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1 Corinthians 4:13: 'being defamed, we entreat.'

In Greek: 'δυσφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν'.

In modern Greek, we say παρακαλο ('parakalo') to mean you're welcome (in response to 'thank you'). In Koine Greek it seems it means 'urge' or 'beseech', but I'm having problems reconciling the meaning. Being defamed, we urge/beseech?

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2 Answers 2

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GRK: δυσφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν ὡς περικαθάρματα NAS: when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become KJV: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made INT: slandered we entreat as [the] refuse

Although the Greek word is used elsewhere in this form, traditionally meaning to exhort or urge, conciliation seems to make th most sense here.

After a little research, 'Para' which means 'close-beside', and 'kaleo', which means 'to call', combine to make 'call close beside'; which, seems to mean placate, or to return love and appeasement on the charge of defamation.

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  • (-1) Appealing to etymology (particularly without consulting a lexicon) is not a valid linguistic method/hermeneutic.
    – user10231
    May 23, 2016 at 11:50
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I would say that the word here to entreat means to entice to call the person out of their situation and to become steadfast with the one calling them to come out of their situation.

Which would put it inline with Jesus' atoning works on the cross as well as in being obedient to God's Commandment for His people to come out from amongst them and to keep thy self separate from them and their false teachings and worship practices.

This then would place an edict on the person too, from God. It is not a matter of personal choice here, it is a commandment from God.

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    Hello Tom Seath. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange. Please take the site tour and review the Help page for information on what kind of answers we look for on this site. We also encourage those who answer questions to demonstrate how they arrived at their conclusion, rather than simply offering their opinion. We're not only interested in what you know, but also how you know it.
    – user862
    May 23, 2016 at 4:16
  • What is the command of G-d you are referring to?
    – Romaion
    May 23, 2016 at 21:27

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