παρά-δοσις G3862
Tradition; a teaching, custom, or practice handed down by transmission from one generation to the next.
Derived from paradidomi ('to hand over, transmit'), this noun denotes any teaching, practice, or custom passed down through a chain of transmission. The NT uses it with both negative and positive valence. Jesus sharply criticizes 'the tradition of the elders' and 'the tradition of men' that nullifies God's commandments (Matt 15:2-6; Mark 7:3-13; Col 2:8). Yet Paul commends the Corinthians for holding to 'the traditions just as I delivered them to you' (1 Cor 11:2) and commands the Thessalonians to 'hold to the traditions you were taught' (2 Thess 2:15; 3:6). This dual usage — human tradition as obstacle versus apostolic tradition as foundation — makes the word theologically pivotal. Translations uniformly render it with cognates of 'tradition' (Spanish tradición, French tradition, German Überlieferung).
Senses
1. tradition, handed-down teaching — An authoritative teaching, practice, or custom transmitted from one generation or authority to the next, used both negatively of human traditions that override God's word (Matt 15:2-3, 6; Mark 7:3, 5, 8-9, 13; Col 2:8; Gal 1:14) and positively of apostolic traditions to be upheld (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6). The paradosis concept presupposes a chain of transmission — someone hands over and another receives. Cross-linguistic evidence converges on a single term (French tradition, German Überlieferung, Spanish tradición), reflecting the word's unified semantic core despite its opposite evaluations in context. 13×
AR["التَّقاليدِ", "التَّقْليدِ", "تَقاليدَ", "تَقاليدِ", "تَقليدِ", "تَقْلِيدَ", "تَقْلِيدِ", "تَقْلِيدِكُمْ"]·ben["ঐতিহ্যগুলির।", "পরম্পরা", "পরম্পরাগুলি", "পরম্পরায়", "পরম্পরার", "রীতি", "রীতির", "শিক্ষা", "শিক্ষাসমূহ"]·DE["Ueberlieferung", "παράδοσιν"]·EN["tradition", "traditions"]·FR["tradition"]·heb["מַסֹרֶת", "מָסֹרֶת", "מָסוֹרוֹת"]·HI["के", "जो", "परम्पर", "परम्परओन.", "परम्पराओं", "मनुष्यों", "शिकशअ", "शिकशअओन", "स्थापित-करो"]·ID["tradisi", "tradisi-tradisi"]·IT["tradizione"]·jav["adat-istiadat", "tradhisi", "tradhisi-tradhisi.", "tradisi"]·KO["전승들을", "전승을", "전통", "전통-으로", "전통-을", "전통들을", "전통들의.", "전통을", "전통의"]·PT["tradição", "tradições"]·RU["предание", "преданием", "преданий", "преданию", "предания"]·ES["tradiciones", "tradición"]·SW["mapokeo"]·TR["gelenegi", "gelenekleri", "geleneklerin", "geleneğe", "geleneği", "geleneğini", "geleneğiniz", "geleneğinizi", "geleneğinizle", "o-"]·urd["روایات", "روایت", "روایت-سے", "روایت-کو", "روایت-کے", "روایتوں", "روایتیں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
παρά-δοσις, εως, ἡ, handing down, bequeathing, transmission, τοῦ σκήπτρου Refs 5th c.BC+; handing over, transfer, ἡ π. τῶν χρημάτων Refs 5th c.BC+; σίτου, etc., Refs 3rd c.AD+; τῆς βασιλείας Refs 1st c.AD+; ἐν παραδόσει παραλαμβάνειν ἀεί, of a reserve fund, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __2 transmission of legends, doctrines, etc., tradition, διδασκαλία καὶ π. Refs 5th c.BC+; treatment, exposition, ὅπως πᾶσιν…