verb
paratithamō
Strong’sG3908
I set before, serve, entrust to
stem paratith-19 times in the New Testamentin 8 of 27 books13 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
To set before, serve — used literally of putting food in front of someone 1234, and by extension of setting a teaching or example before hearers, as in presenting a parable 13.
To entrust, deposit, commit into someone's care — to give something or someone into another's charge for safekeeping, including committing oneself or one's spirit into someone's hands 123.
To bring forward, allege, put forth as evidence — to cite or present something, such as an argument, in support of a point 123.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
παρα-τίθημι,
[in LXX chiefly for שׂוּם;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3908 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpar-at-ith'-ay-mee
to place alongside, i.e. present (food, truth); by implication, to deposit (as a trust or for protection)
King Jamesallege, commend, commit (the keeping of), put forth, set before.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Doric dialect and poetry παρτίθημι (late forms from παρατίθω Refs; 3rd.pers. singular παρτιθεῖ, παρατιθεῖ, Refs 8th c.BC+: imperfect -ετίθειRefs 5th c.BC+aorist active παρέθηκα, middle παρεθέμην: perfect παρατέθεικα: in Attic dialect παράκειμαι generally serves as the passive:—place beside, πὰρ δὲ τίθει δίφρον Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.; [εἰκόσι] κόσμον Refs 2nd c.BC+
b. frequently of meals, set before, serve up, σφιν δαῖτ᾽ ἀγαθὴν παραθήσομεν Refs 8th c.BC+; παρετίθεσαν ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν κρέα Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ παρατιθέντες the serving-men, Refs; τὰ παρατιθέμενα meats set before one (with or without βρώματα), Refs 5th c.BC+; of a sacrificial meal, σκέλος τοῦ πράτου βοὸς παρθέντω τῷ θιῷ Refs 5th c.BC+
c. of a mother, put to the breast, Refs 2nd c.AD+
2. generally, provide, furnish, αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ.. θεοὶ δύναμιν παραθεῖεν (variant{περιθεῖεν}) oh that they would place power at my disposal !, Refs 8th c.BC+; π.ἑκάστων τῶν σοφῶν ἀπογεύσασθαι, i. e. π. ἕκαστα τὰ σοφὰ ὥστε ἀπογεύσασθαι αὐτῶν, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, expose for sale, Refs 4th c.BC+
3. place upon, στεφάνους παρέθηκε καρήατι Refs 8th c.BC+
4. lay before one, explain, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἔν τισι ὡς οὐ χρή.. Refs 4th c.AD+; allege, produce, NT+4th c.BC+:—middle, see below Refs 5th c.BC+
5. put or provide side by side, ὁμοῦ λύπας ἡδοναῖς π. Refs 5th c.BC+; παρατεθείσης τῆς ἀπολογίας (i.e. τῇ κατηγορίᾳ) Refs 4th c.BC+; set side by side, compare, τινά τινι Refs 1st c.AD+
5.b. Grammars, place side by side, juxtapose (opposed to συντίθημι form a compound), Refs 2nd c.AD+
6. deposit, ={παρακατατίθημι}, Refs 5th c.BC+
B. middle, set before oneself, have set before one, ἐπὴν δαΐδας παραθεῖτο Refs 8th c.BC+; οἱ τὰ εὐτελέστερα παρατιθέμενοι those who fare less sumptuously, Refs; have meat set before others, ἠῶθεν δέ κεν ὔμμιν ὁδοιπόριον παραθείμην Refs 8th c.BC+; provide for oneself, supply oneself with, παρετίθεντο τῶν ἀναγκαίων πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, ὅσα.. Refs 1st c.AD+
B.2. deposit what belongs to one in another's hands, give in charge, τοῦ παραθεμένου τὰ χρήματα Refs 5th c.BC+. β; τὴν οὐσίαν ταῖς νήσοις π. Refs 5th c.BC+; deposit deeds or documents, Refs 2nd c.AD+; give a person in charge to, τινὶ ὀρφανόν Refs 2nd c.AD+; commend or commit into another's hands, εἰς χεῖράς σου τὸ πνεῦμα NT; commend by a letter of introduction, Refs 2nd c.AD+
B.2.b. store up in one's mind, ἅ τις ὁρᾷ π. παρ᾽ αὑτῷ Refs 3rd c.AD+
B.3. venture, stake, hazard, σφὰς γὰρ παρθέμενοι κεφαλάς Refs 8th c.BC+
B.4. apply something of one's own to a purpose, employ it, ὄψιν ἐν τῷ διανοεῖσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+
B.5. cite in one's own favour, cite as evidence or authority, π. μῦθον, παράδειγμα, Refs; ἀντίγραφον [ἐπιστολῆς] Refs 3rd c.BC+; ἀποδείξεις Wilcken Refs 2nd c.AD+; ψήφισμα Refs 4th c.BC+; mention, ἔννοιάν τινος Refs 2nd c.AD+; ἐκδόσεις π. quote editions, Refs: absolutely, quote instances, Refs:—rarely in active, λέξεις π. Refs 1st c.BC+
B.6. affix, apply a name, τῷ χωρίῳ ὄνομα Refs 2nd c.AD+
B.7. explain, allege, Wilcken Refs 2nd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| paratithomōπαρατίθεμαι | happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular | commit | 3× |
| paratithamiπαραθήσω | will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular | set before | 1× |
| paratithataπαρέθηκεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | presented | 3× |
| paratithalaπαρέθηκαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | set … before | 1× |
| paratithelaπαρέθεντο | happened · theyaorist middle indicative 3rd person plural | entrusted | 2× |
| paratithaleiōπαρατιθῶσιν | happening now · theypresent active subjunctive 3rd person plural | set before | 2× |
| paratitholōrπαρατιθέσθωσαν | happening now · theypresent middle or passive imperative 3rd person plural | entrust | 1× |
