παράκλητος

παράκλητος is a verbal adjective in -τος from παρακαλέω, παρά (beside) + καλέω (call): one called to the side. The corpus holds 81 attestations.

Classical forensic texts (c. 340–270 BCE)

Demosthenes, On the Embassy, Or19 1:

αἱ δὲ τῶν παρακλήτων αὗται δεήσεις καὶ σπουδαὶ τῶν ἰδίων πλεονεξιῶν εἵνεκα γίγνονται

hai de tōn paraklētōn hautai deēseis kai spoudai tōn idiōn pleonexiōn heineka gignontai

"But these entreaties and exertions of the paráklētoi happen for the sake of private advantage."

(Demosthenes, On the Embassy, Eulogikon: fsm-cc, ref. Or19 1)

Genitive plural τῶν παρακλήτων. Lycurgus of Athens, lexicographical fragment (s.v.):

s. v. παράκλητος · ὡς ἡμεῖς εἴρηκεν Λυκοῦργος.

s.v. paráklētos: hōs hēmeis eirēken Lykourgos.

"Entry: paráklētos. Lycurgus used it as we do."

(Lycurgus of Athens, Defense Speeches, Eulogikon: hfi-ab, ref. Frag 15 13)

Photius, Lexicon, pi 385 (parallel gloss; παράκλησις for δέησις) (Eulogikon: woy-an). Bion of Borysthenes, Philosophical Autobiography, 74 (n):

τὸ ἱκανόν σοι ποιήσω, ἐὰν παρακλήτους πέμψῃς καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ ἔλθῃς

to hikanón soi poiēsō, eàn paraklētous pémpsēs kai autòs mē élthēs

"I will satisfy you, if you send paráklētoi and do not come yourself."

(Bion of Borysthenes, Philosophical Autobiography, Eulogikon: hks-aa, ref. 74 (n))

Parallel witness: Diogenes Laertius (Eulogikon: rjo-ad, ref. Vit.4.50).

Philo of Alexandria (1st c. CE)

Philo, Against Flaccus, Flac 21:

δεῖ δὴ παράκλητον ἡμᾶς εὑρεῖν δυνατώτατον, ὑφ' οὗ Γάιος ἐξευμενισθήσεται

dei dē paráklēton hēmas heurein dynatōtaton, hyph' hou Gáios exeumenisthēsetai

"We must find a most powerful paráklētos, by whom Gaius will be made favourable."

(Philo, Against Flaccus, Eulogikon: lgi-bf, ref. Flac 21)

Flac 23: Alexandria named as παράκλητος before the emperor. Philo, On the Creation of the World, Opif 165:

δεξάμεναι τὰ δῶρα θεραπαινίδων τρόπον προσφέρουσιν οἷα δεσπότῃ τῷ λογισμῷ, παράκλητον ἐπαγόμεναι πειθὼ περὶ τοῦ μηδὲν ἀπώσασθαι τὸ παράπαν

dexámenai tà dōra therapainídōn trópon prosphérousin hoia despótē tō logismō, paráklēton epagómenai peithō perì tou mēdèn apōsasthai tò parápan

"Having received the gifts, they bring them like handmaids to λογισμός as to a master, bringing in πειθώ as paráklētos that he reject nothing at all."

(Philo, On the Creation of the World, Eulogikon: lgi-aw, ref. Opif 165)

πειθώ as παράκλητος; λογισμός as the one pleaded to.

Valentinian texts (2nd–3rd c. CE)

Clement of Alexandria, Excerpts from Theodotus (Valentinian), 1.23:

Τὸν Παράκλητον οἱ ἀπὸ Οὐαλεντίνου τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγουσιν… Ἰησοῦς προβάλλεται παράκλητος τῷ παρελθόντι αἰῶνι

Tòn Paráklēton hoi apò Oualentínou tòn Iēsoun légousin… Iēsous probálletai paráklētos tō parelthónti aiōni

"The followers of Valentinus call Jesus the Paráklētos… Jesus is put forth as paráklētos for the aeon that had passed away."

(Clement of Alexandria, Excerpts from Theodotus, Eulogikon: qya-ae, ref. 1.23)

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies, 6.30.5 (aeon-names):

οἷς ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα χαρίζονται· Παράκλητος καὶ Πίστις, Πατρικὸς καὶ Ἐλπίς, Μητρικὸς καὶ Ἀγάπη

hois tauta tà onómata charízontai: Paráklētos kai Pístis, Patrikòs kai Elpís, Mētrikòs kai Agápē

"to whom they assign these names: Paráklētos and Pístis, Patrikos and Elpís, Mētrikos and Agápē."

(Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies, Eulogikon: qsg-at, ref. 6.30.5)

Late-antique theological texts (3rd–5th c. CE)

Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John, 1.240 (1 John 2:1, quoted):

ὁ παράκλητος ἐν τῇ Ἰωάννου λεγόμενος ἐπιστολῇ· »Ἐὰν γάρ τις ἁμάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον«

ho paráklētos en tē Iōánnou legoménē epistolē: "Eàn gár tis hamártē, paráklēton échomen pròs tòn patéra Iēsoun Christòn díkaion"

"The paráklētos spoken of in John's letter: 'If anyone sins, we have a paráklētos with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.'"

(Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Eulogikon: uhs-aw, ref. 1.240)

πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Eusebius, On Ecclesiastical Theology, 3.5.6 (John 14:16, quoted; ἄλλον παράκλητον):

ἐγὼ ἐρωτήσω τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἄλλον παράκλητον δώσει ὑμῖν… οὐκοῦν ἕτερος ἦν παρ' αὐτὸν ὁ παράκλητος

egō erōtēsō tòn patéra kai állon paráklēton dōsei hymin… oukoun héteros ēn par' autòn ho paráklētos

"'I will ask the Father and he will give you another paráklētos'… so the paráklētos was another beside him."

(Eusebius, On Ecclesiastical Theology, Eulogikon: tva-at, ref. 3.5.6)

Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, HE 2 30 (creed):

Ὁ δὲ Παράκλητος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον δι' Υἱοῦ ἀποσταλέν, ἦλθε κατὰ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν

Ho dè Paráklētos, tò Pneuma tò Hágion di' Hyiou apostalén, ēlthe katà tēn epangelían

"The Paráklētos, the Holy Pneuma sent through the Son, came according to the promise."

(Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, Eulogikon: tga-aa, ref. HE 2 30)

Nonnus, Paraphrase of the Gospel of John, book 14:

παράκλητος δ' ὅταν ἔλθῃ, ὑμέας ἰθυντῆρι λόγῳ ξύμπαντα διδάξει

paráklētos d' hótan élthē, hyméas ithyntēri lógō xýmpanta didáxei

"And when the paráklētos comes, he will teach you all things with a guiding word."

(Nonnus, Paraphrase of the Gospel of John, Eulogikon: tns-aa, ref. book 14)