Brief Overview of παρεισέρχομαι (Strong’s G3922: pareiserchomai)

Strong’s G3922: A compound verb combining παρα (beside) + εἰς (into) + ἔρχομαι (to come), meaning “to come in alongside” or “to enter secretly.” In Romans 5:20, it describes the Law’s entrance alongside sin. In Galatians 2:4, it depicts false brothers sneaking in. Shows both divine purpose and human deception.

U- Unveiling the Word

παρεισέρχομαι captures both legitimate and illegitimate entry alongside something existing. In Romans, it describes how the Law came in alongside sin to increase transgression, revealing God’s purpose. In Galatians, it depicts false brothers secretly infiltrating the church. The compound structure emphasizes movement alongside and then into a situation. Early church writers used this term to discuss both God’s strategic introduction of the Law and warnings about subtle infiltration by false teachers. Today, it helps us understand both divine purposes in revealing sin and the need for vigilance against deceptive influences.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: παρεισέρχομαι, pareiserchomai, /par-ice-ER-khom-ai/
• Detailed pronunciation: par (as in ‘par’) + ice + ER (stressed) + khom + ai
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• παρα- (para-): beside
• εἰς- (eis-): into
• ἔρχομαι (erchomai): to come
• Combined prefix παρεισ- emphasizes entry alongside

D – Defining Meanings

• To come in alongside
• To enter secretly
• To slip in beside

For compound words:
The triple compound creates the concept of coming (ἔρχομαι) into (εἰς) from alongside (παρα), emphasizing both accompaniment and entry

Translation Options:

• “To come in alongside” – emphasizes accompaniment
• “To enter secretly” – emphasizes stealth
• “To slip in beside” – combines movement and position

E – Exploring Similar Words

• εἰσέρχομαι (eiserchomai) /ice-ER-khom-ai/ – to enter, without stealth
• παρέρχομαι (parerchomai) /par-ER-khom-ai/ – to pass by
• συνεισέρχομαι (syneiserchomai) /syn-ice-ER-khom-ai/ – to enter together with

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a verb, παρεισέρχομαι exhibits:

• Tense: Aorist
• Voice: Active
• Mood: Indicative
• Person: 3rd
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Aspect: Punctiliar

Examples:
παρεισέρχομαι (I come in alongside)
παρεισῆλθεν (it came in alongside)
παρεισελθόντες (having come in alongside)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG notes its dual usage for divine and human action. Thayer’s emphasizes both legitimate and illegitimate entry. LSJ documents classical usage for secret entry. Vine’s highlights the contrast between Romans and Galatians usage. Moulton and Milligan note its legal usage.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Now the law [παρεισέρχομαι] came in to increase the trespass” (Romans 5:20)

Additional References:
Galatians 2:4

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

παρεισέρχομαι demonstrates both divine strategy in the Law’s introduction and human deception in false teaching, showing how entry alongside can serve both positive and negative purposes.

D – Did You Know?

• The word appears in two crucial theological contexts with opposite connotations
• It influenced early Christian discussions about the purpose of the Law
• The term became important in discussions of doctrinal purity

[Lexicon Summary]
A compound verb combining παρα (beside) + εἰς (into) + ἔρχομαι (to come), meaning “to come in alongside” or “to enter secretly.” In Romans 5:20, it describes the Law’s entrance alongside sin. In Galatians 2:4, it depicts false brothers sneaking in. Shows both divine purpose and human deception.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: #verb #law #deception #romans #galatians #compound_word #biblical_greek #new_testament #paul #false_teaching​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​