παρέρχομαι G3928
To pass by, pass away, come to an end; also to approach, transgress, or be averted; of time, space, and moral obligation.
Parerchomai is a compound of para ('beside') and erchomai ('come/go'), and its semantic range fans out from that spatial core in several directions at once. At its most concrete, it describes someone or something moving past a point in physical space — a ship passing, Jesus walking by along the Sea of Galilee. But the word's most theologically charged uses are eschatological: 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away' (Matt 24:35), where passing means ceasing to exist entirely. In the Gethsemane prayers, the same verb carries a poignant middle sense — Jesus asks that 'this cup pass from me,' meaning not mere spatial departure but aversion of an ordeal. Strikingly, the word can also reverse direction entirely, meaning 'come to' or 'approach,' and even extends metaphorically to transgressing commandments, as though one walks right past them without stopping.
Senses
1. pass away, come to an end — The eschatological and temporal sense: to pass away, come to an end, cease to exist. This is the most frequent use (17 of 30 occurrences), concentrated in Jesus' apocalyptic discourse. Heaven and earth will 'pass away' (Matt 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33), this generation will not 'pass away' before all is fulfilled (Matt 24:34; Mark 13:30), and time itself 'has passed' (Matt 14:15; Acts 27:9). Spanish ha-pasado and German vergehen both select terminative vocabulary, confirming that the sense is not mere spatial movement but cessation of existence. The 2 Peter 3:10 usage of the heavens 'passing away with a roar' shows the word pushed to its most dramatic eschatological force. 17×
AR["الماضي", "تَزولانِ", "تَزولُ", "تَزُولَ", "سَتَزولُ", "سَتَزُولَانِ", "سَيَزولُ", "مَضى", "مَضَتْ", "مَضَى", "يَمضي", "يَمُرُّ", "يَمْضِيَ"]·ben["অতিক্রম-করবে", "অতীত", "অতীত-হইয়াছিল", "চলে-গেছে", "চলে-গেছে;", "চলে-যাবে", "বিলুপ্ত-হবে", "লোপ-পাবে", "লোপ-পায়", "শেষ-হবে", "শেষ-হয়ে-যাবে"]·DE["geht-vorüber", "vergehen"]·EN["has-passed", "having-passed", "he-will-pass-away", "passed-away", "passes-away", "will-pass-away"]·FR["passer", "passer-outre"]·heb["יַחֲלֹף", "יַעֲבֹר", "יַעַבְרוּ", "עָבְרָה", "עָבְרוּ", "עָבַר", "שֶׁעָבַר"]·HI["जाएंगे", "जाएगी", "जाते-रहेंगे", "टल-जाए", "टलेगी", "बीत-गईं", "बीत-जाएंगे", "बीत-जाएगा", "बीतचुकाथा", "बीता-हुआ", "बीतेंगे", "बीतेगी", "बेएत-गयि"]·ID["akan-berlalu", "akan-lenyap,", "berlalu", "berlalu,", "dia-akan-berlalu.", "lewat", "yang-lalu"]·IT["pareleusetai", "pareleusontai", "parelthe", "parelthen", "parelthosin", "parelēluthōs", "passare-accanto"]·jav["badhé-ical,", "badhé-liwat", "badhé-sirna,", "badhé-sirna.", "ical", "ical.", "kang-kapungkur", "langkung", "langkung,", "langkung.", "liwat", "sami-badhe-liwat", "sampun-langkung;", "sirna"]·KO["지나가리라", "지나가리라,", "지나가리라.", "지나가지-않을-것이다", "지나간", "지나갈-것이다", "지나갔다", "지나도록", "지나리라", "지나서"]·PT["passado", "passaram", "passará", "passarão", "passe", "passou", "ter-passado,"]·RU["прейдут", "прейдёт", "пройдут", "пройдёт", "пройдёт.", "прошедшее", "прошло", "прошёл"]·ES["ha-pasado", "haber-pasado", "pasado", "pasaron", "pasará", "pasarán", "pase"]·SW["-", "atapita", "ilipita", "imepita", "itakapopita", "itapita", "kizazi", "pita", "uliopita", "vitapita", "yamepita;", "yatapita", "zitapita"]·TR["geçecek", "geçip-gidecek", "geçmeyecek", "geçmiş", "geçmiş-olduğunun", "geçsin", "geçti"]·urd["گزر-جائیں-گی", "گزر-جائیں-گے", "گزر-جائیں-گے،", "گزر-جائے-گا۔", "گزر-چکا-تھا", "گزر-گئیں", "گزر-گیا", "گزرا-ہوا", "گزریں-گی", "گزرے", "گزرے-گا", "گزرے-گی"]
Matt 5:18, Matt 5:18, Matt 14:15, Matt 24:34, Matt 24:35, Matt 24:35, Mark 13:30, Mark 13:31, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:32, Luke 21:33, Luke 21:33 (+5 more)
2. pass by physically — Physical passing by: to move past a location or person in space, traversing alongside without stopping. Found in narrative contexts — Jesus passing by along the road (Mark 6:48), the route passing through Mysia (Acts 16:8), or no one being able to pass by the demoniacs (Matt 8:28). French passer and Spanish pasando preserve the concrete spatial transit. The participle 'passing by' in Luke 18:37 describes what bystanders told Bartimaeus about Jesus, triggering his cry for mercy. 5×
