paraklētos

Semantic range

1. 1a legal advocate; counsel for the defence
2. 2an intercessor
3. 3a helper, encourager, comforter

Para (alongside) plus klētos (called): one summoned to stand beside you. The forensic sense — defence counsel — is primary in classical usage, and 1 John 2:1 uses it exactly so of Christ: "we have an advocate with the Father."

In John 14–16 Jesus applies it to the Holy Ghost and calls Him "another Comforter" — allos, another of the same kind. The Restoration adds a second layer: D&C 88:3–4 speaks of the Comforter that is the promise of eternal life, and Joseph Smith taught of the Second Comforter as the Lord's own personal appearing to a faithful disciple.

The KJV's "Comforter" is faithful to the Latin confortare — to strengthen — rather than to modern English comfort, which has softened toward consolation. The word means strengthener as much as consoler.

See also

• πνεῦμαpneuma
• χάριςcharis
• λόγοςlogos