παρουσία (G3952) — Greek Lexicon

παρουσία

parousía

G3952 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

State or condition of being present; the act of coming or arrival at a place. In various contexts, 'παρουσία' primarily denotes the physical presence of a person, especially one of high status, or the arrival/coming of someone into a situation. In Hellenistic and New Testament Greek, it can bear the specialized sense of an official or momentous arrival, often of a dignitary. In later Christian usage, it comes to refer specifically to a future, expected 'coming' or 'arrival,' particularly that of Jesus, with an overtone of significance or judgment.

Semantic Range

presence, personal attendance, arrival, official visit, formal coming, advent (especially a significant or awaited arrival), in Christian texts: the eschatological advent or coming (notably of Jesus)

Root / Etymology

From the prepositional prefix 'παρά' (beside, with) and the verb 'εἰμί' (to be), literally meaning 'being next to' or 'being present.' Formed from the present participle 'παρών' ('being present') of the verb πάρειμι. The sense evolved from 'presence' or 'arrival' to denote the advent or coming, especially of important figures.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, 'παρουσία' generally signified personal presence, in contrast to 'ἀπουσία' (absence). In Hellenistic and especially political-administrative contexts, it referred to the visit or arrival of a ruler or official, denoting not just physical presence but the formal, often celebrated, visit. In the Septuagint and other Koine sources, it can retain the general sense of presence but increasingly is used for arrivals or appearances with anticipated impact. In the New Testament, the term acquires a specialized eschatological significance, indicating the anticipated 'coming' or 'arrival' of Jesus (and, less frequently, other important figures). English versions often translate as 'coming,' but sometimes as 'presence,' depending on context. The sense of an expected intervention, particularly of Jesus at the end of the age, is a developed meaning within early Christian texts, and is not an inherent part of the word in secular Greek. Unlike ἔλευσις or ἥξις (which simply mean 'coming'), 'παρουσία' carries an overtone of arrival attended with consequence or display.

Translation Consistency

primary "presence" 21 occurrences

Most common natural rendering in the data and SILEX range. "Presence" covers both the state of being present and the sense of an arrival/attendance (including an official or eschatological arrival) while sounding natural in English across contexts.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):

"arrival" (3x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the present participle of πάρειμι; a being near, i.e. advent (often, return; specially, of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physically, aspect:--coming, presence.

Root Family

παρουσία (parousia) — presence, arrival, official coming, personal attendance

Root πάρειμι to be present, to arrive, to be beside

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3952-01`	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence	15
`G3952-03`	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence	6
`G3952-02`	παρουσίαν	parousian	`N ACC F SG`	coming	arrival	arrival	3

Occurrences in Scripture

24 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3952-03`	Matthew 24:3	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-01`	Matthew 24:27	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	Matthew 24:37	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	Matthew 24:39	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	1 Corinthians 15:23	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	1 Corinthians 16:17	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	2 Corinthians 7:6	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	2 Corinthians 7:7	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	2 Corinthians 10:10	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	presence	presence	presence
`G3952-03`	Philippians 1:26	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-01`	Philippians 2:12	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	presence	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	1 Thessalonians 2:19	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-01`	1 Thessalonians 3:13	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-02`	1 Thessalonians 4:15	παρουσίαν	parousian	`N ACC F SG`	coming	arrival	arrival
`G3952-01`	1 Thessalonians 5:23	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-03`	2 Thessalonians 2:1	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-03`	2 Thessalonians 2:8	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-01`	2 Thessalonians 2:9	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-03`	James 5:7	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-01`	James 5:8	παρουσία	parousia	`N NOM F SG`	coming	presence	presence
`G3952-02`	2 Peter 1:16	παρουσίαν	parousian	`N ACC F SG`	coming	arrival	arrival
`G3952-03`	2 Peter 3:4	παρουσίας	parousias	`N GEN F SG`	coming	of the arrival	of the presence
`G3952-02`	2 Peter 3:12	παρουσίαν	parousian	`N ACC F SG`	coming	arrival	arrival
`G3952-01`	1 John 2:28	παρουσίᾳ	parousia	`N DAT F SG`	coming	presence	presence

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