Word Studies¶
Core Tradition-Transmission Vocabulary¶
G3860 -- paradidomi (to deliver, hand over, betray)¶
- Transliteration: paradidomi
- Part of Speech: verb
- BLB Count: 121 occurrences
- Root: para (alongside) + didomi (to give)
- Core meaning: to hand over, surrender, yield up, intrust, transmit
- KJV translations: delivered (12x), up (9x), gave (6x), betrayed (5x), shall betray (5x), is betrayed (5x), deliver (3x), shall deliver (3x), betray (3x), I delivered (3x), plus 52 other renderings
Key uses in tradition-transmission context: - 1 Cor 11:2 -- "as I delivered [them] to you" (Paul delivering traditions) - 1 Cor 11:23 -- "that which also I delivered unto you" (Paul delivering the Last Supper tradition) - 1 Cor 15:3 -- "I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received" (Paul delivering the gospel creed) - Luke 1:2 -- "as they delivered them unto us" (Luke's sources delivering eyewitness testimony) - Acts 16:4 -- "they delivered them the decrees" (apostles delivering the Jerusalem Council decisions) - Romans 6:17 -- "that form of doctrine which was delivered you" - Jude 1:3 -- "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints"
Dual meaning: The same word is used for Judas "betraying" Jesus (Matt 26:15,16,21,23,25,45,46,48; Mark 14:10,11,18,21,41,42,44). The root meaning "to hand over" encompasses both positive (tradition transmission) and negative (betrayal) senses.
Significance for this study: This is the technical Greek term for formal tradition transmission, corresponding to Hebrew masar. When Paul says "I delivered" (paredoka) in 1 Cor 11:23 and 15:3, he is using rabbinic technical vocabulary for the formal handing down of authorized teaching.
G3880 -- paralambano (to receive near, take along)¶
- Transliteration: paralambano
- Part of Speech: verb
- BLB Count: 50 occurrences
- Root: para (alongside) + lambano (to take)
- Core meaning: to receive near, associate with oneself, take alongside
- KJV translations: he took (7x), taketh (6x), took (5x), shall be taken (5x), ye have received (3x), received (3x), plus 17 other renderings
Key uses in tradition-reception context: - 1 Cor 11:23 -- "I have received of the Lord" (Paul receiving the Last Supper tradition) - 1 Cor 15:1 -- "the gospel...which also ye have received" (Corinthians receiving Paul's gospel) - 1 Cor 15:3 -- "that which I also received" (Paul receiving the gospel creed) - Gal 1:9 -- "than that ye have received" (the gospel originally received) - Gal 1:12 -- "I neither received it of man" (Paul denying human reception) - Phil 4:9 -- "which ye have both learned, and received" - Col 2:6 -- "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord" - 1 Th 2:13 -- "when ye received the word of God" - 1 Th 4:1 -- "as ye have received of us" - 2 Th 3:6 -- "the tradition which he received of us"
The paradidomi/paralambano pair: These two words form a technical pair in Jewish tradition transmission. In rabbinic Hebrew: masar (deliver/hand down) and qibbel (receive). This pair appears together in: - 1 Cor 11:23: "I have received (parelabon)...which also I delivered (paredoka)" - 1 Cor 15:3: "I delivered (paredoka)...that which I also received (parelabon)" - 2 Th 3:6: "the tradition which he received (parelabete) of us" (paradosis used as noun)
Significance for this study: The paired use of paradidomi/paralambano in 1 Cor 11:23 and 15:3 uses the standard vocabulary of formal tradition transmission. Paul's denial in Gal 1:12 ("I neither received [parelabon] it of man") uses the SAME word, indicating he is engaging with the same category of formal reception.
G3862 -- paradosis (tradition, ordinance)¶
- Transliteration: paradosis
- Part of Speech: feminine noun
- BLB Count: 13 occurrences
- Root: from paradidomi (G3860)
- Core meaning: transmission, i.e. a precept handed down; tradition
- KJV translations: tradition (10x), ordinances (1x), of the traditions (1x), traditions (1x)
All 13 occurrences:
| Reference | KJV Translation | Positive/Negative | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 15:2 | tradition | Negative | Pharisaic tradition of the elders |
| Matt 15:6 | tradition | Negative | "made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition" |
| Mark 7:3 | tradition | Negative | Pharisees hold "the tradition of the elders" |
| Mark 7:5 | tradition | Negative | "walk not according to the tradition of the elders" |
| Mark 7:8 | tradition | Negative | "ye hold the tradition of men" |
| Mark 7:9 | tradition | Negative | "ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" |
| Mark 7:13 | tradition | Negative | "making the word of God of none effect through your tradition" |
| 1 Cor 11:2 | ordinances | Positive | "keep the ordinances (traditions), as I delivered them to you" |
| Gal 1:14 | traditions | Neutral/Negative | "being...zealous of the traditions of my fathers" |
| Col 2:8 | tradition | Negative | "after the tradition of men" |
| 2 Th 2:15 | traditions | Positive | "hold the traditions which ye have been taught" |
| 2 Th 3:6 | tradition | Positive | "not after the tradition which he received of us" |
| 1 Pet 1:18 | tradition | Negative | "vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers" |
Significance for this study: Paul uses paradosis BOTH ways: positively for apostolic tradition (1 Cor 11:2, 2 Th 2:15, 3:6) and negatively for human/ancestral tradition (Col 2:8, Gal 1:14). This dual usage shows Paul distinguishes between the content of tradition (from the Lord, through apostles = good) and its origin (from men, contrary to God's word = bad).
Paul's Independence-Claim Vocabulary¶
G602 -- apokalypsis (revelation, disclosure)¶
- Transliteration: apokalypsis
- Part of Speech: feminine noun
- BLB Count: 18 occurrences
- Root: from apokalypto (to uncover, unveil)
- Core meaning: disclosure, appearing, coming, manifestation, revelation
- KJV translations: revelation (5x), revelations (2x), the revelation (2x), shall be revealed (2x), lighten (1x), manifestation (1x), coming (1x), a revelation (1x), the appearing (1x), The Revelation (1x)
Key verses for this study: | Reference | Text | |-----------|------| | Gal 1:12 | "by the revelation of Jesus Christ" | | Gal 2:2 | "I went up by revelation" | | Rom 16:25 | "according to the revelation of the mystery" | | 2 Cor 12:1 | "visions and revelations of the Lord" | | Eph 1:17 | "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" | | Eph 3:3 | "by revelation he made known unto me the mystery" | | Rev 1:1 | "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" |
Significance for this study: Paul's claim in Gal 1:12 that his gospel came "by the revelation of Jesus Christ" uses the same word used for God's disclosure throughout the NT. The genitive "of Jesus Christ" could be objective (Jesus Christ was revealed to Paul) or subjective (Jesus Christ did the revealing). In either case, Paul claims a direct divine source for his gospel understanding.
Gospel/Preaching Vocabulary¶
G2098 -- euangelion (gospel, good news)¶
- Transliteration: euangelion
- Part of Speech: neuter noun
- BLB Count: 77 occurrences
- Root: from euangelos (a good messenger)
- Core meaning: a good message, glad tidings, the gospel
- KJV translations: gospel (64x), gospel's (3x), the gospel (1x)
Paul's uses: 60+ of the 77 NT occurrences. Paul calls the gospel "my gospel" (Rom 2:16, 16:25, 2 Tim 2:8), "the gospel which was preached of me" (Gal 1:11), "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles" (Gal 2:2). But he also calls it "the gospel of God" (Rom 1:1), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 9:12), and "the gospel...which also ye have received" (1 Cor 15:1).