AR["أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِهِمْ", "اجتازوا", "تَعْبُرَ", "يَمُرُّ"]·ben["কেটে-যায়", "পার-হতে", "পার-হয়ে", "যাচ্ছেন", "যেতে"]·DE["geht-vorüber", "vergehen"]·EN["having-passed-by", "is-passing-by", "might-pass", "to-pass", "to-pass-by"]·FR["passer", "passer-outre"]·heb["לַ-עֲבֹר", "לַעֲבֹר", "עוֹבְרִים", "עוֹבֵר", "תַּעֲבֹר"]·HI["जा-रहा-है", "जाए", "जाने-को", "होकर-गए"]·ID["berlalu", "lewat", "melewati"]·IT["parelthe", "parelthein", "parerchetai", "passare-accanto"]·jav["langkung", "langkunga", "liwat.", "nglangkungi"]·KO["지나가기라", "지나가기를", "지나가신다고", "지나서"]·PT["passar", "passasse", "tendo-passado"]·RU["Миновав", "миновал", "пройти", "пройти-мимо", "проходит"]·ES["pasa", "pasando", "pasar", "pasara"]·SW["anapita", "ipite", "kupita", "wakipita"]·TR["geçerek", "geçiyor", "geçmeye", "geçmeyi", "geçsin"]·urd["گزر-جائے", "گزر-کر", "گزرتا-ہے", "گزرنا"]
3. be removed, pass from — To be removed or averted: of an ordeal, cup, or burden being taken away. The Gethsemane prayers are definitive — 'let this cup pass from me' (Matt 26:39, 42), where Jesus asks not that the cup physically relocate but that the experience be averted altogether. Luke 16:17 extends this to the impossibility of the Law's smallest stroke 'passing away.' German voruebergehen captures both the spatial image and the metaphorical force. Only 3 occurrences, but among the most emotionally and theologically intense in the New Testament. 3×
AR["أَنْ-تَزُولَا", "أَنْ-يَعْبُرَ", "لِتَعْبُرْ"]·ben["লোপ-পেতে", "সরে-যাক", "সরে-যেতে"]·DE["geht-vorüber"]·EN["let-pass", "to-pass", "to-pass-away"]·FR["passer"]·heb["לַעֲבֹר", "תַּעֲבֹר"]·HI["टल-जाए", "टलना"]·ID["berlalu", "biarlah-berlalu"]·IT["parelthato", "parelthein"]·jav["lewat", "liwat", "sirna,"]·KO["지나가게-하소서", "지나가다", "지나갈-것이다"]·PT["passar", "passarem", "passe"]·RU["да-минует", "миновать", "прейти"]·ES["pasar", "pase"]·SW["kipite", "kupita"]·TR["geçmek", "geçmesi", "geçsin"]·urd["ٹل-جائے", "ٹلنا", "گزر-جانا"]
4. come to, approach — To come forward, approach, arrive at: a surprising semantic reversal where the 'passing' verb means coming to rather than going past. In Luke 12:37 the master 'comes' to serve his watchful servants; in Luke 17:7 a servant 'comes in' from the field. Acts 24:7 (in some manuscripts) uses the participle of the Roman commander Lysias 'coming' with force. Spanish habiendo-venido and French passer-outre both stretch toward arrival semantics, though the approach sense is more clearly marked in the narrative contexts themselves. 3×
AR["تَقَدَّمْ", "لَكِنَّ", "يَتَقَدَّمُ"]·ben["আসিয়া", "এসে"]·DE["geht-vorüber"]·EN["having-come", "having-come-to", "passing"]·FR["passer", "passer-outre"]·heb["בָּא", "עָבַר", "עֹבֵר"]·HI["{आकर", "आकर"]·ID["Datang", "datang", "marilah"]·IT["parelthon", "passare-accanto"]·jav["rawuh", "sasampunipun-liwat", "{rawuh"]·KO["와서", "왔으나", "지나가서"]·PT["passando"]·RU["подойдя", "придя", "пришед"]·ES["habiendo-venido", "pasando"]·SW["akija", "ukienda"]·TR["gelerek", "gelip", "geçip"]·urd["آتے-ہوئے", "آکر", "لیکن-آ-کر"]
5. transgress, disregard — To transgress, disregard, pass over a commandment or obligation. In Luke 11:42 Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for tithing herbs while 'passing by' justice and the love of God. In Luke 15:29 the elder son protests that he never 'transgressed' his father's command. The metaphor is vivid — walking right past an obligation without acknowledging it. Spanish pasais-por-alto ('you pass over') captures the idiom precisely, and the pairing of physical bypass with moral neglect shows how naturally spatial metaphors extend into ethical territory. 2×
AR["تَترُكونَ", "تَعَدَّيْتُ"]·ben["উপেক্ষা-কর", "উল্লঙ্ঘন-করেছি"]·DE["geht-vorüber"]·EN["I-transgressed", "you-pass-by"]·FR["passer"]·heb["עָבַרְתִּי", "עוֹבְרִים"]·HI["छोड़-देते-हो", "तोड़ी-मैंने"]·ID["aku-langgar", "mengabaikan"]·IT["parelthon", "parerchesthe"]·jav["kula-langgar,", "nglangkungi"]·KO["어긴-적이-없습니다", "지나치나"]·PT["transgredi"]·RU["не-преступил", "обходите"]·ES["pasáis-por-alto", "traspasé"]·SW["mnapita", "sikuvunja"]·TR["geçiyorsunuz", "çiğnemedim"]·urd["ٹال-دیتے-ہو", "ٹالا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
παρέρχομαι (the other moods of the present, and the imperfect (παρήρχοντο is found in Refs 4th c.AD+future, are borrowed from πάρειμι (εῖμι ibo), compare ἔρχομαι): aorist παρῆλθον, infinitive -ελθεῖν, more rarely -ήλῠθονRefs 3rd c.BC+:—go by, beside, or past, pass by, of a ship, Refs 8th c.BC+; of birds, Refs; of persons, Refs 4th c.BC+; [παρῆλθεν ὁ κίνδυνος] ὥσπερ νέφος passed away, Refs 4th…