to trust (in)
pisteuo most often marks believing in God, Jesus, or the proclaimed message; it can also mean crediting a report or being entrusted.
The verb most often describes people believing in God, Jesus, or the message proclaimed about them, whether as a decisive response or an ongoing identification with those who believe. It also appears for accepting testimony, prophets, truth, or even a lie; in passive forms, it describes a person being entrusted with a gospel or stewardship.
Senses in use
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Believing in God, Jesus, or the proclaimed message · dominant
This is the prevailing use: the verb marks a response directed toward the Lord, Jesus, God, or the proclaimed word. In Acts 16:31 the aorist imperative calls for belief in the Lord Jesus; in 1 John 5:1 the present participle describes the person trusting that Jesus is the Christ, and in Acts 11:21 those who believed turned to the Lord.
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Accepting testimony, teaching, or a stated claim · occasional
The verb can focus on accepting what is presented as true. In Acts 26:27 it is addressed to belief in the prophets; in 2 Thessalonians 2:12 those condemned did not believe the truth, while 2 Thessalonians 2:11 describes belief in the lie.
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Crediting a report or statement · rare
In 1 Corinthians 11:18, the first-person present form concerns hearing of divisions and believing the report only in part. In 2 Corinthians 4:13, the APB renders the clause, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” linking belief with speech.
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Being entrusted with a charge · rare
Passive forms describe receiving something placed in one's trust. In 1 Corinthians 9:17 the APB renders the clause, “I am entrusted with a stewardship”; 1 Thessalonians 2:4 similarly speaks of being entrusted with the gospel.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly uses “believe” and “trust,” including “trusts in the Son of God” and “believe the truth.” It also uses “entrusted” for passive forms; these are verse-level renderings rather than definitions.