Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024
the First Week of Advent
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Bible Dictionaries
To Comfort, Encourage

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Search for…
or
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Prev Entry
To Ask, Request
Next Entry
To Corrupt, Handle Deceitfully
Resource Toolbox

The words παρακαλέω and παραμυθέομαι are both translated 'to comfort,' but there is a difference between them. The latter word (from παρά and μῦθος, 'a word, speech') in the four places in which it occurs (John 11:19,31; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:14 ) is translated 'comfort' in the A.V., and seems to be expressive of more tenderness than the former.

παρακαλέω (καλέω, 'to call'), which it is difficult to render in any uniform way, is calling upon a person in order to stimulate him to something, it may be to comfort; but it often refers to other things — to exhortation in general, as in Romans 12:8; Titus 2:15; and in some passages may well be translated 'encourage,' as in Hebrews 3:13 , "Encourage one another daily," also in Hebrews 10:25 . See 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 where the word, with the substantive formed from it, occurs several times with a more active force than 'comfort.' In Acts 4:36 the name Barnabas, υἱὸς παρακλήσεως, should probably be 'son of exhortation' rather than 'of consolation.'

An interesting instance of the two words occurring together is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:11 , we are "exhorted (παρακ.) and comforted (παραμ.)"

Bibliography Information
Morrish, George. Entry for 'To Comfort, Encourage'. Morrish Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​mbd/​t/to-comfort-encourage.html. 1897.
 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile