OlivePress
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Greek · G3870 · unreviewed

παρακαλέω

To plead/comfort

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

παρακαλέω G3870
Pronunciation parakaléō

What does παρακαλέω (parakaléō) mean in the Bible?

παρακαλέω (parakaléō) is a Greek word meaning "to plead/comfort". παρακαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for נחם ni. Shows pastoral urgency in pursuing unity.

Full entry for παρακαλέω (G3870) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to plead/comfort
Extended definition

To call alongside for help, exhortation, or comfort; encourage through urgent appeal or supportive presence.

1to call to one, call for, summon: Act.28:20 (R, mg.; R, txt., entreat); hence (of the gods: Dem., Xen., al.), to invoke, call on, beseech, entreat: τ. πατέρα μου, Mat.26:53; τ. κύριον, 2Co.12:8; in late writers (Polyb., Diod., al.; rarely in LXX; in π., see Deiss., LAE, 176.14), also of men: absol., Phm 9; with accusative, Mat.8:5, Mrk.1:40, Act.16:9, al.; with inf., Mrk.5:17, Luk.8:41, Act.8:31, al.; before ἵνα (see M, Pr., 205, 208), Mt 14"36, Mrk.5:18, Luk.8:31, al.
2to admonish, exhort: absol., Luk.3:18, Rom.12:8, 2Ti.4:2, al.; with accusative, Act.15:32, 1Th.2:11, Heb.3:13, al.; id. before inf., Act.11:23, Rom.12:1, Php.4:2, 1Th.4:10, al.; before ἵνα (see M, Pr., l.with), 1Co.1:10, 2Co.8:6, 1Th.4:1, al.
3to cheer, encourage, comfort (Plut., LXX: Jb 43, Isa.35:3, Sir.43:24, al.): with accusative, 2Co.1:6, Eph.6:22, Col.2:2, al.; id. before ἐν, 1Th.4:18; διά, 2Co.1:4; pass., Mat.5:4, Luk.16:25, Act.20:12.
Synonymsπαραμυθέω (cf. M, Th., 25).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Shows pastoral urgency in pursuing unity. 1 Timothy 5:1-2
Shows ongoing pastoral strengthening before departure. Acts 16:35-40
Highlights the pastoral dimension of Paul’s ministry. Acts 20:1-6
Expresses the strengthening effect of God’s intervention. Acts 20:7-12
Pastoral ministry combines correction with encouragement. Philippians 4:2–3
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Imperfect Aorist Future Perfect
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 70×
Present Active Acts 24:4 · Acts 27:34 · Rom 12:1 · Rom 15:30 · Rom 16:17 · 1 Cor 1:10 · 1 Cor 4:16 · 1 Cor 16:15 · 2 Cor 2:8 · 2 Cor 10:1 · Eph 4:1 · Phil 4:2 · 1 Tim 2:1 · Phlm 1:9 · Phlm 1:10 · Heb 13:19 29×
Imperfect Active Matt 8:31 · Matt 14:36 · Mark 6:56 · Luke 7:4 · Luke 8:31 · Acts 13:42 · Acts 19:31 · Acts 25:2 · Matt 18:29 · Mark 5:10 · Mark 5:18 · Luke 8:41 · Luke 15:28 · Acts 2:40 · Acts 11:23 · Acts 27:33 17×
Aorist Active Matt 8:34 · Mark 5:12 · Luke 8:32 · Acts 15:32 · Acts 16:39 · Acts 16:40 · Acts 28:20 · 1 Cor 16:12 · 2 Cor 12:8 · 2 Cor 12:18 · 1 Tim 1:3 · Acts 8:31 · Acts 16:15 · 2 Cor 7:6 · Matt 18:32 15×
Aorist Passive Acts 28:14 · 1 Thess 3:7 · Acts 20:12 · 2 Cor 7:7 4×
Present Passive 2 Cor 1:4 · 2 Cor 1:6 · Luke 16:25 3×
Future Passive Matt 5:4 1×
Perfect Passive 2 Cor 7:13 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 16×
Present Active Matt 8:5 · Mark 1:40 · Luke 3:18 · Acts 16:9 · Rom 12:8 · 2 Cor 1:4 · 2 Cor 7:6 · 1 Pet 5:12 · Jude 1:3 · Acts 9:38 · Acts 14:22 · 1 Thess 2:12 · Heb 10:25 · 2 Cor 5:20 14×
Aorist Active Acts 20:1 · Acts 20:2 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 9×
Aorist Active Matt 26:53 · 2 Cor 2:7 · 2 Cor 8:6 · 2 Cor 9:5 · 1 Thess 3:2 5×
Present Active Mark 5:17 · 2 Cor 1:4 · Titus 1:9 3×
Aorist Passive Matt 2:18 1×
Imperative command or strong request 9×
Present Active 1 Tim 5:1 · 1 Tim 6:2 · Titus 2:6 · Titus 2:15 · 1 Thess 4:18 · 1 Thess 5:11 · Heb 3:13 7×
Present Passive 2 Cor 13:11 1×
Aorist Active 2 Tim 4:2 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×
Present Active Eph 6:22 · Col 4:8 2×
Present Passive 1 Cor 14:31 1×
Aorist Passive Col 2:2 1×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Active 2 Thess 2:17 1×
109 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 102 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 19 ongoing 30 prospective 1 resultant 1 imperative 7 background 17 subjunctive 4 infinitive 7 participle 15 optative 1
