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παρατίθημι

paratíthēmi

G3908 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To place or set beside, to present or put before someone; by extension, to entrust or commit something to another for safekeeping or responsibility. In various contexts, it can refer concretely to placing food before someone (serve, set before), or more abstractly to entrusting speech, teaching, a person, or a matter into someone’s care.

Semantic Range

to set beside (physically), to serve or offer (especially food), to present, to put forth, to entrust, to commit to another's care, to deposit (for safekeeping), to commend, to transmit (teaching, instructions)

Root / Etymology

From the preposition παρά (beside, alongside) and the verb τίθημι (to place, put); thus, literally, 'to place beside'. Compound verb formation common in Koine Greek, reflecting both concrete and extended metaphorical senses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, παρατίθημι primarily conveyed the act of placing or setting something beside another object or person, especially related to food (serving at a table, as in Xenophon and Plato). In Hellenistic and Koine usage (including the Septuagint and New Testament), the meaning broadened to include entrusting something—whether a person, teaching, or responsibility—into another’s care or protection. This metaphorical sense is prominent in New Testament passages (e.g., Acts 20:32; 2 Timothy 2:2), where it often connotes entrusting a tradition, body of teaching, or someone’s welfare to another. Standard English translations vary, sometimes rendering the term as 'commit,' 'entrust,' 'commend,' 'set before,' or 'put forth.' These often capture only a part of its wider usage, especially the sense of formally handing something over. In Jewish-Greek literature and Hellenistic sources, the idea of transmission or entrusting adds a nuance beyond simply placing, giving the term significance in contexts of succession, teaching, or responsibility. There is a distinction between παρατίθημι’s metaphorical use and similar verbs like διατίθημι ('to arrange, establish') or ἀποτίθημι ('to set aside'). The verb also occurs with varying objects—food, teachings, persons, matters—demonstrating its broad adaptability in Koine Greek usage.

Translation Consistency

primary "entrust" 6 occurrences

Although the verb can mean to place, set before, or present, its most typical and theologically significant use in the NT is to commit or deposit something into another’s care (teachings, responsibilities, possessions). "Entrust" is a natural English verb that covers both the concrete sense of depositing/committing and the abstract sense of committing/transmitting, and so provides a consistent, readable base for all forms of G3908.

Alternatives (13 occurrences):
"set before" (10x) "things set before" (1x) "commit" (1x) "presenting" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from παρά and τίθημι; to place alongside, i.e. present (food, truth); by implication, to deposit (as a trust or for protection):--allege, commend, commit (the keeping of), put forth, set before.

Root Family

παρα-τιθημι (paratíthēmi) — to place beside, to set before, to entrust, to commit

Root παρα-τιθημι to place beside, to set before, to entrust, to commit

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3908-04 παρατίθεμαι paratithemai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I commend I place before myself I entrust 3
G3908-12 παρέθηκεν paretheken V AOR ACT IND 3P SG He put he set before he set before 3
G3908-10 παρατιθῶσιν paratithosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL set they may set before they may set before 2
G3908-13 παρέθεντο parethento V AOR MID IND 3P PL they commended they entrusted they entrusted 2
G3908-01 παραθεῖναι paratheinai V AOR ACT INF to set before to place beside to set before 1
G3908-02 παραθήσω paratheso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG to set I will set before I will set before 1
G3908-03 παράθου parathou V AOR MID IMP 2P SG entrust Entrust for yourself Entrust for yourself 1
G3908-05 παρατιθέμενα paratithemena V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N PL things set before things being set beside things set before 1
G3908-06 παρατιθέμενον paratithemenon V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N SG is set before being set before being set before 1
G3908-07 παρατιθέμενος paratithemenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG proving placing beside presenting 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3908-12 Matthew 13:24 παρέθηκεν paretheken V AOR ACT IND 3P SG put he set before he set before
G3908-12 Matthew 13:31 παρέθηκεν paretheken V AOR ACT IND 3P SG He put he set before he set before
G3908-10 Mark 6:41 παρατιθῶσιν paratithosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL set before they may set before they may set before
G3908-10 Mark 8:6 παρατιθῶσιν paratithosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL set they may set before they may set before
G3908-11 Mark 8:6 παρέθηκαν parethekan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they set they set beside they set before
G3908-08 Mark 8:7 παρατιθέναι paratithenai V PRS ACT INF to set before to place beside to set before
G3908-01 Luke 9:16 παραθεῖναι paratheinai V AOR ACT INF to set before to place beside to set before
G3908-05 Luke 10:8 παρατιθέμενα paratithemena V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N PL things set before things being set beside things set before
G3908-02 Luke 11:6 παραθήσω paratheso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG to set I will set before I will set before
G3908-13 Luke 12:48 παρέθεντο parethento V AOR MID IND 3P PL they entrusted they entrusted they entrusted
G3908-04 Luke 23:46 παρατίθεμαι paratithemai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I commit I place before myself I commit
G3908-13 Acts 14:23 παρέθεντο parethento V AOR MID IND 3P PL they commended they entrusted they entrusted
G3908-12 Acts 16:34 παρέθηκεν paretheken V AOR ACT IND 3P SG set before he set before he set before
G3908-07 Acts 17:3 παρατιθέμενος paratithemenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG proving placing beside presenting
G3908-04 Acts 20:32 παρατίθεμαι paratithemai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I commend I place before myself I entrust
G3908-06 1 Corinthians 10:27 παρατιθέμενον paratithemenon V PRS PASS PTCP ACC N SG is set before being set before being set before
G3908-04 1 Timothy 1:18 παρατίθεμαί paratithemai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I entrust I place before myself I entrust
G3908-03 2 Timothy 2:2 παράθου parathou V AOR MID IMP 2P SG entrust Entrust for yourself Entrust for yourself
G3908-09 1 Peter 4:19 παρατιθέσθωσαν paratithesthosan V PRS MID IMP 3P PL let them entrust let them entrust let them entrust
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