24. To Comfort, Encourage

 
παρακαλέω (καλέω, ‘to call'), which it is difficult to render in any uniform way, is calling upon a person in order to stimulate him to something, it may be to comfort; but it often refers to other things ― to exhortation in general, as in Rom. 12:88Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:8); Titus 2:1515These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:15); and in some passages may well be translated ‘encourage,' as in Heb. 3:1313But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13), "Encourage one another daily," also in chap. 10:25. See 2 Cor. 1:3-73Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. (2 Corinthians 1:3‑7) where the word, with the substantive formed from it, occurs several times with a more active force than ‘comfort.' In Acts 4:3636And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, (Acts 4:36) the name Barnabas, υἰὸς παρακλήσεως, should probably be son of exhortation 'rather than of consolation.'
An interesting instance of the two words occurring together is found in 1 Thess. 2:1111As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, (1 Thessalonians 2:11), we are "exhorted (παρακ.) and comforted (παραμ.)"