Greek word · G3855

παράγω

paragō

to pass

To go past, pass by, pass along. Also to lead past or bring in. In the passive it can mean 'pass away' (1 Cor 7:31: 'the form of this world is passing away').

Appears 10 times in 10 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

παρ-άγω

[in LXX chiefly for עָבַר ;]

1. trans., to lead by, lead aside, lead into, lead forward, etc.

2. Intrans.,

(a) to pass by: Matthew 9:9, 27 20:30, Mark 2:14 15:21, John 8:59 R, txt., John 9:1; before παρό, with accusative, Mark 1:16;

(b) to go away, depart; metaphorically, to pass away: 1 Corinthians 7:31; mid., 1 John 2:8 John 2:17.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 1:16

Range of meaning

To go past, pass by, pass along. Also to lead past or bring in. In the passive it can mean 'pass away' (1 Cor 7:31: 'the form of this world is passing away').

Against the English

BSB, KJV and NASB give 'walking' or 'going along'. ESV and WEB keep the sense 'passing along/alongside'. 'Walking' is accurate, but it loses the idea of moving past: Jesus does not stop at the boats and wait for followers. He passes by, and the call happens as he goes.

Used elsewhere in the period

Mark uses the same verb in 2:14, 'as he passed by he saw Levi', which gives both call scenes the same pattern: passing by, seeing, calling. The scene closely matches Elijah's call of Elisha (1 Kgs 19:19–21). There Elijah 'passed over to him' (Hebrew wayya'abor) while Elisha was at work with his oxen, and Elisha left his work and family to follow. Some scholars also hear an echo of God 'passing by' in scenes where God appears (Exod 33:19–22; 1 Kgs 19:11). Mark 6:48 uses a different verb (parelthein), so that link is less certain.

From the study of Matthew 9:9

Range of meaning

To go along, pass by, move on. In other contexts it means to pass away (1 Cor 7:31; 1 John 2:8, 17).

Against the English

'Passed forth' (KJV), 'went on' (BSB), 'passed by' (WEB, YLT). These are all adequate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Mark uses the same participle in the call of Simon and Andrew ('passing along by the Sea of Galilee', Mark 1:16) and of Levi (Mark 2:14). Matthew also uses it of Jesus passing by in 9:27 and 20:30.

From the study of 1 Corinthians 7:31

Range of meaning

Lead past, go past, pass by (of someone walking along a road). Pass away, disappear (of time, shadows, a world-order).

Against the English

KJV 'passeth away'; YLT 'passing away is'; BSB/NIV/ESV 'is passing away'; NLT 'will soon pass away'.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Gospels it is used of Jesus 'passing by' (Mark 2:14; Matt 9:9, 27). LXX Ps 143:4 (Eng. 144:4): human 'days pass by like a shadow'. 1 John 2:17, 'the world is passing away (paragetai), and its desire'; 1 John 2:8, 'the darkness is passing away'.

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

  1. Matthew 9:9 παράγων passing on

    As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

    Here: Jesus is on the move, walking along (Mark 2:13 places it by the lake). The call happens in passing, unplanned from Matthew's side, the same way the fishermen were called (compare Mark 1:16, where the same verb is used).

  2. Matthew 9:27 παράγοντι passing on

    As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

    Here: 'As he was moving on.' The present tense pictures Jesus on the move, walking away, when the cry reaches him. The dative form ties it grammatically to 'him' later in the sentence.

  3. Matthew 20:30 παράγει, is passing by,

    And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

    Here: Present tense, kept from the words they heard: "Jesus is going by." It brings out the urgency. He is passing now, and if they keep quiet the chance is gone.

Mark · 3

  1. Mark 1:16 παράγων passing

    As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

    Here: 'Passing along.' It pictures Jesus on the move, going past, not stopping to set up as a teacher. The present participle shows the call happening in the middle of his movement. Mark uses the same verb in 2:14 for the call of Levi.

  2. Mark 2:14 παράγων passing on

    As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him.

    Here: Jesus is on the move, passing by, not seeking Levi out in a formal way. It is the same word Mark used when Jesus called the fishermen in 1:16, so the reader hears a second calling scene.

  3. Mark 15:21 παράγοντά passing by

    Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

John · 1

  1. John 9:1 παράγων passing by

    Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth,

    Here: "While passing along." The present participle describes ongoing movement. Jesus is on the move, apparently just after leaving the temple, and the meeting comes about along the way rather than being planned.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:31 παράγει Is passing away

    and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

    Here: Present tense, and placed first for emphasis: the world's shape 'is passing'. The process is already under way. Paul is not only pointing to a future date.

1 John · 2

  1. 1 John 2:8 παράγεται is passing away

    Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

    Here: Present tense of a process still going on: the darkness is on its way out but has not yet gone. John uses the same verb for 'the world is passing away' (2:17).

  2. 1 John 2:17 παράγεται is passing away

    The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

    Here: Present tense: "is passing by," a departure already happening, like a procession moving past and out of sight. The same form appears in 2:8: "the darkness is passing away."

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.