Lexical Summary paradeisos: Paradise Original Word: παράδεισος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance paradise. Of Oriental origin (compare pardec); a park, i.e. (specially), an Eden (place of future happiness, "paradise") -- paradise. see HEBREW pardec HELPS Word-studies 3857 parádeisos – an ancient Persian word meaning "enclosure, garden, park." NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Pers. origin (enclosure) Definition a park, a garden, a paradise NASB Translation Paradise (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3857: παράδεισοςπαράδεισος, παραδείσου, ὁ (thought by most to be of Persian orion, by others of Armenian, cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, ii., p. 1124; (B. D., under the word; especially Fried. Delitzsch, We lag das Paradies? Leipzig 1881, pp. 95-97; cf. Max Müller, Selected Essays, i., 129f)), 1. among the Persians a grand enclosure or preserve, hunting-ground, park, shady and well-watered, in which wild animals were kept for the hunt; it was enclosed by walls and furnished with towers for the hunters: Xenophon, Cyril 1, 3, 14; (1, 4, 5); 8, 1, 38; oec. 4, 13 and 14; anab. 1, 2, 7, 9; Theophrastus, h. pl. 5, 8, 1; Diodorus 16, 41; 14, 80; Pint. Artax. 25, cf. Curt; 8, 1, 11. 2. universally, a garden, pleasure-ground; grove, park: Lucian, v. h. 2, 23; Aelian v. h. 1, 33; Josephus, Antiquities 7, 14, 4; 8, 7, 3; 9, 10, 4; 10, 3, 2 and 11, 1; b. j. 6, 1, 1; (c. Apion. 1, 19, 9 (where cf. Müller)); Susanna 4, 7, 15, etc.; Sir. 24:30; and so it passed into the Hebrew language, פַּרְדֵּס, Nehemiah 2:8; Ecclesiastes 2:5; Song of Solomon 4:13; besides in the Sept. mostly for גַּן; thus, for that delightful region, 'the garden of Eden,' in which our first parents dwelt before the fall: Genesis 2:8ff; 3:1ff. 3. that part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be the abode of the souls of the pious until the resurrection: Luke 23:43, cf. 16:23f. But some (e. g. Dillmann (as below, p. 379)) understand that passage of the heavenly paradise. 4. an upper region in the heavens: 2 Corinthians 12:4 (where some maintain, others deny, that the term is equivalent to ὁ τρίτος οὐρανός in 2 Corinthians 12:2); with the addition of τοῦ Θεοῦ, genitive of possessor, the abode of God and heavenly beings, to which true Christians will be taken after death, Revelation 2:7 (cf. Genesis 13:10; Ezekiel 28:13; Ezekiel 31:8). According to the opinion of many of the church Fathers, the paradise in which our first parents dwelt before the fall still exists, neither on earth nor in the heavens, but above and beyond the world; cf. Thilo, Cod. apocr. Nov. Test., on Evang. Nicod. c. xxv., p. 748ff; and Bleek thinks that the word ought to be taken in this sense in Revelation 2:7. Cf. Dillmann under the word Paradies in Schenkel iv. 377ff; also Hilgenfeld, Die Clement. Recogn. und Hom., p. 87f; Klöpper on 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, p. 507ff ((Göttingen, 1869). See also B. D., “Paradise” in the New Testament evokes the imagery of Eden restored, an unblemished dwelling place of God where fellowship, life, and joy are undisturbed by sin. Though the term appears only three times in the Greek New Testament, Scripture weaves it into a rich tapestry stretching from the Garden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in Revelation. Occurrences in the New Testament • Luke 23:43 – As He hung upon the cross, Jesus assured the repentant criminal, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The promise locates Paradise in the immediate presence of Christ, accessible at the moment of death for the believer. Old Testament and Jewish Background The Septuagint frequently translates the Hebrew word for “garden” (gan) with the same Greek term, especially for the Garden of Eden (for example, Genesis 2:8–10). Later Jewish writings developed the idea of Paradise as a blissful afterlife compartment for the righteous dead. Against this backdrop, the New Testament revelations locate the believer’s hope not in speculative geography but in union with the living God. Paradise as the Present Abode of the Righteous Luke 23:43 demonstrates that the souls of those who die in faith are ushered immediately into Paradise, where Christ reigns. There is no hint of purgatorial delay; instead, Jesus’ “today” grounds the doctrine of conscious, blessed fellowship with the Savior after death (Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8). Paradise and Eschatological Fulfillment Revelation 2:7 anticipates a future reality in which Paradise merges with the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 22:1-5). The presence of the tree of life signals a complete reversal of the curse announced in Genesis 3:22-24. Thus, Paradise is both present (in heaven) and prospective (in the consummated kingdom). The continuity underscores God’s plan to restore creation while upholding personal continuity for the redeemed. Apostolic Encounter with Paradise Paul’s rapture to Paradise supplied apostolic authority for his message and encouraged a suffering church (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). The apostle refrains from detailing what he saw, highlighting the “inexpressible” nature of glory and steering believers to walk by faith, not sensationalism. His experience validates the reality of Paradise without centering Christian hope on private visions. Pastoral Significance 1. Comfort in Bereavement – Jesus’ word to the thief assures grieving hearts that believers who die are immediately with the Lord in bliss (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Doctrinal Connections • Christology – Only through union with the crucified-risen Christ can anyone enter Paradise (John 14:6). Summary Paradise, as unfolded in the New Testament, is the believer’s immediate post-mortem joy and the ultimate eschatological hope of a renewed creation. It manifests God’s unbroken purpose: to dwell with His people in holiness, life, and love forever. Englishman's Concordance Luke 23:43 N-DMSGRK: ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ NAS: to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise. KJV: me in paradise. INT: in Paradise 2 Corinthians 12:4 N-AMS Revelation 2:7 N-DMS Strong's Greek 3857 |
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