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παρακοή

parakoḗ

G3876 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Failure to heed, inattentiveness, or lack of attentive listening, especially to a message, instruction, or command. By extension, willful neglect, neglecting to obey, or disobedience stemming from disregard or indifference. The primary sense is not merely active rebellion, but an absence or breakdown of attentive hearing that results in disobedience or non-compliance.

Semantic Range

inattentiveness, negligence in hearing, failure to heed, neglect of a message or command, disobedience as a consequence of inattention or disregard

Root / Etymology

From the preposition παρα- (beside, contrary to) and the verb ἀκούω (to hear, to listen). The compound παρακούω means 'to fail to listen', 'to disregard', or 'to hear imperfectly/incorrectly'. The noun παρακοή is formed with the nominal suffix -ή, denoting an action or state—the act or state of failing to hear or disregarding.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, παρακούω and its derivatives often refer to hearing incorrectly or disregarding something heard (cf. Plato, Aristotle). The noun παρακοή, while rare, can denote inattentive listening or negligence. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, especially in the LXX and New Testament (e.g., Romans 5:19; Hebrews 2:2), παρακοή comes to mean disobedience as a failure to heed or attend to God's spoken word or law. Here, the term centers more on culpable negligence or disregard leading to non-compliance than outright rebellion. This nuance distinguishes it from more active words for sin or rebellion, such as παραβαίνω (to transgress) or ἀπειθέω (to disobey obstinately). English translations commonly render it as 'disobedience', but this often conceals the underlying sense of inattentive or neglectful hearing. In some contexts, the term specifically refers to Israelite or Adamic disobedience by failure to heed divine command, highlighting a shared motif of failed attentive response. Thus, παρακοή does not always denote deliberate defiance, but also omission via inattentiveness or neglect.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from παρακούω; inattention, i.e. (by implication) disobedience:--disobedience.

Root Family

παρακοή (parakoē) — failure to heed, inattentiveness, disregard, neglect of hearing

Root παρακου- to hear amiss, to disregard, to fail to heed

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3876-02 παρακοήν parakoen N ACC F SG disobedience failure to heed failure to heed 1
G3876-01 παρακοὴ parakoe N NOM F SG disobedience failure to heed disobedience 1
G3876-03 παρακοῆς parakoes N GEN F SG disobedience of failure to heed failure to heed 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3876-03 Romans 5:19 παρακοῆς parakoes N GEN F SG disobedience of failure to heed failure to heed
G3876-02 2 Corinthians 10:6 παρακοήν parakoen N ACC F SG disobedience failure to heed failure to heed
G3876-01 Hebrews 2:2 παρακοὴ parakoe N NOM F SG disobedience failure to heed disobedience
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