ἀπαράβατος
aparábatos
G531 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Unchangeable, indestructible, or not subject to violation or transgression; in context, this most often refers to something that endures or persists without alteration or cannot be replaced or transferred, particularly with reference to law, office, or priesthood. In some contexts, it stresses the quality of being inviolable or permanent.
Semantic Range
unchangeable, inviolable, unalterable, indestructible, permanent, untransferable, unable to be succeeded or replaced
Root / Etymology
Formed from the negative prefix ἀ- (a-, 'not') and παράβατος (parabatos, from παραβαίνω, 'to transgress, go beyond'), thus 'not able to be violated, not transgressable, not passing over.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested first in later Koine Greek, the term is extremely rare and appears only in specialized contexts. In the New Testament, specifically Hebrews 7:24, ἀπαράβατος is used to describe the enduring or permanent nature of a priesthood, especially in contrast to roles or offices that can be superseded or replaced. The sense of 'unchangeable' or 'untransferable' is contextual—not simply 'never changing' but incapable of being succeeded by another due to an unending or inviolable quality. Standard English translations often opt for 'unchangeable' or 'permanent,' though these can obscure the nuance of 'untransferable' or 'not capable of being abrogated.' In classical and earlier Hellenistic Greek, related forms (from παραβαίνω) are common in legal contexts—particularly concerning the transgression or violation of laws or agreements. Here, the negative ἀπαράβατος carries both the sense of endurance and inviolability, pertinent especially to legal, cultic, or institutional status. The term is not attested in the Septuagint. Within Koine Greek literature outside the New Testament, occurrences are exceedingly rare, emphasizing the word's status as a technical or rhetorical term. The Latin Vulgate renders it as 'semper permanens,' showing a similar attempt to capture this sense of perpetual duration and non-transferability.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of παραβαίνω; not passing away, i.e. untransferable (perpetual):-- unchangeable.
Root Family
ἀπαράβατος (aparábatos) — not transgressable, inviolable, unalterable, permanent
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G531-01 |
ἀπαράβατον | aparabaton | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
inviolable | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G531-01 |
Hebrews 7:24 | ἀπαράβατον | aparabaton | ADJ.S ACC F SG |
inviolable |