πάρειμι (pareimi)
pareimi
be present
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 24 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb pareimi conveys the simple reality of being present, at hand, or having arrived. It appears twenty-four times in the New Testament, often describing physical proximity. In Acts 10:21 and John 11:28, Peter and Martha use it to signal that someone has come to a specific location, marking a shift from absence to presence.
Paul employs this word frequently to contrast his current situation with his potential physical arrival. In 2 Corinthians 10:2 and 13:2, he distinguishes between being present in letter and being present in person, emphasizing that true authority requires actual engagement. The sources note its use for time as well, such as "the present" in Hebrews 12:11, highlighting the immediate moment rather than a distant future.
Its meaning is grounded in its parts: para ("beside") and eimi ("to be"). This structure suggests standing near or alongside someone. Translators render it variously as "come," "present," or "here," depending on whether the focus is on arrival or state of being. The word captures both the action of coming and the state of having arrived.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word pareimi simply means to be present or to have arrived. It describes the shift from absence to being there in person. In the Gospels, we see this when Martha tells Mary, "The Teacher is here." It marks a moment of connection where someone has come to meet you face-to-face.
Paul uses this word to contrast his physical presence with his spiritual care. He writes that even when he is absent in body, he remains present in spirit. This reminds us that God’s presence is not limited by distance or time. You are never truly alone, because the One who calls you is always near.
When life feels distant or uncertain, this word offers a quiet comfort. It assures us that Jesus is here with us now, not just in memory but in reality. His presence brings peace to our anxious hearts and grounds us in the truth that He has not left us as orphans.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 24 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- being present9×
- are present2×
- you are here?1×
- you are come.1×
- to neglect.1×
- to be present1×
- to appear1×
- they were coming1×
- present;1×
- it will exist.1×
- is come,1×
- is come1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρὼν6×
- πάρεστιν2×
- παρεῖναι2×
- πάρεστιν,1×
- πάρεστε;1×
- πάρεσμεν1×
- πάρεισιν,1×
- πάρει.1×
- παρῆσαν1×
- παρόντος1×
- παρόντες1×
- παρὸν1×
Key Verses
-
John 11:28
When she had said this, she went away and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here and is calling you.”
Martha uses this word to announce Jesus' immediate arrival, shifting the focus from waiting to active encounter.
-
II Corinthians 10:11
Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.
Paul contrasts his written words when absent with his character and actions when physically present, highlighting integrity.
-
Acts 10:33
Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.”
Cornelius uses this word to acknowledge that all gathered are now standing together before God to hear His command.
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Hebrews 12:11
All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
The author uses a related form to describe the immediate experience of discipline, which feels heavy in the present moment.