G2782 -- kerygma (preaching, proclamation)¶
- Transliteration: kerygma
- Part of Speech: neuter noun
- BLB Count: 8 occurrences
- Core meaning: a proclamation, especially of the gospel; by implication, the act of proclamation
- KJV translations: preaching (7x), of preaching (1x)
Key uses: - Rom 16:25 -- "the preaching of Jesus Christ" (paired with "revelation of the mystery") - 1 Cor 1:21 -- "the foolishness of preaching" - 1 Cor 2:4 -- "my preaching was not with enticing words" - 1 Cor 15:14 -- "then is our preaching vain"
G1322 -- didache (doctrine, teaching)¶
- Transliteration: didache
- Part of Speech: feminine noun
- BLB Count: 30 occurrences
- Core meaning: instruction (the act or the matter)
- KJV translations: doctrine (19x), plus variants
Key uses: - Acts 2:42 -- "the apostles' doctrine (didache)" -- the earliest church continued in apostolic teaching - Rom 6:17 -- "that form of doctrine (didache) which was delivered (paradidomi) you" -- doctrine was formally transmitted - Rom 16:17 -- "contrary to the doctrine (didache) which ye have learned"
Clean/Unclean Vocabulary (Rom 14:14 / Mark 7:15 Parallel)¶
G2839 -- koinos (common, profane, unclean by association)¶
- Transliteration: koinos
- Part of Speech: adjective
- BLB Count: 12 occurrences
- Core meaning: common, shared by all; or (ceremonially) profane, defiled by association
- KJV translations: common (5x), unclean (3x), with defiled (1x), that is common (1x), the common (1x), an unholy thing (1x)
Key distinction: koinos refers to ceremonial contamination from external contact or association, NOT inherent uncleanness.
Key verses: - Mark 7:2 -- "defiled (koinais) hands, that is to say, with unwashen" -- contamination from not washing - Rom 14:14 -- "nothing unclean (koinon) of itself" -- Paul's word choice (NOT akathartos) - Acts 10:14 -- "common (koinon) and (kai) unclean (akatharton)" -- two distinct categories
G169 -- akathartos (unclean, inherently impure)¶
- Transliteration: akathartos
- Part of Speech: adjective
- BLB Count: 30 occurrences
- Core meaning: impure, inherently unclean (from a- negative + katharos clean)
- KJV translations: unclean (20x), an unclean (4x), foul (2x), plus variants
Key observation: This is the LXX/Levitical word for "unclean," translating Hebrew tame (H2931). Paul NEVER uses this word in Romans 14. He uses koinos instead. The prior study (biblical-diet-romans14-timothy) established that this vocabulary distinction is significant: Paul's topic in Romans 14 is perceived contamination by association (koinos), not Levitical categories (akathartos).
Worker/Wages Vocabulary (1 Cor 9:14 / Matt 10:10 / Luke 10:7 Parallel)¶
G2040 -- ergates (laborer, worker)¶
- Transliteration: ergates
- Part of Speech: masculine noun
- BLB Count: 16 occurrences
- Core meaning: a toiler; figuratively, a teacher
- KJV translations: labourers (7x), labourer (2x), workers (2x), workman (1x), with the workmen (1x), a workman (1x)
Parallel comparison:
| Verse | Greek term | KJV rendering | "Worthy of" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 10:10 | ergates (workman) | "the workman is worthy of his meat" | trophe (food) |
| Luke 10:7 | ergates (labourer) | "the labourer is worthy of his hire" | misthos (wages/reward) |
| 1 Tim 5:18 | ergates (labourer) | "The labourer is worthy of his reward" | misthos (wages/reward) |
| 1 Cor 9:14 | (no ergates used) | "they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" | (principle stated differently) |
Significance for this study: Paul in 1 Cor 9:14 does not directly quote the exact words found in Matthew or Luke, but invokes the same principle ("the Lord ordained..."). 1 Tim 5:18 explicitly calls this "scripture" and matches Luke 10:7's wording more closely than Matthew's. This suggests Paul knew the tradition that the Lord commanded support for gospel workers, whether from oral tradition or a written source.
Tradition from Fathers (Negative)¶
G3970 -- patroparadotos (received by tradition from fathers)¶
- Transliteration: patroparadotos
- Part of Speech: adjective
- BLB Count: 1 occurrence only
- Root: patros (father) + paradidomi (to hand over)
- Core meaning: transmitted from fathers, hereditary
- Only occurrence: 1 Peter 1:18 -- "vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers"
Significance for this study: This compound word combines "father" with the tradition-transmission root paradidomi. Peter uses it negatively for empty ancestral tradition. This contrasts with Paul's positive use of the same root (paradidomi/paradosis) for apostolic tradition from the Lord.