer to testing, trying or tempting in various contexts. While similar, it lacks the thoroughness or presumptuousness implied by ἐκπειράζω. See G3985
• δοκιμάζω (dokimazō, “to test/approve”) – Unlike ἐκπειράζω, this testing is generally positive, seeking to prove worth or genuineness. It focuses on testing for approval rather than testing limits. See G1381
• πειρασμός (peirasmos, “temptation/testing”) – The noun form related to πειράζω, referring to trials or temptations that test faith or character. See G3986
• ἀπιστία (apistia, “unbelief”) – Often the underlying attitude behind ἐκπειράζω, as testing God typically stems from a lack of trust in His character or promises. See G570
• ὑπομονή (hypomonē, “patient endurance”) – The opposite response to trials—rather than testing God, this word describes faithfully enduring while trusting God’s timing and purposes. See G5281

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the location of Massah (meaning “testing” in Hebrew) where Israel tested God by demanding water is likely in the region of Rephidim in the Sinai Peninsula? Archaeological evidence suggests several possible locations with ancient water systems. This physical place became spiritually significant as a permanent reminder in Jewish consciousness of the sin of testing God. The Messiah’s quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16 would have immediately called this entire historical narrative to mind for His Jewish listeners.
• Did you know that in modern Greek, derivatives of πειράζω have evolved to include meanings related to teasing, annoying, or bothering someone? This semantic development interestingly parallels the biblical concept of testing God to the point of provocation. The modern Greek word “πειράζω” (peirázo) can mean “to bother” or “to annoy,” while “πείραγμα” (peíragma) refers to teasing or bothering someone—showing how the concept of testing limits can evolve into the concept of irritation.
• Did you know that the Didache, an early Christian text from the late first or early second century, contains instructions about prayer that echo the concept of not testing God? In chapter 8, it instructs believers to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times daily, but warns against being like the “hypocrites” in their prayers—a reference to insincere or manipulative approaches to God. This shows how the early church continued to emphasize proper relationship with God that avoided presumptuous or manipulative testing.

Remember This

ἐκπειράζω reveals the delicate boundary between faithful asking and presumptuous demanding—God invites our requests but rejects our ultimatums, calling us not to perfect understanding but to perfect trust.