παροίχομαι (paroichomai)
paroichomai
to pass by
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb paroichomai means to pass by or go past, often with a sense of time slipping away. It derives from two parts: para, meaning "beside" or "past," and oichomai, meaning "to go." This combination creates a vivid image of something moving out of reach or receding into the distance.
In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Acts 14:16. There, it describes how God allowed the Gentile nations to walk in their own ways during previous generations. The phrase "during the generations that went by" uses paroichomai to mark a period of history that has now passed, highlighting a shift in divine action.
Its rarity makes this single occurrence particularly significant. By using this word, the text emphasizes that the current moment is different from what came before. It marks a clear boundary between eras, showing how God’s interaction with humanity changed after a long period of silence or indirect engagement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word paroichomai paints a quiet picture of time moving forward, leaving previous seasons behind. In Acts 14:16, Luke uses it to describe how God permitted the nations to walk their own paths for many generations. This was not abandonment, but a patient waiting period where history unfolded under general providence.
For your faith, this offers comfort in the rhythm of God’s timing. It reminds us that seasons of apparent silence or indirect engagement are part of a larger story. God is not absent; He is sovereignly guiding history toward its intended conclusion. The past does not define your present hope.
When you feel like time is slipping away, remember that the same God who oversees long generations also holds your current moment. His plan is unfolding with purpose, even when the path seems unclear. You are held in a story greater than your immediate circumstances.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having past1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- παρῳχημέναις1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 14:16
who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
This verse uses the word to mark a distinct historical shift from God's indirect allowance of Gentile ways to His direct revelation through Paul and Barnabas.