Greek word · G3876

παρακοή

parakoē

disobedience

Both nouns come from akoē, 'hearing'. Parakoē: hearing beside the point, mishearing, so refusing to heed or disobeying (2 Cor 10:6; Heb 2:2). Hupakoē: hearing 'under', listening attentively and responding, so obedience or compliance (Rom 1:5; 6:16; 2 Cor 10:5).

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

παρ-ακοή, -ῆς, ἡ

1. a hearing amiss (Flat.)

2. Later, as following inattention, disobedience: Romans 5:19, 2 Corinthians 10:6, Hebrews 2:2 (cf. παρακούω, and see Tr., Syn., § lxvi).†

(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 Romans 5:19

Range of meaning

Both nouns come from akoē, 'hearing'. Parakoē: hearing beside the point, mishearing, so refusing to heed or disobeying (2 Cor 10:6; Heb 2:2). Hupakoē: hearing 'under', listening attentively and responding, so obedience or compliance (Rom 1:5; 6:16; 2 Cor 10:5).

Against the English

'Disobedience' and 'obedience' are accurate. What English loses is the shared root in hearing. Readers do not see that Paul has put two forms of 'hearing' against each other, and they may think of obedience mainly as rule-keeping.

Used elsewhere in the period

The related verb parakouō means ignoring or refusing a spoken word: Matt 18:17 ('if he refuses to listen to them'), and in the Greek of Esther 3:3, 8, where Mordecai disregards the king's command. Behind both words stands the Hebrew shamaʿ, 'hear', which also means 'obey' (as in the Shema, Deut 6:4). Phil 2:8 describes Christ as 'becoming obedient (hupēkoos) to the point of death'.

From the study of Hebrews 2:2

Range of meaning

From parakouō, 'to hear aside': to overhear, to hear wrongly, to ignore or refuse to listen (Matt 18:17, 'if he refuses to listen'). The noun means disobedience understood as not listening, the opposite of hupakoē, 'obedience', literally 'hearing under'.

Against the English

'Disobedience' is correct in meaning, but English loses the wordplay on hearing that holds verses 1–3 together.

Used elsewhere in the period

Rare in Greek generally. In the NT: Rom 5:19 (Adam's 'disobedience' set against Christ's 'obedience'), 2 Cor 10:6, and here.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 10:6

Range of meaning

Literally 'hearing beside' or 'hearing amiss'. In ordinary Greek it can mean mishearing or not paying attention. In the New Testament it means the will's refusal to heed: disobedience as unwillingness to listen. It appears only three times: Romans 5:19 (Adam's disobedience), Hebrews 2:2, and here.

Against the English

'Disobedience' is accurate. What English cannot carry is the sound and root that this word shares with hupakoē ('obedience'). In Greek both are kinds of hearing. BSB's 'every act of disobedience' adds 'act', which narrows it to single deeds when it could also mean a settled stance of refusing to listen.

Used elsewhere in the period

BDAG glosses it 'unwillingness to hear, disobedience'. Romans 5:19 sets Adam's parakoē against Christ's hupakoē, the same pairing as here.

Similar words

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 5:19 παρακοῆς disobedience

    For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

    Here: Literally 'hearing beside' or 'hearing amiss', so a failure to listen to what was said. It is Adam's refusal to heed God's spoken command (Genesis 2:17), and it is built from the same root as 'obedience' in the second half.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:6 παρακοήν, disobedience,

    And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

    Here: Literally a 'hearing-aside': refusing to listen properly, and so refusing to obey. It sounds like hupakoē ('obedience') at the end of the verse, and Paul deliberately sets the two against each other.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 2:2 παρακοὴ disobedience

    For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment,

    Here: Built from 'hear' (akoē) with 'aside' (para): hearing and ignoring, refusing to listen. It echoes 'what we have heard' (v. 1) and 'those who heard' (v. 3).

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