paraklēsis · encouragement, comfort

What it means

paraklēsis (παράκλησις) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “encouragement, comfort”.

Also an appeal or exhortation.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The relief God or fellow believers give.
2. Words that spur on, or a pressing request.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• comfort ×20
• encouragement ×7
• appeal ×1
• urging ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Luke×2
• Acts×4
• Romans×3
• 1 Corinthians×1
• 2 Corinthians×11
• Philippians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×1
• 2 Thessalonians×1
• 1 Timothy×1
• Philemon×1
• Hebrews×3

• Luke 2:25

  And look, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

• Luke 6:24

  But woe to you who are rich, because you have received your comfort.

• Acts 4:36

  And Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is, translated, Son of Comfort), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,

• Acts 9:31

  So the assembly throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied.

• Acts 13:15

  And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”

• Acts 15:31

  And when they read it, they rejoiced at the comfort.

• Romans 12:8

  if the one who encourages, in encouragement; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who leads, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Romans 15:4

  For whatever was written beforehand was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and through the comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope.

• Romans 15:5

  And may the God of perseverance and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind among one another according to the Messiah Jesus,

• 1 Corinthians 14:3

  But the one who prophesies speaks to people words of building up and encouragement and comfort.

• 2 Corinthians 1:3

  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

• 2 Corinthians 1:4

  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

• 2 Corinthians 1:5

  For just as the sufferings of the Messiah overflow to us, so through the Messiah our comfort also overflows.

• 2 Corinthians 1:6

  If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is at work in perseverance in the same sufferings that we also suffer.

• 2 Corinthians 1:7

  And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you are partners in the sufferings, so also you are in the comfort.

• 2 Corinthians 7:4

  Great is my boldness toward you, great is my boasting about you; I am filled with comfort, I am overflowing beyond measure with joy in all our affliction.

• 2 Corinthians 7:7

  and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

• 2 Corinthians 7:13

  For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

• 2 Corinthians 8:4

  with much urging they begged us for the favor and the sharing in the service for the saints,

• 2 Corinthians 8:17

  for he welcomed the appeal, but being all the more earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

• Philippians 2:1

  So if there is any comfort in the Messiah, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

• 1 Thessalonians 2:3

  For our encouragement did not come from error or from impurity, nor was it in deceit,

• 2 Thessalonians 2:16

  Now may our Lord Jesus the Messiah himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,

• 1 Timothy 4:13

  Until I come, devote yourself to the reading, to the encouragement, to the teaching.

• Philemon 1:7

  For I have had much joy and comfort from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

• Hebrews 6:18

  so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge may have strong comfort to hold on to the hope set before us.

• Hebrews 12:5

  and you have forgotten the encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not think lightly of the discipline of the Lord, nor lose heart when you are rebuked by him;

• Hebrews 13:22

  And I urge you, brothers, bear with the word of encouragement, for indeed I have written to you briefly.

And 1 more times.