to test
dokimazo is to examine persons, things, or claims in order to discern their quality or approve what proves worthy.
The verb most often marks active examination intended to discern what is sound, genuine, pleasing, or good; several contexts then show approval or fitness as the outcome of that assessment. Its passive forms also describe persons or faith being subjected to such testing.
Senses in use
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Examine to discern quality or truth · dominant
Present active forms call for examination of oneself, spirits, all things, personal work, and what pleases the Lord: in 1 Corinthians 11:28 the APB renders the clause "Let a person examine himself," and in 1 John 4:1 it renders "test the spirits." In 1 Corinthians 3:13, the future active form concerns fire testing what sort of work each has done; in 2 Corinthians 8:8, the present participle occurs in the clause about testing the genuineness of love.
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Approve or regard as fit after assessment · occasional
Some clauses focus on the favorable judgment that follows assessment. In 1 Corinthians 16:3 the aorist subjunctive concerns those whom the recipients approve for carrying a gift, while in Philippians 1:10 the APB renders the purpose as "approve the things that excel." In 1 Thessalonians 2:4, the perfect passive form occurs in the statement that the speakers have been tested by God and entrusted with the gospel.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB uses wording such as "examine," "test," "try to discern," "approve," and "see fit." Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, those variations show the clauses' presentation rather than fixed English equivalents for each form.