Word Study for G3955 (παῤῥησιάζομαι)

parrhēsiázomai /par-hray-see-ad'-zom-ahee/ Ask about this word

Meaningmiddle voice from παῤῥησία; to be frank in utterance, or confident in spirit and demeanor

KJV usagebe (wax) bold, (preach, speak) boldly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of parrhēsiázomai — 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 parrhēsiázomai, represented by G3955, means to be frank in utterance or confident in spirit and demeanor. It is often translated as to "be (wax) bold" or to "(preach, speak) boldly." It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible, primarily describing a courageous and open declaration of the gospel, often in the face of opposition.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G3955 is almost exclusively used in the book of Acts and the Pauline epistles to characterize the apostles' preaching. For example, after being shamefully treated at Philippi, Paul and his companions "were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel" 1 Thessalonians 2:2. This boldness was a hallmark of their ministry, as when Paul went into the synagogue in Ephesus and "spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God" Acts 19:8. The source of this confidence is explicitly linked to God, as they were "speaking boldly in the Lord" Acts 14:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the nature and context of this bold speech:

G1256 dialégomai (to discuss, dispute, reason): This word describes the method of communication that often accompanied boldness. Paul would not only speak boldly but also engage in "disputing and persuading" Acts 19:8.
G4802 syzētéō (to investigate jointly, dispute): This term highlights the controversial setting in which bold speech often occurred. After Paul "spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus," he also "disputed against the Grecians" Acts 9:29.
G3140 martyréō (to be a witness, testify): This word shows the divine validation that accompanied the apostles' boldness. While they were "speaking boldly in the Lord," the Lord in turn "gave testimony unto the word of his grace" with signs and wonders Acts 14:3.
G3982 peíthō (to convince, persuade): This verb reveals the goal of speaking boldly, which was not merely to be frank but to persuade listeners regarding the kingdom of God Acts 19:8.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3955 is significant for understanding apostolic ministry.

A Mandated Proclamation: Bold speech was not merely a personality trait but a divine obligation. Paul describes his role as an "ambassador in bonds," praying that he might "speak boldly, as I ought to speak" Ephesians 6:20.
Confidence in God: The courage to speak frankly, especially in hostile environments, is consistently sourced in God. The apostles "were bold in our God" 1 Thessalonians 2:2, demonstrating that their confidence was not in themselves but in the one who sent them.
Response to Rejection: Boldness was often a direct response to opposition. When their message was rejected, Paul and Barnabas "waxed bold" and declared they would turn to the Gentiles Acts 13:46.
The Mark of an Apostle: Barnabas used Paul's history of bold preaching as evidence of his conversion, declaring to the apostles how Paul had "preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus" Acts 9:27.

Summary

In summary, G3955 conveys much more than simple courage. It signifies a divinely-empowered frankness and confidence specific to the proclamation of the gospel. This boldness was considered a necessary duty of an apostle, enabling them to dispute, persuade, and testify in the name of Jesus, even when facing contention or persecution. It captures the unwavering demeanor of those who, filled with conviction, spoke God's word without reservation.

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 8 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 1st Plural 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Subjunctive 1st Singular 1×
Imperfect Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Infinitive 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
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.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Passive Deponent: Passive in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 9 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (7 verses); never once in the other 24.

Acts

Ephesians

1 Thessalonians

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.