| paratithesarπαράθου | happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular | entrust | 1× |
| paratitharōπαρατιθέναι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | served | 1× |
| paratitharaπαραθεῖναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | set before | 1× |
| paratithorōntosπαρατιθέμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | proving | 1× |
| paratithorōntemπαρατιθέμενον | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter | set before | 1× |
| paratithorōnteimπαρατιθέμενα | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct plural neuter | set before | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 10 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithamō | paratithame | paratithami1×παραθήσω | paratithama | paratithamē | paratithamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithasō | paratithase | paratithasi | paratithasa | paratithasē | paratithaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithatō | paratithate | paratithati | paratithata3×παρέθηκεν | paratithatē | paratithatelē |
| we 1st person plural | paratithanō | paratithane | paratithani | paratithana | paratithanē | paratithanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithavō | paratithave | paratithavi | paratithava | paratithavē | paratithavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | paratithalō | paratithale | paratithali | paratithala1×παρέθηκαν | paratithalē | paratithalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithomō3×παρατίθεμαι | paratithome | paratithomē | paratithomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithosō | paratithose | paratithosē | paratithoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithotō | paratithote | paratithotē | paratithotelē |
| we 1st person plural | paratithonō | paratithone | paratithonē | paratithonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithovō | paratithove | paratithovē | paratithovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitholō | paratithole | paratitholē | paratitholelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithemi | paratithema |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithesi | paratithesa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratitheti | paratitheta |
| we 1st person plural | paratitheni | paratithena |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithevi | paratitheva |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitheli | paratithela2×παρέθεντο |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithameiō | paratithameia | paratithameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithaseiō | paratithaseia | paratithaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithateiō | paratithateia | paratithateiē |
| we 1st person plural | paratithaneiō | paratithaneia | paratithaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithaveiō | paratithaveia | paratithaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | paratithaleiō2×παρατιθῶσιν | paratithaleia | paratithaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithomeiō | paratithomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithoseiō | paratithoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithoteiō | paratithoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | paratithoneiō | paratithoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithoveiō | paratithoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitholeiō | paratitholeiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithemeia |
| you 2nd person singular | paratitheseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratitheteia |
| we 1st person plural | paratitheneia |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratitheveia |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitheleia |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | paratithasōr | paratithasar | paratithasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithatōr | paratithatar | paratithatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithavōr | paratithavar | paratithavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | paratithalōr | paratithalar | paratithalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | paratithosōr | paratithosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithotōr | paratithotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithovōr | paratithovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitholōr1×παρατιθέσθωσαν | paratitholēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | paratithesar1×παράθου |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithetar |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithevar |
| they 3rd person plural | paratithelar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithamoiō | paratithamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithasoiō | paratithasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithatoiō | paratithatoia |
| we 1st person plural | paratithanoiō | paratithanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithavoiō | paratithavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | paratithaloiō | paratithaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | paratithonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitholoiō |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | paratithemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | paratithesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | paratithetoia |
