3912. paraphroneó

Lexicon

paraphroneó: To be insane, to be out of one's mind, to act irrationally

Original Word: παραφρονέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: paraphroneó
Pronunciation: pah-rah-fro-NEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (par-af-ron-eh'-o)
Definition: To be insane, to be out of one's mind, to act irrationally
Meaning: I am out of my senses, am beside myself.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

to be insane

From para and phroneo; to misthink, i.e. Be insane (silly) -- as a fool.

see GREEK para

see GREEK phroneo

HELPS Word-studies

3912 paraphronéō (from 3844 /pará, "contrary-beside" and 5426 /phronéō, "inner perspective regulating outward behavior") – properly, "beside oneself," acting contrary to sound thinking; acting deranged or delirious (LS), like someone mad (insane), i.e. "out of their mind." 3912 /paraphronéō is only used in 2 Cor 11:23.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from para and phroneó
Definition
to be beside oneself, to be deranged
NASB Translation
insane (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3912: παραφρονέω

παραφρονέω, παραφρόνω; (παράφρων (from παρά (which see IV. 2) and φρήν, 'beside one's wits')); to be beside oneself, out of one's senses, void of understanding, insane: 2 Corinthians 11:23. (From Aeschylus and Herodotus down; once in the Sept., Zechariah 7:11.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from παρά (para, "beside" or "beyond") and φρονέω (phronéō, "to think" or "to have understanding").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for παραφρονέω, similar concepts of irrationality or madness can be found in Hebrew words such as שָׁגַע (shaga, Strong's Hebrew 7696), which means "to be mad" or "to act insanely," and הָלַל (halal, Strong's Hebrew 1984), which can mean "to boast" or "to act foolishly" in certain contexts. These terms reflect similar ideas of behavior that deviates from rational thought or expected norms.

Usage: The term παραφρονέω is used in the New Testament to describe a state of mind that is irrational or beyond normal reasoning. It conveys the idea of being beside oneself or acting in a way that lacks sound judgment.

Context: The Greek verb παραφρονέω appears in the New Testament to describe a condition of mental instability or irrational behavior. It is used in contexts where individuals are perceived to be acting contrary to reason or expected norms. The term is often associated with a lack of self-control or an inability to think clearly.

In the Berean Standard Bible, παραφρονέω is used in 2 Corinthians 11:23, where the Apostle Paul speaks of his experiences and sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. He rhetorically questions whether he is speaking as a fool, acknowledging that his actions might appear irrational to some. The verse reads: "Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind—I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death."

This usage highlights the paradox of Christian ministry, where actions driven by faith and commitment to Christ may seem irrational to the worldly perspective. Paul embraces this apparent foolishness as a testament to his dedication and the transformative power of the Gospel.

Forms and Transliterations

παραφρονήσει παραφρονούντα παραφρονων παραφρονών παραφρονῶν paraphronon paraphronôn paraphronōn paraphronō̂n

Englishman's Concordance

2 Corinthians 11:23 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: Χριστοῦ εἰσίν παραφρονῶν λαλῶ ὕπερ
NAS: I speak as if insane-- I more so;
KJV: (I speak as a fool) I
INT: of Christ are they as being beside myself I speak above [measure]

Strong's Greek 3912
1 Occurrence

παραφρονῶν — 1 Occ.