παραλογίζομαι (paralogizomai)
paralogizomai
to deceive
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb paralogizomai describes a specific kind of deception rooted in faulty logic or calculation. Derived from roots meaning "beside" and "reasoning," it literally suggests miscalculating or reasoning wrongly. In the New Testament, this concept extends beyond simple lying to include being misled by false arguments or failing to grasp the truth because of one’s own mental errors.
This word appears only twice in Scripture, both times in the letter of James. In James 1:22, it warns against deceiving oneself by hearing the message without acting on it. The text contrasts this self-deception with the danger of being misled by others, as seen in Colossians 2:4, where Paul fears his readers might be swayed by persuasive but empty words.
The term highlights how easily human reasoning can go astray when not anchored in reality. It serves as a reminder that truth requires more than intellectual assent; it demands alignment between what we believe and how we live. The sources emphasize this internal danger, showing that the most persistent deceptions often come from within our own flawed judgments.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word paralogizomai points to a quiet but dangerous trap: deceiving ourselves through faulty reasoning. In James 1:22, this self-deception happens when we listen to God’s word yet fail to let it shape our daily actions. It is easy to feel spiritually secure while living in ways that contradict what we claim to believe. This internal misalignment often goes unnoticed until the gap between belief and behavior becomes too wide to ignore.
Paul also warns against external deception in Colossians 2:4, where persuasive speech can lead people astray from the truth. Both passages remind us that truth requires more than intellectual agreement; it demands honest self-examination and obedience. When we anchor our minds in reality rather than wishful thinking, we protect our hearts from error.
May you find peace in the clarity that comes from aligning your life with God’s word, trusting that His truth sets us free from the snares of our own flawed judgments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- may delude1×
- deceiving1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παραλογίζηται1×
- παραλογιζόμενοι1×
Key Verses
-
James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
This verse uses paralogizomai to describe self-deception, warning believers not to merely hear the word without acting on it.
-
Colossians 2:4
Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
Here Paul fears that persuasive but empty arguments might lead his readers into error, highlighting the danger of being misled by others.