παραβολή (parabolē)
parabolē
parable
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 48 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun parabolē literally means placing one thing beside another to create a comparison. In the New Testament, it most commonly refers to the short stories Jesus told, drawn from everyday life in nature and agriculture, to illustrate spiritual truths about God’s kingdom. This method of teaching appears frequently in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where Jesus uses familiar images like sowing seeds or building houses to make abstract concepts concrete for his listeners.
The word also carries a broader range of meaning beyond narrative stories. It can describe a proverb, a maxim, or even a symbolic figure that points to a deeper reality, as seen in Hebrews where the earthly tabernacle is called a parabolē representing a spiritual truth. This flexibility allows the term to cover both simple sayings and complex allegorical narratives, depending on the context.
Its usage connects directly to the Hebrew word mashal found in the Old Testament, which similarly encompasses proverbs, riddles, and illustrative comparisons. By employing this form of speech, Jesus invited his audience to engage their minds and imaginations, requiring them to look beyond the surface story to discover the hidden meaning within.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word parabolē describes Jesus’ method of placing everyday images beside spiritual truths. By using familiar scenes like sowing seeds or baking bread, He made abstract concepts about God’s kingdom concrete and accessible. This approach invites you to look beyond the surface story to discover deeper meaning, engaging both your mind and imagination.
These stories were not merely simple tales but invitations to understand hidden realities. They required listeners to think carefully and reflect on their own lives. Through this teaching style, Jesus revealed truths about God’s nature and kingdom in ways that resonated with ordinary people while challenging them to grow in faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 48 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- parables16×
- parable16×
- a parable8×
- parable:4×
- proverb1×
- parables.1×
- parable.1×
- a symbol1×
- a simile1×
- a parable:1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παραβολὴν22×
- παραβολαῖς12×
- παραβολήν·3×
- παραβολὰς3×
- παραβολῆς2×
- παραβολῇ2×
- παραβολῆς·1×
- παραβολήν.1×
- παραβολή·1×
- παραβολή;1×
- παραβολὴ1×
- παραβολάς.1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 13:3
He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
This opening verse introduces the parable of the sower, establishing Jesus’ primary teaching method using agricultural imagery familiar to His audience.
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Mark 4:34
Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
This verse highlights the dual nature of Jesus’ teaching: public parables for the crowds and private explanations for His disciples, showing how understanding deepens with relationship.
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Matthew 13:10
The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
The disciples’ question reveals that parables were intentional tools to distinguish those seeking deeper truth from those merely observing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does parabolē mean in the New Testament?
How is parabolē different from a simple story?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (48 verses across 4 books)
Matthew 16 verses
He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
Matthew 13:10The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
Matthew 13:13Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they…
Matthew 13:18“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.
Matthew 13:24He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
Matthew 13:31He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took,…
Matthew 13:33He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of…
Matthew 13:34Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,
Matthew 13:35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will…
Matthew 13:36Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the…
Matthew 13:53When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.
Matthew 15:15Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”
Matthew 21:33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it,…
Matthew 21:45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.
Matthew 22:1Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,
Matthew 24:32“Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that…