παρακούω

I refuse to hear, disobey, disregard

Definition

The verb παρακούω (parakoyō) carries the core meaning of 'hearing alongside' or 'hearing amiss,' which develops into two related senses in the New Testament. Primarily, it means to deliberately refuse to listen, to disobey, or to disregard a command or instruction. This is its clear meaning in its sole biblical occurrence in Matthew 18:17, where an unrepentant person is to be treated as one who refuses to hear the church's counsel. A secondary, more nuanced sense found in extra-biblical Greek involves hearing carelessly, incorrectly, or only partially, which can lead to misunderstanding. While this second sense isn't explicitly demonstrated in its single New Testament use, the word's etymology supports this broader semantic range of faulty hearing that results in disobedience.

Biblical Usage

Παρακούω is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 18:17, within Jesus's teaching on church discipline. The context is a final step in addressing sin within the community: if a person refuses to listen (παρακούσῃ) even to the church, they are to be treated as an outsider. Its usage here is decisive and judicial, describing a willful act of disobedience to communal authority and correction, not a simple accident of mishearing.

Etymology

The word is a compound verb formed from the preposition παρά (para), meaning 'beside, alongside, or amiss,' and the verb ἀκούω (akouō), meaning 'to hear.' Literally, it means 'to hear beside'—that is, to hear imperfectly, incorrectly, or in a sidelined manner. This root idea evolved to emphasize the consequence of such faulty hearing: active disregard and disobedience.

Semantic Range

Though used only once, παρακούω is theologically significant as it captures the intentional, hard-hearted rejection of godly correction. In Matthew 18:15-17, it marks the climax of a process aimed at restoration; to 'refuse to hear' the church is to reject the authority of Christ present in his community (Matthew 18:20). This underscores that sin is not just a private matter but has communal dimensions, and persistent, willful disobedience has relational consequences. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading by highlighting the seriousness of a deliberate choice to ignore correction, contrasting it with mere misunderstanding.

In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds, listening was closely tied to obedience. To 'hear' a teacher or authority figure implied a responsibility to heed and comply. Therefore, 'hearing amiss' (παρακούω) was not a neutral act but a serious social and relational breach, indicating disrespect and rebellion against established authority, whether familial, communal, or divine. This cultural connection between hearing and obeying makes the word's single biblical usage particularly weighty.

ἀπειθέω (apeitheō, G544) — emphasizes a stubborn, unpersuaded disobedience. ἀκούω (akouō, G191) — the neutral root verb 'to hear,' which often implies understanding and heeding. παρακοή (parakoē, G3876) — the noun form meaning 'disobedience.'

Word Details

Scripture References