παρεισέρχομαι (pareiserchomai)
pareiserchomai
to come in
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek verb pareiserchomai describes a specific manner of entering: coming in by the side or slipping in secretly. Its components suggest movement "beside" or "alongside" (para) that results in an intrusion rather than an open arrival. In Scripture, this word carries a distinct nuance of stealth or unauthorized access, distinguishing it from standard terms for simply arriving or entering a place.
This sense of creeping in is visible in two key New Testament passages. Paul uses it to describe how grace abounded "alongside" sin in Romans 5:20, suggesting an addition that runs parallel to the law’s presence. Conversely, in Galatians 2:4, he refers to false brothers who "crept in" unnoticed to spy on Christian freedom. In both cases, the word highlights an entry that bypasses normal channels or expectations, whether as a divine counterpoint to sin or as a covert infiltration of deception.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pareiserchomai describes a quiet, unauthorized entry—slipping in by the side rather than knocking on the door. In Galatians, Paul uses it to describe false teachers who crept into the community to spy out our freedom in Christ. This reminds us that truth often arrives openly, while deception seeks hidden corners. We are called to stand firm in the liberty Jesus purchased, recognizing that genuine grace does not operate in shadows.
Yet Romans 5:20 offers a striking contrast. Here, the same word describes how God’s grace entered alongside sin. Where trespass increased, grace did not just match it; it overflowed. This shows us that no matter how deeply wrong has crept into our lives, God’s mercy moves in with greater power. It is a reminder that darkness never has the final word.
When we face confusion or pressure to compromise, we can look to this balance. We reject the secret traps of error, but we also rest in the overwhelming abundance of grace. God’s love does not wait for us to clean up our mess before it arrives; it comes right alongside our failure to bring healing.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- entered,1×
- came in by stealth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρεισῆλθον1×
- παρεισῆλθεν,1×
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 uses the word to describe false teachers who secretly infiltrated the church to undermine Christian liberty, highlighting the danger of covert deception.
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Romans 5:20
The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly,
Here the word describes grace entering alongside sin to show that God’s mercy is always more abundant than human failure.