Lexical Summary
parousia: Coming, presence, arrival
Original Word: παρουσία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: parousia
Pronunciation: pah-roo-SEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (par-oo-see'-ah)
KJV: coming, presence
NASB: coming, presence
Word Origin: [from the present participle of G3918 (πάρειμι - To be present)]
1. a being near, i.e. advent
2. (often) return
3. (specially) return of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked
4. (by implication, physically) aspect
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
coming, presence.
From the present participle of pareimi; a being near, i.e. Advent (often, return; specially, of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physically, aspect -- coming, presence.
see GREEK pareimi
HELPS Word-studies
3952 parousía (from parōn, "be present, arrive to enter into a situation") – properly, coming, especially the arrival of the owner who alone can deal with a situation (cf. LS). 3952 (parousía) is a "technical term with reference to the visit of a king or some other official, 'a royal visit' " (Souter) – "hence, in the NT, specifically of the Advent or Parousia of Christ" (A-S).
[3952 (parousía) is "used in the east as a technical expression for the royal visit of a king, or emperor. The word means literally 'the being beside,' thus, 'the personal presence' " (K. Wuest, 3, Bypaths, 33).]
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the pres. part. of
pareimiDefinitiona presence, a coming
NASB Translationcoming (22), presence (2).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3952: παρουσίαπαρουσία,
παρουσίας,
ἡ (
παρών,
παροῦσα,
παρουσον, from
πάρειμι which see) in Greek authors from the Tragg.,
Thucydides,
Plato down; not found in the
Sept.;
1. presence: 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 10:10; opposed to ἀπουσίᾳ, Philippians 2:12 (2 Macc. 15:21; (Aristotle, phys. 2, 3, p. 195a, 14; metaphys. 4, 2, p. 1013b, 14; meteor. 4, 5, p. 382a, 33 etc.)).
2. the presence of one coming, hence, the coming, arrival, advent, ((Polybius 3, 41, 1. 8); Judith 10:18; 2 Macc. 8:12; (Hermas, sim. 5, 5, 3 [ET])): 2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 (cf.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scope Parousia (Strong’s 3952) denotes an arrival that results in an abiding presence. In the New Testament this word gathers two distinct yet related ideas: (1) the bodily coming of a person to a location, producing face-to-face fellowship, and (2) the climactic appearing of Jesus Christ that consummates redemptive history.
Parousia and the Eschatological Hope
The dominant New Testament use is eschatological, centering on the return of Jesus Christ in glory. Matthew 24 introduces the term in direct response to the disciples’ question, “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answers with a sweeping prophecy that culminates in a visible, unmistakable event: “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). The passage underscores suddenness, universality, and public visibility.
Paul develops that theme in 1 Thessalonians. He establishes the Parousia as ground for pastoral comfort—“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him… we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15). The doctrine thus unites resurrection, reunion, and everlasting communion.
1 Corinthians 15:23 locates the Parousia at the strategic turning point of salvation history: “Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.” Christ’s resurrection guarantees the resurrection harvest that follows His return.
Peter echoes the same expectation, stressing its ethical weight. He rebukes scoffers who ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4) and urges believers to live “as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12). Confidence in the Parousia fuels holy conduct and evangelistic urgency.
Present Ministry and Apostolic Presence
Parousia also describes ordinary personal presence. Paul contrasts his “absence” and “presence” in correspondence with Corinth. “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but his presence in person is unimpressive’” (2 Corinthians 10:10). The word here carries no eschatological overtone; it simply marks physical nearness. Yet even in these contexts a theological thread is woven: spiritual fruit often matures through the bodily nearness of shepherds (2 Corinthians 7:6-7; Philippians 1:26; 2:12). Christian ministry, therefore, values embodied fellowship as a means of comfort, joy, and mutual edification.
False Signs and Counterfeit Parousia
Paul forewarns of deceptive pretenders linked to the last days: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder” (2 Thessalonians 2:9). By applying Parousia to the Antichrist, Scripture exposes Satan’s strategy of imitation. The genuine return of Christ will be publicly vindicated by holiness and final judgment (2 Thessalonians 2:8); any present-age claim of a secret or merely spiritual coming is unmasked as fraudulent.
Pastoral Implications: Vigilance and Holiness
James charges believers to patient steadfastness: “You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near” (James 5:8). The certainty of Christ’s imminent appearing sustains endurance under trial (James 5:7) and motivates moral integrity (1 John 2:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Holiness is cultivated not by vague idealism but by concrete anticipation of standing unashamed before the returning King.
Historical Reception in the Early Church
Early Christian writings testify that belief in Christ’s bodily Parousia was universal and foundational. The Didache (ch. 16) speaks of “the world-deceiver” preceding “the appearing of the Lord.” Church Fathers such as Ignatius and Justin Martyr likewise tie hope and ethics to the awaited return. This continuity reinforces the New Testament pattern: orthodoxy marries future expectation with present obedience.
Doctrinal Synthesis
1. Parousia secures the consummation of redemption—resurrection, judgment, and kingdom inheritance.
2. The event is personal, visible, sudden, and final.
3. False or premature claims violate the clear biblical portrait and are to be rejected.
4. In ministry, bodily presence models the incarnational principle and anticipates the fullness of Christ’s own presence.
5. Daily holiness, patient service, and joyful hope flow from confidence that “He who promised is faithful” and will soon appear.
Forms and Transliterations
παρουσια παρουσία παρουσίᾳ παρουσιαν παρουσίαν παρουσιας παρουσίας parousia parousía parousíāi parousian parousían parousias parousías
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