From paradidomi (to hand over, deliver), paradosis is what is handed down from one generation to the next — traditions, teachings, customs. The word itself is neutral; the value depends on the content. Jesus critiques human paradosis that nullifies God's word, while Paul commands believers to hold fast to apostolic paradosis.
Mark 7:8 records Jesus's sharp rebuke: 'You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.' The Pharisees' interpretive traditions had come to override Scripture itself. Yet Paul uses the same word positively in 2 Thess 2:15: 'stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us.' The difference? Source and authority. Apostolic tradition rooted in Christ's teaching is authoritative; human tradition that contradicts Scripture is condemned. This distinction became crucial in Reformation debates over sola scriptura.