3904. paraskeué
Lexical Summary
paraskeué: Preparation

Original Word: παρασκευή
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: paraskeué
Pronunciation: pah-rah-ske-VEH
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ask-yoo-ay')
KJV: preparation
NASB: day of preparation, preparation, day, preparation day
Word Origin: [as if from G3903 (παρασκευάζω - prepared)]

1. readiness

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
preparation.

As if from paraskeuazo; readiness -- preparation.

see GREEK paraskeuazo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from paraskeuazó
Definition
preparation, the day of preparation (for a Sabbath or feast)
NASB Translation
day (1), day of preparation (3), preparation (2), preparation day (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3904: παρασκευή

παρασκευή, παρασκευῆς, , from Herodotus down;

1. a making ready, preparation, equipping.

2. that which is prepared, equipment.

3. in the N. T. in a Jewish sense, the day of preparation, i. e. the day on which the Jews made the necessary preparation to celebrate a sabbath or a feast: Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31 (Josephus, Antiquities 16, 6, 2); with a genitive of the object, τοῦ πάσχα (according to Winer's Grammar, 189 (177f) a possessive genitive), John 19:14 (cf. Rückert, Abendmahl, p. 31f); with a genitive of the subjunctive, τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ibid. 42. Cf. Bleek, Beiträge zur Evangelienkritik, p. 114ff; (on later usage cf. 'Teaching 8, 1 [ET] (and Harnack's note); Martyr. Polycarp, 7, 1 [ET] (and Zahn's note); Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, 3).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Greek 3904 (παρασκευή, paraskeuḗ) designates “Preparation,” the final daylight period before a festival Sabbath. In the Gospel record it consistently refers to the Friday of Passion Week, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

Historical Context in Second Temple Judaism

By the first century, Jewish life was regulated by oral traditions that amplified the commands of Torah. Work was meticulously curtailed on Sabbaths, so the preceding day became one of diligent readiness: food was cooked, lamps filled, travel curtailed, and burial completed. Because Passover could begin with a high Sabbath (Exodus 12:16), any Preparation directly before that feast carried special urgency (John 19:14).

Occurrences in the New Testament

Mark 15:42 – identifies the late afternoon urgency to remove Jesus’ body.
Matthew 27:62 – highlights the chief priests seeking a Roman seal “on the next day, which was after the Preparation.”
Luke 23:54 – situates the hurried entombment: “It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.”
John 19:14 – “Now it was the Day of Preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour.”
John 19:31 – notes the Jews’ request to hasten death “because that Sabbath was a high day.”
John 19:42 – recounts Joseph’s new tomb choice “because it was the Jewish Day of Preparation.”

Chronological Importance in the Passion Narrative

The timing anchors the crucifixion on Friday afternoon before sunset, allowing three calendar segments (Friday, Saturday, early Sunday) to satisfy the “third day” prophecies (Luke 24:7). The Gospel writers mention παρασκευή to demonstrate faithful adherence to Mosaic law even amid Rome’s occupation. Their agreement underscores the historical reliability of the death and burial events.

Theological Reflections

1. Completion: Jesus’ cry “It is finished” (John 19:30) precedes the communal completion of chores. Whereas Israel prepared for rest, Christ prepared eternal rest for His people (Hebrews 4:9-10).
2. Substitution: The unbroken bones (John 19:36) and removal before nightfall fulfilled Exodus 12 typology; the true Passover Lamb was being readied.
3. Covenant Transition: The final legitimate “Preparation” under the old order was the very moment the veil was torn (Matthew 27:51), inaugurating a new and living way.

Early Christian Practice and Worship

First-century believers continued synagogue attendance (Acts 13:14) yet gathered for “the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). Friday retained solemnity; by the second century many fasted until three o’clock to honor the crucifixion hour. The association of παρασκευή with redemption shaped liturgies for Good Friday and the Paschal Vigil.

Contemporary Ministry Applications

• Pastoral scheduling: Care should be taken to avoid needless burdens on congregants preparing for Lord’s Day worship.
• Funeral ministry: The haste of Joseph and Nicodemus models compassionate attention to burial needs.
• Evangelism: The convergence of prophetic fulfillment and historical detail in παρασκευή provides an apologetic bridge for gospel proclamation.

Key Lessons

1. God’s redemptive plan integrates calendar, covenant, and Christ.
2. Faithful obedience to seemingly mundane preparations can intersect with watershed moments of salvation history.
3. Scripture’s harmony on temporal details invites confidence in its overarching message: “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Forms and Transliterations
παρασκευη παρασκευή παρασκευὴ παρασκευην παρασκευήν παρασκευὴν παρασκευης παρασκευής παρασκευῆς παράστασιν παρασυνεβλήθη παράταξαι παραταξασθαι παρατάξασθαι παρατάξασθε παραταξει παρατάξει παρατάξεται παρατάξεως παρατάξηται παράταξιν παράταξις παραταξόμενοι παρατάξονται παρατάσσεται παρατασσόμενοι παρατασσόμενος παρατάσσονται παρατέταγμαι παρατέτακται παρέταξαν παρετάξαντο παρεταξάτο παρετάξατο παρετάσσοντο paraskeue paraskeuē paraskeuḗ paraskeuḕ paraskeuen paraskeuēn paraskeuḗn paraskeuḕn paraskeues paraskeuês paraskeuēs paraskeuē̂s
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 27:62 N-AFS
GRK: μετὰ τὴν παρασκευήν συνήχθησαν οἱ
NAS: after the preparation, the chief priests
KJV: followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests
INT: after the preparation were gathered together the

Mark 15:42 N-NFS
GRK: ἐπεὶ ἦν παρασκευή ὅ ἐστιν
NAS: because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
KJV: it was the preparation, that
INT: since it was [the] Preparation that is

Luke 23:54 N-GFS
GRK: ἡμέρα ἦν παρασκευῆς καὶ σάββατον
NAS: It was the preparation day,
KJV: was the preparation, and
INT: [the] day it was of preparation and Sabbath

John 19:14 N-NFS
GRK: ἦν δὲ παρασκευὴ τοῦ πάσχα
NAS: Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover;
KJV: it was the preparation of the passover,
INT: it was now the day of preparation of the passover

John 19:31 N-NFS
GRK: Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπεὶ παρασκευὴ ἦν ἵνα
NAS: because it was the day of preparation, so
KJV: it was the preparation, that
INT: [the] Jews because [the] preparation it was that

John 19:42 N-AFS
GRK: διὰ τὴν παρασκευὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων
NAS: of the Jewish day of preparation, since
KJV: of the Jews' preparation [day]; for
INT: on account of the preparation of the Jews

Strong's Greek 3904
6 Occurrences


παρασκευή — 3 Occ.
παρασκευήν — 2 Occ.
παρασκευῆς — 1 Occ.

3903
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