Tense
present 55 aorist 28 imperfect 17 perfect 1 future 1
Voice
active 89 passive 13
Mood
indicative 68 participle 15 imperative 7 infinitive 7 subjunctive 4 optative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:18 παρακληθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Matthew 5:4 παρακληθήσονται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 8:31 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 8:34 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 8:5 παρακαλῶν present active participle participle Matthew 14:36 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 18:29 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Matthew 18:32 παρεκάλεσάς aorist active indicative completed Matthew 26:53 παρακαλέσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 1:40 παρακαλῶν present active participle participle Mark 5:10 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Mark 5:12 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Mark 5:17 παρακαλεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Mark 5:18 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Mark 5:23 παρακαλεῖ present active indicative ongoing Mark 6:56 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 7:32 παρακαλοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Mark 8:22 παρακαλοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Luke 3:18 παρακαλῶν present active participle participle Luke 7:4 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 8:31 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 8:32 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 8:41 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Luke 15:28 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Luke 16:25 παρακαλεῖται present passive indicative ongoing Acts 2:40 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Acts 8:31 παρεκάλεσέν aorist active indicative completed Acts 9:38 παρακαλοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 11:23 παρεκάλει imperfect active indicative background Acts 13:42 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Acts 14:22 παρακαλοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 15:32 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:15 παρεκάλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:39 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:40 παρεκάλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:9 παρακαλῶν present active participle participle Acts 19:31 παρεκάλουν imperfect active indicative background Acts 20:1 παρακαλέσας aorist active participle participle Acts 20:12 παρεκλήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Acts 20:2 παρακαλέσας aorist active participle participle +62 more occurrences

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.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 5:1-2 exhort parakaléō Imperative · Present Active
To call alongside for support, comfort, or appeal.
Acts 16:35-40 Encouraged parakaléō Indicative · Aorist Active
To exhort or comfort.
Acts 20:1-6 Encouraged parakaléō Participle · Aorist Active
To exhort, comfort, or strengthen.
Acts 20:7-12 Comforted parakaléō Indicative · Aorist Passive
To be encouraged or comforted.
Philippians 4:2–3 παρακαλῶ parakaléō Indicative · Present Active
urge, strongly appeal
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

παρακαλέω · καρδία G3870, G2588
to encourage, comfort, exhort the hearts
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.

1 Corinthians 4 — Stewards of Christ, Fools for Christ, and a Father’s Admonition Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Colossians 2 — Fullness in Christ and Freedom from Christ-Plus Religion Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship Luke 16 — Faithful Stewardship, the Danger of Wealth, and the Finality of Judgment Mark 5 — The Authority of Jesus over Demons, Disease, and Death Mark 7 — True Defilement and Boundary-Crossing Mercy Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons Romans 12 — Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles

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

Full license details