Parakletos

by Wayne Blank

The original New Testament Greek word parakletos (pronounced in Greek as par-ak-lay-tos), which literally means called to one's side, was used to describe someone who pleaded another's cause, or who helped others by defending or comforting them. In English-language versions of The Bible, parakletos is usually translated as Advocate when referring to Jesus Christ, or either Counselor, Comforter or Helper when referring to the Holy Spirit.

Dove The Holy Spirit

Depending upon the translation, parakletos is translated variously as Counselor (RSV, NIV), Comforter (KJV, ASV) or Helper (NASB, NKJV) in regard to the Holy Spirit of God. When the Holy Spirit is referred to as "he" in translating from the original Greek, it's the result of the use of linguistic masculine or feminine "genders" in Greek nouns; for the Holy Spirit, the use of "it" would have, in most cases, been more accurate than "he" or "him."

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My Name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in My Name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My Commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor [parakletos], to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you." (John 14:12-17 RSV)
"But when the Counselor [parakletos] comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses" (John 15:26-27 RSV)
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor [parakletos] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:7-8 RSV)

Jesus Christ

In reference to Jesus Christ, parakletos is most commonly translated as Advocate (RSV, KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV) or one who speaks to (NIV).

"My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate [parakletos] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we may be sure that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments. He who says "I know Him" but disobeys His Commandments is a liar, and the Truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His Word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in Him: he who says He abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked." (1 John 2:1-6 RSV)

Fact Finder: Is Jesus Christ our High Priest Who sat down at the right hand of God after His sacrifice as the Messiah?
Hebrews 8:1-2, 9:14-15

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