παρακᾰλέω G3870
To call alongside; entreat, exhort, encourage, comfort, or invite — spanning earnest appeal, pastoral urging, and consolation.
Parakaleo is built from para ('alongside') and kaleo ('to call'), and that etymology illuminates every sense: someone is always being called to stand alongside another, whether to help, to encourage, or to console. In the Gospels it most often appears as urgent entreaty — lepers begging for healing, demons pleading not to be sent away (Matt 8:31-34). In Acts and the Epistles it shifts toward pastoral exhortation and mutual encouragement within the young church. Paul's usage in 2 Corinthians is especially rich, where the same verb means both 'comfort' and 'be comforted' within a single paragraph (2 Cor 1:3-7), creating a theology of reciprocal consolation. Arabic distinguishes tawassala ('to implore') from haththa ('to urge') from 'azza ('to console'), while Korean separates 간청하다 (beseech), 권면하다 (exhort), and 위로하다 (comfort) — confirming that these are genuinely distinct senses, not just translation variants.
Senses
1. entreat, beseech, implore — To entreat, beseech, or implore — the largest cluster at 57 occurrences. This is the parakaleo of desperate petition: the centurion begging Jesus to heal his servant (Matt 8:5), the Gadarene demons pleading to enter the swine (Matt 8:31), the woman with the hemorrhage touching his garment after the crowd 'pressed' him (Mark 5:23). The subject is typically in a position of need or inferiority, appealing upward. Arabic tawassala and Korean 간청하다 both select the 'earnest plea' register, while Swahili -sihi carries the nuance of humble supplication. Paul uses this sense when he 'begs' the Corinthians to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20). 57×
AR["أَحُثُّ", "أَحُثُّ-كُمْ", "أَطلُبُ", "أَطْلُبُ", "تَوَسَّلوا", "تَوَسَّلَ", "طَلَبوا", "طَلَبُوا", "كانوا-يَتَضَرَّعونَ-إلَيهِ", "كَانَ-يَتَوَسَّلُ", "وَ-أَطْلُبُ-إِلَيْكُمْ", "وَأَحُثُّ", "يَتَوَسَّلُونَ"]·ben["অনুরোধ-করছি", "অনুরোধ-করছিল", "অনুরোধ-করত", "অনুরোধ-করি", "অনুরোধ-করিল", "আমি-অনুরোধ-করি", "তাঁরা-অনুরোধ-করলেন"]·DE["ermahnen", "ermahnt"]·EN["I-urge", "he-was-begging", "they-were-begging", "they-were-urging", "was-begging", "were-begging", "were-urging"]·FR["exhorter"]·heb["בִּקְּשׁוּ", "בִּקְשׁוּ", "הִתְחַנְּנוּ", "הִתְחַנֵּן", "מְבַקֵּשׁ", "מַפְצִיר"]·HI["प्रोतसअहित-करत-होओन", "बिनती-कर-रहे-थे", "बिनती-करता-था", "बिनती-करता-हूं", "बिनती-करते-थे", "मूदे", "मैं-बिनती-करता-हूँ", "मैन-विनति-करत-होओन", "विनती-करता-हूँ", "विनती-करता-हूं", "विनती-करते-थे", "विनतीकरतेथे", "विन्ति-करते-थे", "विन्ति-कि"]·ID["Aku-memohon", "Aku-menasihati", "Aku-mendesak", "aku-memohon", "aku-menasihati", "dia-memohon", "memohon", "mereka-memohon"]·IT["esortare"]·jav["Kawula-nyuwun", "Kula-nglipur", "Kula-nyuwun", "kawula-nyuwun", "nyuwun", "nyuwun-kanthi-sanget"]·KO["간청하였다", "간청했다", "괄했다", "권면한다", "권하노라", "권한다", "권했다", "내가-권한다"]·PT["Exorto", "Rogo", "exorto", "rogava", "rogavam", "rogo"]·RU["Призываю", "Прошу", "Умоляю", "призываю", "просил", "просили", "прошу", "умолял", "умоляли", "умоляю"]·ES["Exhorto", "exhorto", "le-rogaba", "le-rogaban", "os-exhorto", "rogaba", "rogaban"]·SW["Basi", "Basi-nawasihi", "Nawasihi", "Ninawasihi", "Ninawasihini", "alimsihi", "nawasihi", "walimsihi", "waliwasihi"]·TR["Rica-ediyorum", "Teşvik-ediyorum", "Yalvariyorum", "Yalvarıyorum", "rica-ediyorlardı", "yalvardılar", "yalvarıyordu", "yalvarıyorlardı", "yalvarıyorum"]·urd["التجا-کرتا-تھا", "التماس-کرتا-ہوں", "اُس-سے", "اِس-لیے-التجا-کرتا-ہوں", "درخواست-کرتا-ہوں", "درخواست-کرتے-تھے", "منت-کر-رہی-تھیں", "منت-کرتے-تھے", "منت-کی", "منّت-کر-رہا-تھا", "منّت-کرتی-تھیں", "میں-تاکید-کرتا-ہوں", "میں-ترغیب-دیتا-ہوں", "گزارش-کرتا-ہوں"]
Matt 8:5, Matt 8:31, Matt 8:34, Matt 14:36, Matt 18:29, Matt 18:32, Matt 26:53, Mark 1:40, Mark 5:10, Mark 5:12, Mark 5:18, Mark 6:56 (+38 more)
2. exhort, admonish, urge — To exhort, admonish, or urge toward right conduct — 28 occurrences, concentrated in Acts and the Pauline epistles. This is pastoral parakaleo: Barnabas exhorting the Antioch believers to remain faithful (Acts 11:23), Paul and Silas strengthening the churches (Acts 14:22; 15:32), and the repeated epistolary formula 'I exhort you, brothers' (Rom 12:1; 1 Thess 4:1). The shift from sense 1 is directional — here the speaker has authority or spiritual standing, urging others forward rather than pleading from below. Arabic haththa/wa'aza and Korean 권면하다/권고하다 both select instructional-encouragement vocabulary. Luke 3:18 summarizes John the Baptist's preaching as parakalon, 'exhorting' the people. 28×
AR["شَجَّعا", "شَجَّعَ", "شَجَّعَهُمْ", "عِظْ", "عِظْهُ", "كَانَ-يَحُثُّهُمْ", "مُعَزِّينَ", "مُناشِدًا", "نَحُثُّ", "وَعَظا", "يَعِظانِ", "يُشَجَّعوا"]·ben["অনুরোধ-কর", "অনুরোধ-করিতেছিল", "অনুরোধ-করিতেছিলেন", "আমরা-অনুরোধ-করি", "উপদেশ-দাও", "উপদেশ-দাও।", "উৎসাহ-দাও,", "উৎসাহ-দিই", "উৎসাহ-দিয়ে", "উৎসাহ-দিলেন", "উৎসাহিত-করছিল", "উৎসাহিত-করলেন", "উৎসাহিত-করে", "উৎসাহিত-হয়।"]·DE["ermahnen", "ermahnt"]·EN["encouraged", "exhort", "exhorting", "having-encouraged", "may-be-encouraged", "was-exhorting", "was-urging", "we-urge"]·FR["exhorter"]·heb["הַפְצֵר", "הַפְצֵר,", "יִתְעוֹדְּדוּ", "מְבַקֵּשׁ", "מְעוֹדְדִים", "מַזְהִירִים", "נִחַם", "עוֹדְדוּ", "עוֹדֵד"]·HI["उत्साहित-करके", "उत्साहित-किया", "उपदेश-देता-था", "प्रोतसअहित-कर", "प्रोतसअहित-करते-हुए", "प्रोतसअहित-करते-हैन", "प्रोत्साहित-हों", "विनतीकरताथा", "समझअ", "समझअ,", "समझाता-था", "समझाते-हुए"]·ID["Kami-menasihati", "dihiburkan.", "kami-menasihati", "kami-nasihatkan", "menasihati", "mendorong", "menghibur", "mereka-menghibur", "nasihatilah", "nasihatilah,"]·IT["esortare"]·jav["Kita-nglipur", "dipun-