παραγγελία

a command, charge

Definition

Paraggelia refers to a formal command, charge, or injunction issued by an authority. In the New Testament, it consistently carries the weight of an authoritative directive, not a mere suggestion. In Acts 5:28, it describes the Sanhedrin's official command to the apostles to stop teaching about Jesus. In Paul's letters, it takes on a more pastoral tone, referring to the authoritative instructions for Christian living given by an apostle or teacher, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:2 and 1 Timothy 1:5, where it is linked to love and a good conscience.

Biblical Usage

This noun is used five times, primarily in Acts and the Pauline epistles. In Acts, it denotes official, often hostile, commands from governing authorities (Acts 5:28, 16:24). In Paul's writings, it refers to the authoritative ethical and doctrinal instructions he delivered to the churches. For example, in 1 Timothy 1:18, Timothy is charged (paraggelia) to wage the good warfare in accordance with prophecies, showing its use for solemn, spiritually significant mandates.

Etymology

Derived from the verb paraggello (G3853), meaning 'to command, order, or announce.' It is a compound of para ('beside, alongside') and the root related to aggello ('to announce, report'). Thus, the core idea is of a message or order passed alongside from a source of authority to a recipient, emphasizing its transmitted and binding nature.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it highlights the nature of apostolic teaching as authoritative command from the Lord (1 Thes. 4:2). It connects ethical instruction directly to the source of divine authority and the goal of love from a pure heart (1 Tim. 1:5). Understanding paraggelia helps readers see that New Testament commands are not arbitrary rules but life-giving directives integral to the faith, entrusted to and passed on by appointed leaders.

In the Greco-Roman world, a paraggelia was a formal order, often military or governmental. Its use by the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:28) and a Roman jailer (Acts 16:24) reflects this official, public context. When Paul adopts the term for Christian instruction, he imbues his teaching with a similar sense of solemn authority, positioning his directives as comparable in weight to civic or military orders for the community of believers.

entole (G1785) — A more general term for commandment, often used for God's commands in the Law or Christ's teachings. paraggelia implies a specific, transmitted order from an immediate authority. epitage (G2003) — An injunction or commandment, emphasizing the authority of the one commanding; slightly more formal than paraggelia.

Word Details

Scripture References