"a stepping by the side, deviation; a transgression, violation of law, Rom. 2:23; 4:15"
Definition and meaning
a stepping by the side, deviation; a transgression, violation of law, Rom. 2:23; 4:15
In the original Greek the word is written: παράβασις
Historical context
Paul wrote Romans from Corinth, one of the most important commercial cities in the empire. Rome had a Jewish population of around 50,000. The letter addresses real tensions between Jewish believers with centuries of Torah tradition and Gentile believers with no such background. Emperor Nero was on the throne. Within ten years he would execute both Paul and Peter.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of parabasis (G3847) across the King James Bible.
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
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Common questions
Strong's G3847 (parabasis) is a Greek word that means: a stepping by the side, deviation; a transgression, violation of law, Rom. 2:23; 4:15 It appears 7 times in the King James Bible.
The word parabasis (G3847) appears 7 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3847 is parabasis, a Greek word defined as: a stepping by the side, deviation; a transgression, violation of law, Rom. 2:23; 4:15. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
parabasis is a Greek word found in the New Testament.