Greek · Strong's G3870
παρακαλέω
parakaléō (pah-rah-kah-LEH-oh)
verb
To call someone to one's side, often with the aim of offering comfort, exhortation, or entreaty.
The Greek verb *parakaléō* carries a rich spectrum of meaning, encompassing various forms of addressing or interacting with others. At its core, the word means "to call alongside" or "to call near." This fundamental sense then branches out into several key semantic domains. It can refer to the act of comforting or consoling someone, offering solace in times of distress. This is a prominent usage, especially in the New Testament when describing God's comfort to believers or believers comforting one another. In such contexts, the focus is on bringing emotional relief and reassurance.
Another significant aspect of *parakaléō* is to exhort or admonish. Here, the idea is to encourage someone to take a particular course of action, to persist in their faith, or to live in a way that aligns with Christian principles. This form of "calling alongside" involves instruction and encouragement rather than simply emotional support. It often carries a sense of urgency or importance.
Furthermore, *parakaléō* can signify an earnest request or entreaty—to implore, beseech, or appeal to someone. This usage highlights a plea for action, help, or mercy. It emphasizes the speaker's desire for the hearer to respond to their request. The specific nuance of *parakaléō* in any given passage is usually determined by the surrounding context, the speaker's intent, and the nature of the relationship between the individuals involved. The wide-ranging applications of this single term demonstrate its importance in capturing the multifaceted nature of human and divine communication in the biblical narrative.
Common English renderings
- beseech
- call for
- comfort
- desire
- exhort
- intreat
- pray
Key verses
"A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not."
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"Therefore we have been comforted: and in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you all."
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"And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem."
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"By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I accounthim, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God: stand ye fast therein."
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"Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread."
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