Lexical Summary parakatathéké: Deposit, trust, that which is entrusted Original Word: παρακαταθήκη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance depositFrom a compound of para and katatithemi; something put down alongside, i.e. A deposit (sacred trust) -- that (thing) which is committed (un-)to (trust). see GREEK para see GREEK katatithemi HELPS Word-studies 3872 parakatathḗkē (3844 /pará, "from close beside" and 2698 /katatíthēmi, "decisively place") – properly, place alongside, like when the Lord entrusts a sacred stewardship to someone (see 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:12). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a comp. of para and katatithémi Definition a trust or deposit. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3872: παρακαταθήκηπαρακαταθήκη, παρακαταθήκης, ἡ, (παρακατατίθημι), a deposit, a trust: so Rec. in 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; (Rec.elz 1633 in 2 Timothy 1:12 also). (Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle, eth. Nic. 5, 8, 5, p. 1135,{b} 4; Polybius, Diodorus 15, 76; Josephus, Antiquities 4, 8, 38; Aelian v. h. 4, 1); see παραθήκη above. Topical Lexicon Definition and Background παρακαταθήκη denotes a deposit placed alongside another for safekeeping. In classical Greek it describes valuables entrusted to a faithful friend or banker. The term never appears in the extant text of the New Testament, yet its cognate παραθήκη (used in 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:12, 14) supplies the same underlying idea: something precious handed over for vigilant protection. Classical and Septuagint Usage Outside the New Testament, παρακαταθήκη occurs in legal documents, epitaphs and papyri to describe money, deeds, wills or sacred vessels entrusted to a custodian who must return them intact. The Septuagint does not employ the exact form, but the concept lies behind passages dealing with pledges and stewardship, such as Exodus 22:10-13 and Ezekiel 18:7, 12 where neighbors guard another’s property. Thus the word carries an assumed expectation of accountability before both man and God. Conceptual Parallels in the New Testament Although the specific spelling παρακαταθήκη is absent, Paul’s three uses of παραθήκη reveal the same trust motif: • 1 Timothy 6:20 — “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.” The switch of prepositions (παρά → παρά + κατά) does not change the central picture. Both forms portray something laid beside another for preservation. In the first and third texts the gospel itself is the deposit given to Timothy and, by extension, to every shepherd of the church. In the second text Paul reverses the direction: he is the depositor and Christ the Guardian. Theological Implications 1. Divine Trust. God entrusts His word to human stewards, reflecting His willingness to work through fallible servants (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Applications in Christian Ministry • Pastoral Oversight: Elders guard biblical doctrine against “irreverent chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6:20-21). Historical Church Usage Early fathers often chose παρακαταθήκη when speaking of the “rule of faith.” Irenaeus refers to the apostolic gospel as “the deposit of truth.” Tertullian contrasts that deposit with innovations of heretics. The fourth-century Cappadocians appealed to Timothy’s charge to defend Nicene orthodoxy. Throughout Reformation and post-Reformation writings, the term symbolized Scripture as the treasure placed in the hands of the church. Related Biblical Themes Stewardship (Luke 12:42-48), Covenant Faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9), Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18), Perseverance (Hebrews 3:14), Apostolic Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Summary Though παρακαταθήκη itself is absent from the Greek New Testament, its meaning permeates the apostolic charge. The Lord deposits His gospel with His people, calling them to guard it, live it and pass it on, while they entrust themselves wholly to His unfailing guardianship until the day He returns. Forms and Transliterations παρακαταθήκην παρακαταθήκης παρακατέθετοLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance παρεκάλει — 8 Occ.παρεκάλεσα — 5 Occ. παρεκάλεσαν — 6 Occ. παρεκάλεσάς — 1 Occ. παρεκάλεσέν — 3 Occ. παρεκαλοῦμεν — 1 Occ. παρεκάλουν — 8 Occ. παρεκλήθη — 1 Occ. παρεκλήθημεν — 2 Occ. παρεκλήθησαν — 1 Occ. παράκειταί — 2 Occ. παρακλήσει — 7 Occ. Παρακλήσεως — 12 Occ. παράκλησιν — 7 Occ. παράκλησις — 3 Occ. παράκλητον — 2 Occ. παράκλητος — 3 Occ. παρακοὴ — 1 Occ. παρακοήν — 1 Occ. παρακοῆς — 1 Occ. |
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