Quick Definition
I make excuse, refuse, reject
Strong's Definition
to beg off, i.e. deprecate, decline, shun
Derivation: from G3844 (παρά) and the middle voice of G154 (αἰτέω);
KJV Usage: avoid, (make) excuse, intreat, refuse, reject
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
παραιτέομαι, παραιτοῦμαι, imperative present παραιτοῦ; (imperfect 3 person plural παρῃτοῦντο, Mar_15:6 T WH Tr marginal reading, where others ὅνπερ ᾐτοῦντο (which see)); 1 aorist παρητησαμην; perfect passive participle παρητημενος with a passive significance; from Aeschylus and Pindar down;
1. properly, to ask alongside (παρά (IV. 1)), beg to have near one; to obtain by entreaty; to beg from, to ask for, supplicate: (Mar_15:6 (see above)).
2. to avert (παρά aside (see παρά, IV. 1)) by entreaty or seek to avert, to deprecate;
a. properly, followed by μή and an accusative with an infinitive (to intreat that ... not), Heb_12:19 (Thucydides 5, 63); cf. Winers Grammar, 604 (561); (Buttmann, § 148,13).
b. equivalent to to refuse, decline: τό ἀποθανεῖν, Act_25:11 (θανεῖν οὐ παραιτοῦμαι, Josephus, de vita sua29).
c. equivalent to to shun, avoid: τί, 1Ti_4:7; 2Ti_2:23; τινα, 1Ti_5:11; Tit_3:10; equivalent to to refuse, reject, Heb_12:25.
d. to avert displeasure by entreaty, i. e. to beg pardon, crave indulgence, to excuse: ἔχε με παρῃτημένον (see ἔχω, I. 1 f.), Luk_14:18 f (of one excusing himself for not accepting an invitation to a feast, Josephus, Antiquities 7, 8, 9).
STRONGS NT 3868a: παρακαθέζομαιπαρακαθέζομαι: to sit down beside (παρά, IV. 1), seat oneself (Xenophon, Plato, others); 1 aorist passive participle παρακαθεσθεις (Josephus, Antiquities 6, 11, 9); πρός τί, Luk_10:39 T Tr WIt (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 269).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
παραιτέομαι paraiteomai 12x
to entreat; to beg off, excuse one s self, Luk_14:18-19 ;
to deprecate, entreat against, Act_25:11 ; Heb_12:19 ;
to decline receiving, refuse, reject, 1Ti_4:7 ; 1Ti_5:11 ; Tit_3:10 ; Heb_12:25 ;
to decline, avoid, shun, 2Ti_2:23 make excuses; reject; request.
παρακαθέζομαι parakathezomai 1x
to sit down by, Luk_10:39
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
παρ -αιτέομαι , -οῦμαι ,
[in LXX for H1245 pi ., etc.;]
1. to beg of or from another: Mar_15:6 ( Rec. ὅνπερ ᾐτοῦντο , v. Field, Notes , 43).
2. to deprecate;
(a) prop ., c . neg ., to entreat that not ( Thuc ., al. ): Heb_12:19 ;
(b) t o refuse, decline, avoid: o. acc , 1Ti_4:7 ; 1Ti_5:11 , 2Ti_2:23 , Tit_3:10 , Heb_12:25 (EV; but v. Field, Notes , 234).
3. to beg off, ask to be excused, excuse ( Polyb ., al. ) : Luk_14:18-19 ( Heb_12:25 , Field, l.c .).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
παραιτέομαι [page 484]
request, entreat, is found in P Petr II. 38 ( c ) .48 (Ptol.) παραιτεῖ [σθαι ] κ [ατα ]πλεῖν εἰς [Ἀλε ]ξανδρεί [αν : cf. Mar_15:6 AB ΰ (but see Field Notes , p. 43), Heb_12:19 . For the meaning beg off from, as in Heb_12:25 (cf. Field Notes , p. 234), cf. BGU IV 1040 .32 (ii/A.D.) τοὺς πράκτ [ορα ]ς π [αρ ]αιτῖσθαι , to beg off from the factors.
Hence the stronger sense refuse, decline ( 1Ti_4:7 ; 1Ti_5:11 ; cf. Aristeas 184), in P Lond 1231 .3 (A.D. 144) (= III. p. 108) παραιτούμενοι τὴν εἰς τὸ μ̣[έ ]λλον with reference to resigning a lease of land, and BGU II. 625 .6 (beg. iii/A.D.) (as amended Chrest. I. p. 37 ) γείνωσκε , ἄδελφε , ἐκληρώθην ( Eph_1:11 ) εἰς τὰ Βουκόλια· οὐκ ἠδυνόμην παρετῆσε ( l. ἠδυνάμην παραιτήσασθαι ). In an edict of Germanicus Caesar, Preisigke 3924 .37 (A.D. 19), παραιτοῦμαι is directly contrasted with ἀποδέχομαι .
See also the letter of the Emperor Claudius to the Alexandrines, P Lond 1912 .49 (A.D. 41) ἀρχνιύιερέα δ᾽ ἐμὸν καὶ ναῶν κατασκευὰς παρετοῦμε ( l. παραιτοῦμαι ), I deprecate, however, the appointment of a high-priest to me and the erection of temples (Bell).
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
παραιτέομαι fut. ήσομαι perf. -ῄτημαι Dep. "to beg from" another, "ask as a favour of" him, Lat. exorare, τί τινα Eur. , Plat. , etc.: to obtain by entreaty, τι Hdt. π. τινα "to move by entreaty, obtain leave from", id=Hdt. : "to intercede with" a person, "prevail upon" him "by supplications", id=Hdt. , Eur. c. acc. et inf. "to entreat" one "to" do or be so and so, Hdt. , Xen. , etc.:—also c. gen. pers. et inf. "to beg of" a person to do a thing, Eur. :—c. inf. only, "to obtain leave to do", Hdt. c. acc. rei, Lat. deprecari, to avert by entreaty, deprecate, τὴν ὀργήν, τὰς ζημίας Aeschin. "to decline, deprecate", χάριν Pind. c. acc. pers. "to ask" him "to excuse" one, "decline" his "invitation", Polyb. ; absol., NTest. :—Pass., ἔχε με παρῃτημένον have me "excused", id=NTest. π. γυναῖκα "to divorce" her, Luc. c. acc. pers. "to intercede for, beg off", esp. from punishment, Hdt. ; π. περί τινος Xen.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
παρ-αιτέομαι, -οῦμαι
[in LXX for בָּקַשׁ pi., etc. ;]
__1. to beg of or from another: Mrk.15:6 (Rec. ὅνπερ ᾐτοῦντο, see Field, Notes, 43).
__2. to deprecate;
__(a) prop., with neg., to entreat that not (Thuc., al.): Heb.12:19;
__(b) to refuse, decline, avoid: o. accusative, 1Ti.4:7 5:11, 2Ti.2:23, Tit.3:10, Heb.12:25 (EV; but see Field, Notes, 234).
__3. to beg off, ask to be excused, excuse (Polyb., al.) : Luk.14:18-19 (Heb.12:25, Field, l.with).†
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Refuse (3868) paraiteomai
Have nothing to do with (3868) (paraiteomai from pará = aside and in this word gives a nuance of aversion or repudiation + aitéo = ask, beg) is literally to ask along side. To seek to turn aside by asking. As in Mark 15:6, this verb can mean to beg or request (a prisoner to be freed on the occasion of the Passover). In Luke 14:18, it conveys the sense of to beg off or of wanting to be excused from a positive response, in this verse one excusing himself for not accepting a wedding invitation. Finally, in the pastoral epistles (1,2 Timothy, Titus - see below), the meaning is to decline, refuse, to refuse to pay attention to, to shun, to avoid, to reject.
In secular Greek a wrestler was declared the victor when his opponents declined to engage him upon seeing his unclothed physique.
Present imperative means to make it your habit to refuse "worldly fables" (this suggests that we will find them tempting to our fallen nature and must constantly choose [our choice but enabled by God's Spirit and grace] to seek to turn aside). With this command Paul reaffirms his rejection of myth and underscores his commitment to Christianity's sound doctrine (and sober living).
In a parallel use in his second letter to Timothy Paul commanded his protégé to
2Ti 2:23 Refuse (paraiteomai = present imperative) foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. (see note 2Ti 2:23)
Comment: The Lord's bondservant must continually avoid getting enticed into ''which came first, the chicken or the egg'' type discussions, those things that are controversial and seriously disputed, and which have no certain basis in truth. In these situations we are to graciously "beg off" an invitation to "war over words" with others. Certainly we can discuss differences of opinions; but our discussions must not degenerate into heated debates over irrelevant issues.
Titus 3:10 Reject (paraiteomai = present imperative) a factious (one who will not submit to Word or godly leaders and is a law unto himself with no concern for spiritual truth or unity) man after a first and second warning, (see note Titus 3:10)
Paraiteomai is used 12 times in the NAS (Mark 15:6 ; Luke 14:18, 19 ; Acts 25:11 ; 1Tim 4:7; 5:11;2Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:10; Heb 12:19, 25 - twice) and 4 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (1Sa 20:6 - twice, 28; Esther4:8; 7:7). It is translated as follows: KJV (11) - avoid, 1; excuse, 2; intreat, 1; make excuse, 1; refuse, 5; reject, 1; NAS (12) - begged, 1; excused, 2; have nothing to do with, 1; make excuses, 1; refuse, 4; refused, 1; reject, 1; requested, 1.
Paul's command to refuse fables, indicates that Timothy already has people coming to him with these fables
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