📖 Biblical Definition
To strengthen-by-coming-alongside. Greek parakaleo (from para, beside + kaleo, to call) and its noun paraklesis are the verbs behind the Holy Spirit's title Paraclete / Comforter / Helper (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The English word comfort has weakened over time toward sentimental consolation; the biblical word is stronger: real strengthening by means of presence and word. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who 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. Christian comfort is tripartite: the Spirit comforts the individual believer; the Word comforts through the recorded consolations of God; the saints comfort one another. None of the three replaces the others.
📜 KJV Continual Tense
In KJV: comforteth — ongoing called-alongside strengthening.
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2 Corinthians 1:4: "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble." Continuous comfort received fuels continuous comfort given.
Isaiah 66:13: "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." Maternal-image continuous comfort — the kind that doesn’t run out.
Note: this entry is for the verb. The full noun and Comforter (paraclete) entries are also in the dictionary.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
To strengthen-by-coming-alongside.
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To strengthen; to console; to encourage; from Latin confortare, "to strengthen greatly." In Scripture rendered by Greek parakaleō — literally "to call alongside." Comfort is presence that strengthens, not vague reassurance.
📖 Key Scripture
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 — "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble."
Isaiah 40:1 — "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."
John 14:16 — "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Sentimentalized to soft reassurance rather than the strengthening-through-presence Scripture means.
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"Comfort food," "comfort zone" — modern usage shrinks the word to coziness. Biblical comfort is muscular: it strengthens, it commissions back to action, it equips the comforted to comfort others. "Comfort” shares Latin roots with "fort" — a fortified place.
Recover the strength: when God comforts, He fortifies. When the Comforter comes, He strengthens for mission.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek parakaleō; Latin confortare.
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['Greek', 'G3870', 'parakaleō', 'to call alongside, comfort']
['Greek', 'G3874', 'paraklēsis', 'consolation']
Usage
"Comfort is fortifying, not just consoling."
"Comforted-people comfort people."
"The Comforter comes to strengthen."