παρατήρησις (paratērēsis)
paratērēsis
observation
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun paratērēsis refers to the act of observing or keeping watch, derived from a root meaning to look closely at something. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 17:20, where Pharisees ask Jesus when the kingdom of God will arrive.
This usage highlights a specific mode of scrutiny. The question implies a search for visible signs or precise timing that can be detected through careful observation. The word suggests looking for external markers rather than understanding an internal or spiritual reality.
The term carries no inherent theological judgment in this context, but its placement reveals the Pharisees’ expectation that divine revelation would follow predictable, observable patterns. It underscores a fundamental misunderstanding of the kingdom’s nature, which does not announce itself through measurable events or locations.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word paratērēsis appears just once in the New Testament, found in Luke 17:20. It describes a specific kind of looking—watching for visible signs or external markers to confirm something is happening. The Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s Kingdom would arrive, expecting a date or a location they could point to with their eyes.
Jesus’ answer reveals that the Kingdom does not come with this kind of observation. It is not a political movement or a visible empire that can be tracked on a map. Instead, it is a spiritual reality present among those who receive it. This distinction invites us to look beyond surface-level proofs and trust in the inward work of God.
For your faith, this means you do not need to wait for dramatic signs to know God is at work. The Kingdom is already here in Christ. You can rest in the assurance that God’s rule is active now, even when it does not look like what you expected. This truth frees us from anxiety about timing and allows us to focus on living faithfully today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- careful observation,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρατηρήσεως,1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 17:20
Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation;
This verse uses the word to show that the Pharisees misunderstood the Kingdom as something visible and measurable, which Jesus corrects by stating it does not come with such observation.