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παραλογίζομαι

paralogízomai

G3884 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

to reason falsely, to mislead through faulty or deceptive reasoning, to deceive by miscalculation or trick of logic; primarily signifies leading into error by means of specious argument or misjudgment, and by extension, to delude or beguile others (or oneself) through false reasoning or sophistry.

Semantic Range

to reason falsely, to mislead by specious logic, to deceive through miscalculation, to beguile by misinterpretation, to delude with fallacious reasoning

Root / Etymology

From the preposition παρά ('beside, contrary to') and λογίζομαι ('to reckon, calculate, reason'); literally 'to reckon alongside' or 'reason contrary to true reckoning.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, παραλογίζομαι appears primarily in philosophical and rhetorical contexts for faulty logic or persuasive but misleading argumentation — the act of misleading someone by false reasoning or claim (e.g., Aristotle, Polybius). In New Testament usage (notably Jas 1:22, Col 2:4), it refers to misleading or deceiving through argument or false reasoning, carrying a nuance stronger than simple lying: it emphasizes deception via persuasion or argument, as opposed to direct falsehood. English translations sometimes render it as 'beguile' or 'delude,' but the word specifically connotes deception through persuasive but erroneous reasoning or sophistry. In Koine outside the NT, retains similar sense, and is often contrasted with terms for simplelying (ψεύδομαι) or misleading actions (ἀπατάω). The term's occurrence is rare in the Septuagint. Later translation tradition has sometimes blurred the sense by rendering it as 'deceive' without recognizing the connotation of misleading reasoning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from παρά and λογίζομαι; to misreckon, i.e. delude:--beguile, deceive.

Root Family

παραλογίζομαι (paralogizomai) — to reckon, to reason, to calculate; to reason falsely; to mislead by faulty logic

Root λογ- to reckon, to reason, to calculate

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3884-02 παραλογιζόμενοι paralogizomenoi V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL deceiving misreasoning themselves deceiving 1
G3884-01 παραλογίζηται paralogizetai V PRS MID SUBJ 3P SG may delude may mislead by false reasoning may mislead by false reasoning 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3884-01 Colossians 2:4 παραλογίζηται paralogizetai V PRS MID SUBJ 3P SG may delude may mislead by false reasoning may mislead by false reasoning
G3884-02 James 1:22 παραλογιζόμενοι paralogizomenoi V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL deceiving misreasoning themselves deceiving
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