lipur", "kang-nyuwun", "mituturi", "ngatag-atagana,", "ngatag-atagna", "ngatag-atagna,", "ngelengake", "nglipur", "ngèngeti", "padha-nglipur", "padha-nglipur.", "sampun-nglipur"]·KO["권고하며", "권고하였다", "권고한다", "권면받도록", "권면하고", "권면하라", "권면하며", "권면했다", "권하라", "권하며", "권했다", "그-", "우리가-권고한다"]·PT["Exortamos", "exorta", "exorta,", "exortamos", "exortando", "exortaram", "exortava", "sejam-exortados.", "tendo-exortado"]·RU["Умоляем", "убеждал", "увещаем", "увещая", "увещеваем", "увещевай", "увещевал", "увещевая", "уговаривал", "утешались", "утешив", "утешили"]·ES["Exhortamos", "anima", "consolaron", "exhorta", "exhortaba", "exhortamos", "exhortando", "exhortaron", "exhortándolos", "sean-exhortados"]·SW["Tunawahimiza", "akawaonya", "akiwatia-moyo", "aliwasihi", "himiza", "kuwahimiza", "msihi", "nikiwasihi", "tukiwafariji", "tunawahimiza", "wahimize", "wahimizwe", "wakiwahimiza", "waliwahimiza"]·TR["Teşvik-ediyoruz", "ricac-ediyordu", "teşvik-ederek", "teşvik-edip", "teşvik-ediyordu", "teşvik-ediyoruz", "teşvik-et", "teşvik-et,", "teşvik-ettiler", "yalvararak"]·urd["تسلّی-پائیں", "تسلی-دی", "حوصلہ-دے-کر", "درخواست-کرتا-تھا", "نصیحت-کر", "نصیحت-کرتا-تھا", "نصیحت-کرتے-ہوئے", "نصیحت-کرتے-ہیں", "نصیحت-کر۔", "ہم-نصیحت-کرتے-ہیں"]
Luke 3:18, Acts 2:40, Acts 11:23, Acts 14:22, Acts 15:32, Acts 16:40, Acts 20:1, Acts 20:2, Acts 27:33, Rom 12:8, 1 Cor 4:13, 1 Cor 14:31 (+16 more)
3. comfort, console — To comfort, console, or bring relief to the distressed — 11 occurrences, with 2 Corinthians as the epicenter. Paul's 'God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction' (2 Cor 1:3-4) uses this verb four times in two verses, establishing comfort as a divine attribute channeled through human community. The Thessalonians are told to 'comfort one another' regarding the dead (1 Thess 4:18). Arabic 'azza and Korean 위로하다 consistently select consolation-specific vocabulary here rather than 'urge' or 'beg' language, and Swahili -fariji ('to comfort, relieve grief') confirms the emotional-relief dimension. The theological link between suffering and comfort in 2 Corinthians makes this a theologically generative sense. 11×
AR["المُعَزّي", "تُعَزّوا", "عَزّانا", "عَزّوا", "نُعَزّيَ", "يُعَزِّي", "يُعَزِّيَ", "يُعَزّيَ"]·ben["উৎসাহ-দিতে", "তিনি-সান্ত্বনা-দেন", "সান্ত্বনা-দাও", "সান্ত্বনা-দিতে", "সান্ত্বনা-দিন", "সান্ত্বনা-দিয়েছিলেন", "সান্ত্বনা-দেওয়া,", "সান্ত্বনা-দেন", "সে-সান্ত্বনা-দেক"]·DE["ermahnen"]·EN["comforted", "comforting", "encourage", "he-may-encourage", "he-might-encourage", "may-encourage", "to-comfort", "to-encourage"]·FR["exhorter"]·heb["יְנַחֵם", "לְנַחֵם", "לְעוֹדֵד", "מְנַחֵם", "נִחַם", "נַחֲמוּ"]·HI["जो-सांत्वना-देता-है", "धधअस-दो", "प्रोतसअहित-करन", "वोह-दिलस-दे", "सअन्त्वन-दे", "सांत्वना-दी", "सांत्वना-देना", "सांत्वना-देने"]·ID["dia-menghibur", "hiburlah", "menghibur", "menghiburkan", "yang-menghibur"]·IT["esortare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-nglipur", "nglipur", "nglipur,", "nglipuripun", "padha-nglipur", "sampun-nglipur"]·KO["위로하기-위해", "위로하다", "위로하도록", "위로하라", "위로하셨다", "위로하시고", "위로하시는-분", "위로하시는-분이", "위로해야-한다"]·PT["consola", "consolai", "consolar", "console", "consolou", "exortar", "que-consola"]·RU["да-утешит", "утешайте", "утешать", "утешающий", "утешил", "утешить"]·ES["consolaos", "consolar", "consoló", "consuele", "exhortar", "que-consuela"]·SW["alitufariji", "anayetufariji", "anayewafariji", "awafariji", "azifariji", "farijianeni", "kumfariji,", "kuwafariji"]·TR["bizi", "o-", "teselli etmek", "teselli etti", "teselli-edin", "teselli-etsin", "teşvik-etmek", "ve-"]·urd["تسلّی-دی", "تسلّی-دیتا-ہے", "تسلّی-دینا", "تسلّی-دینے", "تسلی-دو", "تسلی-دینے-کو", "تسلی-دے"]
4. be comforted, receive comfort — To be comforted or receive consolation (passive/middle voice) — 11 occurrences where the subject experiences comfort rather than dispensing it. The Beatitudes' 'they shall be comforted' (Matt 5:4) is the most famous instance. Rachel 'refused to be comforted' for her children (Matt 2:18). In 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 Paul himself 'was comforted' by the arrival of Titus. Arabic ta'azza (reflexive Form V) and Korean 위로받다 ('receive comfort') both mark the passive-reception frame morphologically, confirming a genuine voice-driven sense distinction from active sense 3. The passive transforms comfort from an act of will into a grace received. 11×
AR["أَنْ-تَتَعَزَّى", "تَتَعَزّى", "تَعَزَّوْا", "تَعَزَّيْنا", "تَعَزّى-بِها", "سَيُعَزَّوْنَ", "نَتَعَزّى", "يُعَزَّى"]·ben["আমরা-সান্ত্বনা-পাই", "আমরা-সান্ত্বনা-পাই,", "আমরা-সান্ত্বনা-পেয়েছি।", "উৎসাহিত-হও", "তারা-সান্ত্বনা-পেল", "তিনি-সান্ত্বনা-পেয়েছিলেন,", "সান্ত্বনা-পাক", "সান্ত্বনা-পাচ্ছে", "সান্ত্বনা-পাবে।", "সান্ত্বনা-পেতে,", "সান্ত্বনা-পেলাম"]·DE["ermahnen", "ermahnt"]·EN["be-comforted", "be-encouraged", "he-is-comforted", "he-was-comforted", "may-be-encouraged", "we-are-comforted", "we-have-been-comforted", "we-were-encouraged", "were-comforted", "will-be-comforted"]·FR["exhorter"]·heb["הִתְנֶחָמוּ", "יְנֻחֲמוּ", "יְנֻחָמוּ", "לְהִתְנַחֵם", "מְנֻחָם", "נִתְנֶחַמְנוּ", "נִתְנַחֲמִים", "נֶחָמוּ", "נֻחַם", "נֻחַמְנוּ"]·HI["दिलस-पयेन", "धधअसे-मिले", "शान्त-किए-जाएँगे", "शान्त-होना", "शान्ति-पाए", "शान्ति-पाता-है", "सांत्वना-पाई", "सांत्वना-पाई-हमने", "सांत्वना-पाओ", "हमें-सांत्वना-मिलती-है", "हमें-सांत्वना-मिली-है"]·ID["Dihiburlah", "akan-dihibur", "dihibur", "dihibur,", "ia-dihibur", "ia-telah-dihibur", "kami-dihibur", "kami-telah-dihibur", "kami-terhibur", "terhibur"]·IT["esortare"]·jav["badhe-dipun-lipur", "dipun-lilèr;", "dipun-lipur", "dipunpituturi", "dipunpènglipur,", "kawula-dipun-lipur", "kita-dipun-lipur", "kita-dipun-lipur,", "piyambakipun-dipun-lipur"]·KO["우리가-위로-받았다", "위로-받다", "위로-받도록", "위로-받았다", "위로-받을-것이다", "위로받는다", "위로받아라", "위로받았다"]·PT["consolai-vos", "foi-consolado", "fomos-consolados", "foram-consolados", "sejam-consolados", "ser-consolada", "serão-consolados", "somos-consolados", "é-consolado"]·RU["утешаемся", "утешается", "утешайтесь", "утешатся", "утешен-был", "утешены-были", "утешились", "утешиться"]·ES["Sed-consolados", "es-consolado", "fue-consolado", "fueron-consolados", "fuimos-consolados", "hemos-sido-consolados", "sean-consolados", "ser-consolada", "serán-consolados", "somos-consolados"]·SW["alifarijiwa,", "anafarijika", "farijiweni;", "kufarijiwa", "tulifarijika", "tumefarijiwa.", "tunafarijiwa", "tunafarijiwa,", "walifarijiwa", "watafarijiwa", "zifarijiwe"]·TR["ister-", "o-", "teselli edilmişizdir", "teselli-", "teselli-edildik", "teselli-edildiler", "teselli-edilecekler", "teselli-ediliyor", "teselli-edilmek", "teselli-olunsun", "teşvik-edilin"]·urd["تسلّی-پائے-ہیں", "تسلّی-پاتے-ہیں", "تسلّی-پایا", "تسلی-پاؤ", "تسلی-پائیں", "تسلی-پائیں-گے", "تسلی-پائے", "تسلی-پاتا-ہے", "تسلی-پانا", "ہم-کو-تسلی-ملی"]
5. invite, summon, call for — To invite, summon, or call for someone's presence — only 2 clear occurrences, both in Acts. In Acts 28:14 Paul's companions 'were invited' to stay with fellow believers; in Acts 28:20 Paul explains he 'called for' the Jewish leaders in Rome. This recovers the classical Greek meaning closest to the etymology ('call alongside'), which in the New Testament is largely eclipsed by the entreaty and comfort senses. Arabic da'a ('to invite') and Korean 초대하다 ('to extend an invitation') both select social-invitation vocabulary here. Though rare, this sense preserves the verb's etymological core and its continuity with classical usage. 2×
AR["دَعَوتُكُم", "طُلِبَ-مِنّا"]·ben["অনুরোধ-করিতে-পারিলাম", "অনুরোধ-করিলাম"]·DE["ermahnt"]·EN["I-called-for", "we-were-invited"]·FR["exhorter"]·heb["בִּקַּשְׁתִּי", "נִתְבַּקַּשְׁנוּ"]·HI["मैंने-बुलाया", "हमें-बुलाया-गया"]·ID["diminta", "meminta"]·IT["esortare"]·jav["dipunsuwun", "kula-nyuwun"]·KO["초대받았다", "초대하였다"]·PT["fomos-convidados", "pedi-para-ver"]·RU["мы-были-упрошены", "я-попросил"]·ES["fuimos-invitados", "os-invité"]·SW["niliwaomba", "tuliombwa"]·TR["davet-edildik", "sizi"]·urd["درخواست-کی", "درخواست-کی-گئی"]
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
παρακᾰλέω, Attic dialect future -καλῶ, later -καλέσωLXX:—call to one, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II call in, send for, summon, Refs 5th c.BC+; invoke the gods, τοὺς θεούς Refs 4th c.BC+; περὶ τούτου τὸν θεόν (as medical adviser) Refs 2nd c.AD+; τὸν Ἐνυάλιον Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, παρακαλούμενος καὶ ἄκλητος, 'vocatus atque non vocatus', Refs 5th c.BC+; παρακαλουμένη ἀμύνειν being called upon to ward off,…