παρομοι-άζω G3945
to be like, resemble, be similar to
A verb meaning to be similar or comparable to something. Matthew 23:27 uses it in Jesus' devastating critique: the scribes and Pharisees are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful outside, full of dead bones within. The comparison exposes hypocrisy's structure: external religious beauty masking internal corruption. The verb enables Jesus' prophetic metaphors, showing how visible righteousness can conceal spiritual death when performance replaces transformation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Matthew 23:27 has Jesus saying 'you are like' (παρομοιάζετε) whitewashed tombs. The translation evidence (English 'you-are-like', Spanish 'os-parecéis', French 'ressembler') captures the comparison. The simile's force depends on the contrast: tombs whitewashed before Passover gleam brilliantly but contain death and ritual impurity. So religious leaders may display impressive piety while harboring hypocrisy and lawlessness. The metaphor indicts any spirituality that values appearance over reality. 1×
AR["تُشبِهونَ"]·ben["তোমরা-সদৃশ"]·DE["παρομοιάζετε"]·EN["you-are-like"]·FR["ressembler"]·heb["דּוֹמִים"]·HI["समान-हो"]·ID["kamu-menyerupai"]·IT["paromoiazete"]·jav["memper"]·KO["닮았다"]·RU["подобны"]·ES["os-parecéis"]·SW["makaburi"]·TR["benziyorsunuz"]·urd["مشابہ-ہو"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
παρομοι-άζω, to be like, τισι NT