παράλιος

on the coast

Definition

The adjective παράλιος (paralios) means 'by the sea' or 'on the coast.' It describes a location that is adjacent to or bordering the sea. In its single New Testament occurrence in Luke 6:17, it specifies the 'level place' or plain where Jesus taught, clarifying it was a coastal region. While its core meaning is geographical, it carries the sense of a borderland between land and sea, a place of gathering or transition. No other distinct biblical senses are attested.

Biblical Usage

παράλιος is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 6:17. It describes the setting where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Plain: 'He came down with them and stood on a level place, a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people... who had come to hear him... from the sea coast (παράλιον) of Tyre and Sidon.' Here, it functions adjectivally to specify the origin of part of the crowd as being from the coastal districts.

Etymology

παράλιος is a compound word from the preposition παρά (para), meaning 'beside, alongside,' and a root related to ἅλς (hals), meaning 'salt' or 'the sea.' Thus, it literally means 'beside the salt' or 'by the sea.' This construction is straightforward, combining a common preposition with a root denoting the sea to create a descriptive geographic term.

Semantic Range

In the ancient Mediterranean world, coastal regions like Tyre and Sidon were often seen as distinct from inland territories. They were hubs of trade, cultural exchange, and sometimes seen as more cosmopolitan or pagan from a Jewish perspective. Luke's specific mention of the 'sea coast' may subtly highlight the far-reaching, border-crossing nature of Jesus's fame, drawing people even from predominantly Gentile coastal cities.

θάλασσα (thalassa, G2281) — This is the primary noun for 'sea' or 'lake,' whereas παράλιος is an adjective describing what is adjacent to it.

Word Details

Scripture References