παρείσακτος (pareisaktos)
pareisaktos
infiltrated
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective pareisaktos describes someone who has been brought in secretly or surreptitiously. It carries a strong sense of infiltration, suggesting that entry was gained without proper authorization or knowledge. The term is rare in the New Testament, appearing only once in Galatians 2:4.
In this context, Paul uses it to describe false teachers who had slipped into the Christian community. These individuals were not open opponents but hidden infiltrators whose presence threatened the truth of the gospel. The word implies a stealthy, unauthorized entry, akin to spies or traitors gaining access under false pretenses.
Its root combines "para" (beside, alongside) and "eiseisegō" (to bring in), emphasizing the clandestine nature of their arrival. This linguistic detail highlights the deceptive strategy employed by these opponents, who operated from within rather than confronting the church openly. The term underscores the seriousness of internal threats to doctrinal integrity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pareisaktos describes a quiet, unauthorized entry into a community. In Galatians 2:4, Paul uses it to describe false teachers who slipped into the church like spies. They did not confront the apostles openly but entered secretly to undermine the freedom found in Christ Jesus.
This reality reminds us that spiritual threats often come from within. It is easy to assume safety when we are surrounded by familiar faces or shared beliefs. Yet, true community requires vigilance and a commitment to the core truth of the gospel.
When you encounter confusion or pressure to compromise your faith, remember that clarity comes from standing firm in Christ. The church is called to protect the integrity of the message, not for the sake of control, but to preserve the liberty and grace that define our hope in Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- brought in secretly1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρεισάκτους1×
Key Verses
-
Galatians 2:4
This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,
This verse uniquely applies pareisaktos to false brothers who infiltrated the early church to spy out Christian liberty and impose bondage.