Greek word · G3887

παραμένω

paramenō

to continue

'To remain, stay on'. Also 'to stay beside someone' in the sense of serving or attending them. In papyrus contracts it is used of people bound to stay with an employer. Elsewhere it means continuing in a condition (James 1:25; Heb 7:23).

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 14, 2026

What it means

παρα-μένω

[in LXX: Proverbs 12:7, Da TH Daniel 11:17 (עָמַד), etc. ;]

to remain beside or near: Hebrews 7:23, James 1:25; of remaining alive, 1 Corinthians 16:6 (WH, κατα-), Philippians 1:25 (cf. συμ-παραμένω).†

(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 1 Corinthians 16:6

Range of meaning: 'To remain, stay on'. Also 'to stay beside someone' in the sense of serving or attending them. In papyrus contracts it is used of people bound to stay with an employer. Elsewhere it means continuing in a condition (James 1:25; Heb 7:23).
Against the English: KJV 'abide' is accurate but archaic. BSB adds 'awhile', which fits the context. No significant drift.
Used elsewhere in the period: Heb 7:23 (priests prevented by death from continuing); Phil 1:25 ('I will remain and continue with you all'); James 1:25. Papyrus paramonē contracts use the root for staying in service.

From the study of Hebrews 7:23

Range of meaning: Literally 'remain beside' or 'stay on'. In use: (1) stay with someone or stay somewhere (1 Cor 16:6, 'stay with you'); (2) stay on in a job, office or duty, 'continue in service'; (3) keep at something, persevere (James 1:25, the one who 'continues' in the perfect law). BDAG lists the 'continue in an occupation or office' sense and puts this verse under it.
Against the English: 'Continue in office' (BSB, ESV, NIV) gets the sense right. KJV's bare 'continue' and YLT's 'remaining' are accurate but don't show that the setting is official service. Most English versions hide the wordplay with verse 24's 'remain' (menein).
Used elsewhere in the period: In the Greek documentary papyri, contracts of paramonē ('staying-on' contracts) bound a person, often a freed slave or a worker, to remain in someone's service for a set time or for life (see Moulton–Milligan). So the word carried the idea of an obligation to stay at one's post. Paul pairs the simple and compound verbs in Phil 1:25 ('I will remain [menō] and continue [paramenō] with you all'), the same pairing Hebrews uses across vv. 23–24.

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 16:6 παραμενῶ I will continue

Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.

Here: Future: 'I will stay on (beside you)', i.e. a real visit lasting some time, not a stopover. The prefix para- ('beside') gives a nuance of staying close to them.

Philippians · 1

Philippians 1:25 παραμενῶ will continue

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Here: The prefix para- ('beside') turns plain staying into staying with someone to stand by and serve them. Paul will not just survive. He will remain at the Philippians' side.

Hebrews · 1

Hebrews 7:23 παραμένειν· continuing;

Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.

Here: 'To stay on', 'continue in service'. The word was used for staying at one's post. It sets up a wordplay with plain 'remain' (menein) in verse 24: they could not 'stay on', but he 'remains forever'.

James · 1

James 1:25 παραμείνας, having continued in [it],

But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

Here: "Stay beside, remain there." It is the exact opposite of the mirror-gazer, who "went away" (v. 24). This person does not walk off from what they have seen. Elsewhere the word is used of staying in service or staying loyal.

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