παρακούω (parakouō)
parakouō
to ignore
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb parakouō describes hearing without heeding — listening in a way that fails to register or obey. Its core sense is not merely missing sound, but failing to attend to it. In Mark 5:36, Jesus tells Jairus not to be afraid, using this word to imply that the crowd’s panic should be ignored because their noise does not reflect reality. The command is to hear aside from the distraction and focus on what truly matters.
Etymologically, it combines para (“beside”) with akouō (“to hear”), suggesting a hearing that stays on the side rather than engaging fully. This nuance appears in Matthew 18:17, where failure to listen to the church is described as parakouō — a refusal to let authority or community shape one’s response. It is disobedience born of indifference, not ignorance.
Translators often render it “ignore” or “pay no heed,” capturing its active disregard. Unlike simple misunderstanding, parakouō implies choice: the listener hears but chooses not to respond. This makes it a word about attention and allegiance, not just acoustics.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word parakouō describes a specific kind of hearing where sound enters the ear but fails to move the heart or change the direction of life. It is not an accident of silence, but a choice to let truth remain on the side rather than engaging with it. When we face overwhelming noise or conflicting voices, this term reminds us that attention is a form of allegiance. We are called to filter out distractions so we can focus on what truly matters.
In Mark 5:36, Jesus uses this concept when He tells Jairus not to be afraid. The crowd’s panic was loud, but it did not reflect reality. Jesus invites us to ignore that noise and listen instead to His quiet command to believe. This is an invitation to peace in the midst of chaos.
Similarly, Matthew 18:17 shows how this word applies to community. Refusing to listen to the church is a form of parakouō—a refusal to let wise counsel shape our response. We are not meant to navigate life in isolation. By choosing to heed the voice of Christ and the guidance of His people, we align ourselves with truth rather than indifference.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he shall fail to listen,1×
- he shall fail to listen1×
- having ignored1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρακούσῃ,1×
- παρακούσῃ1×
- παρακούσας1×
Key Verses
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Mark 5:36
But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”
Jesus uses this concept to tell Jairus to disregard the crowd's panic and focus solely on His command to believe.
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Matthew 18:17
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
This verse defines the serious consequence of refusing to listen to the church, framing it as a refusal to let community authority shape one’s response.