from παραβαίνω; a violator:--breaker, transgress(-or).
Transliteration:parabátēs
Pronunciation:par-ab-at'-ace
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek term parabátēs (παραβάτης, `{{G3848}}`) is a noun derived from the verb parabaínō (παραβαίνω, `{{G3845}}`), which literally means "to step beside" or "to step over." Consequently, parabátēs designates "one who steps over a boundary," a "violator," or a "transgressor." Its core meaning conveys the sense of an individual who deviates from, disobeys, or breaks a law, rule, or established standard. The emphasis is on the *person* who commits the act of stepping beyond a defined limit, implying an active and often deliberate departure from what is commanded or expected. It describes someone who is in a state of opposition to a given ordinance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term parabátēs occurs five times in the New Testament, primarily in the Pauline epistles and the Epistle of James, consistently referring to one who breaks the Law.
* **[[Romans 2:25]] and [[Romans 2:27]]**: Paul uses parabátēs in his argument concerning the Law and circumcision. He states that circumcision is beneficial only if one keeps the Law; otherwise, a circumcised person who breaks the Law becomes a "transgressor" (a parabátēs). This highlights the hypocrisy of those who possess the Law but fail to obey it, demonstrating that external markers of identity are meaningless without internal obedience. The uncircumcised Gentile who keeps the Law, by contrast, implicitly condemns the circumcised Jew who is a parabátēs.
* **[[Galatians 2:18]]**: In a crucial theological statement, Paul writes, "For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor." Here, Paul refers to the system of law-keeping that he abandoned for faith in Christ. If he were to return to advocating righteousness through adherence to the Law, he would become a parabátēs—not just of the Law itself, but of the new covenant of grace and the truth of the gospel he now proclaims. This usage underscores the radical incompatibility between justification by works of the Law and justification by faith. To re-establish the former would be to transgress the very foundation of the latter.
* **[[James 2:9]] and [[James 2:11]]**: James employs parabátēs in his discussion of partiality and the Law. In [[James 2:9]], he asserts that showing favoritism constitutes sin, and those who do so become "transgressors" (a parabátēs) of the Law. He reinforces this in [[James 2:11]] by explaining that whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point becomes a parabátēs of the whole Law. This illustrates the indivisible nature of God's commandments: to break one is to break the spirit of the entire Law, making one a transgressor against its divine author.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding parabátēs is enhanced by examining its linguistic relatives and conceptual parallels:
* **parabaínō (παραβαίνω, `{{G3845}}`)**: The verb form, meaning "to transgress, to step over." This is the action performed by a parabátēs.
* **parábasis (παράβασις, `{{G3847}}`)**: The noun form denoting the *act* of transgression or trespass. While parabátēs is the person, parábasis is the specific act of "stepping over." Paul states in [[Romans 4:15]], "where there is no law, there is no transgression (parábasis)."
* **hamartía (ἁμαρτία, `{{G264}}`)**: The broader and more common Greek word for "sin," meaning "missing the mark." While all parabátēs commit hamartía, parabátēs specifies a particular type of sin: a conscious violation of a known command or boundary.
* **anomía (ἀνομία, `{{G458}}`)**: "Lawlessness" or "iniquity," the state of being without law or acting contrary to law. A parabátēs is one who embodies anomía through their actions.
* **nómos (νόμος, `{{G3551}}`)**: "Law." The concept of law is foundational to parabátēs, as the term describes one who acts against it. The existence of a law is what makes transgression possible.
* **adikía (ἀδικία, `{{G93}}`)**: "Unrighteousness" or "injustice." Transgression often results in unrighteousness, as it deviates from God's righteous standards.
### Theological Significance
The theological import of parabátēs is profound, shaping our understanding of sin, law, and salvation:
* **The Nature of Sin as Violation**: parabátēs precisely defines sin not merely as a mistake or weakness, but as a deliberate and active violation of God's revealed will or command. It emphasizes the legal and ethical dimension of sin, portraying it as a crossing of a divine boundary. This understanding underscores the seriousness of sin as an affront to God's authority.
* **The Function of the Law**: The term highlights the revelatory purpose of the Law. The Law does not save, but it defines sin and exposes humanity's inability to perfectly adhere to God's standards. By establishing boundaries, the Law makes it clear who is a parabátēs. As Paul argues, the Law was "added because of transgressions" (parábasis, [[Galatians 3:19]]) to make sin evident.
* **Humanity's Universal Condition**: The consistent use of parabátēs in relation to both Jew and Gentile (implicitly in Romans) underscores the universal human tendency towards transgression. All humanity, left to its own devices, becomes a parabátēs against God's holy standards.
* **Justification by Faith and the New Covenant**: Paul's use of parabátēs in Galatians is pivotal for understanding the doctrine of justification by faith. To return to a system of works for righteousness is not merely an alternative path; it is a fundamental transgression against the truth of the gospel, which declares salvation is by grace through faith. It signifies a profound theological error that undermines the sufficiency of Christ's work.
* **The Unity of God's Law**: James's application of parabátēs reinforces the holistic nature of God's commandments. Breaking even one part of the Law makes one a transgressor of the whole, emphasizing that God's will is a unified expression of His character, and disobedience in any area is an offense against Him.
### Summary
The Greek term parabátēs (παραβάτης, `{{G3848}}`) precisely describes a "transgressor" or "violator," literally "one who steps over" a defined boundary. Derived from parabaínō (`{{G3845}}`), it consistently appears in the New Testament to denote an individual who actively disobeys or breaks a law or command. In [[Romans 2:25]] and [[Romans 2:27]], Paul uses it to expose the hypocrisy of those who claim adherence to the Law but fail to obey it. His use in [[Galatians 2:18]] is profoundly theological, indicating that to revert to a system of law-based righteousness would be a fundamental transgression against the truth of the gospel of grace. James, in [[James 2:9]] and [[James 2:11]], applies parabátēs to emphasize that even seemingly minor acts of partiality constitute a violation of the entire Law, highlighting its indivisible nature. Theologically, parabátēs illuminates sin as a deliberate crossing of God's boundaries, underscores the Law's role in revealing human sinfulness, and sharply contrasts the futility of legalism with the foundational truth of justification by faith in Christ. It defines a state of being in active opposition to God's revealed will.
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