From pas (all) + rhēsis (speech) — freedom to say everything, boldness of speech, confidence. Parrēsia was prized in Greek democracy as the citizen's right to speak freely. In the NT, it describes the Spirit-empowered courage of believers before God and before the world.
The early church prayed for parrēsia (Acts 4:29), and God answered: Peter and John spoke 'with boldness' (Acts 4:31). This boldness has two directions: toward God (Hebrews 4:16 — we approach the throne with confidence) and toward the world (Acts 28:31 — Paul preached with boldness). Parrēsia is not natural bravado but supernatural courage given by the Spirit to speak truth without fear.