| we 1st person plural | paratithenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | paratithevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | paratitheloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | paratitharō1×παρατιθέναι | paratithari | paratithara1×παραθεῖναι | paratitharē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | paratithorō | paratithorē | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | paratitheri | paratithera |
Used as an adjective — participle, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | paratitharōntos | paratitharintos | paratitharantos | paratitharēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | paratithorōntos3×παρατιθέμενος | paratithorēntos | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | paratitherintos | paratitherantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
paratith is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
19 occurrences, every one of them listed
paratithomō“commit”happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular3×
Luke 23:46… Iēsus legata; Patror, eis cheirain su paratithomō tem pneumem mu. houtem de legarantos …… voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had …
Acts 20:32“commend”kai teim nun paratithomō vin to theo kai to logo …And now I commit you to God and to the word of His …
1 Timothy 1:18“giving”Houtan tan parangelian paratithomō si, teknem Timotheor, kata tain proagarōntain …Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies …
paratithami“set before”will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular1×
Luke 11:6… pros min kai ouk echamō hem paratithami auto;… journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’
paratithata“presented”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 13:24“presented”Allosan parabolan paratithata autoi legarōntos; Homoiita tas basileias toiu …… put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven …
Matthew 13:31“presented”Allosan parabolan paratithata autoi legarōntos; Homoias atō tas basileias …… put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard …
Acts 16:34anagarantos tē autoin eis ton oikon paratithata trapezan kai agallieta panoikei pisteuarēntos to …… brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his …
paratithala“set … before”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Mark 8:6… toi mathētoi autou hina paratithaleiō kai paratithala to ochlo.… gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them …
paratithela“entrusted”happened · theyaorist middle indicative 3rd person plural2×
Luke 12:48… pollem zētiti para autou, kai ho paratithela pollem, perissoterem aitali auton.… and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be …
Acts 14:23“committed”… kata ekklēsan presbuteroin proseucherantois meta nēsteiaiu paratithela autoin to kurio eis hon pisteualelē.… Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
paratithaleiō“set before”happening now · theypresent active subjunctive 3rd person plural2×
Mark 6:41… kai dōate toi mathētoi autou hina paratithaleiō autoi, kai toin duo ichthoin merizata …… gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the …
Mark 8:6… kai dōate toi mathētoi autou hina paratithaleiō kai paratithala to ochlo.… gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them …
paratitholōr“entrust”happening now · theypresent middle or passive imperative 3rd person plural1×
1 Peter 4:19… tem thelēmem tou theou pisto ktisto paratitholōr tain psuchain autoiu en agathopoia.… suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator …
paratithesar“entrust”happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular1×
2 Timothy 2:2… para mu dia polloiu marturoiu, houteim paratithesar pistoi anthrōpoi, hotinois hikanois eli kai …… heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will …
paratitharō“served”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
Mark 8:7“served”… kai eulogarantos auteim legata kai houteim paratitharō.… small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set …
paratithara“set before”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Luke 9:16… kai kataklata kai dōate toi mathētoi paratithara to ochlo.… gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
paratithorōntos“proving”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Acts 17:3dianoigarōntos kai paratithorōntos hoti ton christon date paschara kai …explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer …
paratithorōntem“set before”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter1×
1 Corinthians 10:27… apistoiu kai thelavō poreuorō, pantem tem paratithorōntem vi esthiavōr mēdenem anakrinarōntois dia tan …… you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.
paratithorōnteim“set before”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct plural neuter1×
Luke 10:8… eiserchoveiō kai decholeiō vin, esthiavōr teim paratithorōnteim vi,… they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.