παραβάλλω

I compare, arrive

Definition

The verb παραβάλλω (paraballō) carries two primary meanings in the New Testament. First, it means 'to compare' or 'to place beside,' used in a metaphorical sense of drawing a comparison, as seen in Mark 4:30 where Jesus asks, 'With what can we compare (paraballō) the kingdom of God?' Second, it has a nautical sense meaning 'to arrive' or 'to put in' at a harbor, as used in Acts 20:15 when Paul's ship 'arrived (paraballō) opposite Chios.' The semantic range connects the idea of placing one thing alongside another, whether in thought or in physical location.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, each time with a distinct meaning. In Mark 4:30, it is used in a parable to introduce a rhetorical comparison about the nature of God's kingdom. In Acts 20:15, it is used in a straightforward narrative of sea travel, describing the ship's arrival at a point near an island. Its usage is thus split between a figurative, teaching context in the Gospels and a literal, travelogue context in Acts.

Etymology

The word is a compound of the preposition παρά (para), meaning 'beside, alongside,' and the common verb βάλλω (ballō), meaning 'to throw' or 'to place.' Literally, it means 'to throw or place beside.' This core idea of juxtaposition underlies both its meanings: placing ideas side-by-side to compare them, or placing a ship beside a shore to arrive.

Semantic Range

In its use in Mark 4:30, παραβάλλω is theologically significant as it frames one of Jesus's key teachings on the kingdom of God. The act of 'comparing' invites listeners into a process of understanding divine mysteries through earthly analogies (parables). Understanding this Greek term highlights the pedagogical method of Jesus, who places the familiar alongside the heavenly to reveal spiritual truths.

The nautical usage in Acts 20:15 reflects the common experience of sea travel in the ancient Mediterranean. 'Arriving' by ship often meant sailing to a point near the coast or an island, not necessarily docking at a major port. This specific sense would have been immediately clear to Luke's original audience, for whom such travel was a regular part of life and commerce.

παραβολή (parabolē, G3850) — a 'parable' or 'comparison,' the noun form derived from παραβάλλω, specifically for a illustrative story. ὁμοιόω (homoiō, G3666) — 'to make like, to liken,' another verb for comparison, often used in similes (e.g., 'the kingdom of heaven is like...').

Word Details

Scripture References