Word Study for G3906 (παρατηρέω)

paratēréō /par-at-ay-reh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom παρά and τηρέω

Meaningto inspect alongside, i.e. note insidiously or scrupulously

KJV usageobserve, watch.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of paratēréō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word paratēréō, represented by G3906, means to inspect alongside, or to note insidiously or scrupulously. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible. The word's primary sense involves careful, often hostile, observation or watching.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G3906 is predominantly used to describe a hostile form of observation. Opponents of Jesus, such as the Pharisees and scribes, are shown to watch him, hoping he will violate the Sabbath so they might find a reason to accuse him (Mark 3:2, Luke 6:7). This surveillance escalates to the point where spies are sent to watch him, seeking to take hold of his words and deliver him to the authorities Luke 20:20. The same intense scrutiny is applied to Saul, as his enemies watched the city gates day and night in order to kill him Acts 9:24. A different sense appears in Galatians, where it refers to the scrupulous observing of days, months, and years Galatians 4:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of insidious or scrupulous observation:

G1455 enkáthetos (spy): Defined as "surreptitiously suborned as a lier-in-wait." This term is used in the context of those who watched Jesus and then "sent forth spies" to trap him Luke 20:20.
G1917 epiboulḗ (plot): This word means "a plan against someone, i.e. a plot." It is linked directly to G3906 when describing how Saul's enemies watched the gates as part of their "laying await" to kill him Acts 9:24.
G2723 katēgoréō (accuse): Defined as "to be a plaintiff, i.e. to charge with some offence," this word reveals the motive for the observation. They watched Jesus on the Sabbath specifically so "that they might accuse him" Mark 3:2.

Theological Significance

The usage of G3906 reveals several key themes:

A Tool of Hostility: G3906 is consistently used to describe the actions of those opposed to Christ and his followers. The act of "watching" is not for learning but for entrapping, making it a key verb in narratives of conflict and persecution (Luke 20:20, Acts 9:24).
The Focus of Legalism: The intense observation of Jesus often centers on the Sabbath (Mark 3:2, Luke 6:7). This highlights a core conflict where legalistic scrutiny, represented by "watching," is pitted against the grace and healing Jesus offers, transforming the Sabbath from a day of rest into a field for accusation.
Religious Scrutiny: In Galatians, the word shifts from watching a person to the scrupulous "observing" of religious calendars Galatians 4:10. This usage frames such meticulous observance as a form of bondage, contrasting with the liberty found in faith.

Summary

In summary, G3906 paratēréō carries a strong, often negative, connotation of close inspection. It is most frequently used to depict the insidious watching by opponents who seek to find fault and cause harm, particularly in the context of Jesus's ministry and the persecution of the early church (Luke 6:7, Acts 9:24). It also describes a scrupulous, legalistic observing of religious times, which is presented as a spiritual pitfall Galatians 4:10. Whether aimed at a person or a practice, the word consistently highlights a scrutiny rooted in hostility or legalism rather than genuine understanding.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 6 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Imperfect Middle Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Middle Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Middle Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (3 verses); never once in the other 23.

Mark

Luke

Acts

Galatians

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.