[Third Heaven]), the vision viewer entered “paradise” and heard unutterable words. That this paradise envisioned could refer to a spiritual state among God’s people, as in the case of fleshly Israel, can be seen from the fact that the Christian congregation was also God’s “field under cultivation,” his spiritual vineyard, rooted in Christ Jesus and bearing fruit to God’s praise. (1 Cor. 3:9; John 15:1-8) As such it had replaced the nation of Israel in God’s favor. (Compare Matthew 21:33-43.) Paul’s vision, nevertheless, must logically have applied to some future time, so as to constitute a ‘revelation.’ (2 Cor. 12:1) An apostasy was due to set in among the Christian congregation, was already working in Paul’s day, and would result in a condition like that of a field oversown with weeds. (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43; Acts 20:29; 2 Thess. 2:3, 7; compare Hebrews 6:7, 8.) So, Paul’s paradise vision would not reasonably apply while such was the case but would evidently relate to the time of the “harvest season” when the genuine Christians would be gathered by the angelic reapers and would enjoy rich blessings and spiritual prosperity from God.

EATING OF THE “TREE OF LIFE” IN THE “PARADISE OF GOD”

Revelation 2:7 mentions this “tree of life” in the “paradise of God,” the eating from it being the privilege of “him that conquers.” Since other promises given in this section of Revelation to such conquering ones clearly relate to their gaining a heavenly inheritance (Rev. 2:26-28; 3:12, 21), it seems evident that the “paradise of God” in this case is a heavenly one. The word “tree” here translates the Greek word xyʹlon, which literally means “wood,” and could therefore refer to an orchard of trees. In the earthly paradise of Eden, eating of the tree of life would have meant living forever for man. (Gen. 3:22-24) Even the fruit of the other trees of the garden would have been life-sustaining for man as long as he continued obedient. So, the partaking of the “tree [or trees] of life” in the “paradise of God” evidently relates to the divine provision for sustained life granted the Christian conquerors, other texts showing that they receive the prize of immortality and incorruptibility along with their heavenly Head and Lord, Christ Jesus.—1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4.

PARAH

(Paʹrah) [cow].

A city of Benjamin. (Josh. 18:21, 23) Parah is usually identified with Khirbet el-Farah, about five and a half miles (9 kilometers) NE of Jerusalem. A nearby spring (ʽAin Farah) furnishes water for the Old City of Jerusalem.

PARALYSIS

Impairment or total loss of muscular power or of sensation in one or more parts of the body. Sometimes called palsy, it results from damage or disorder of the nervous system or atrophy of muscles, thus either preventing the transmission of nervous impulses or causing inability of the muscles to react to them. Paralysis has many names and forms, some of which types can be fatal. Among its causes are disease (as in the case of diphtheric paralysis), brain lesions, damage to the spinal cord or pressure from a tumor.

Paralyzed persons were among those miraculously cured by Jesus Christ. (Matt. 4:24) A paralyzed man was brought to Jesus, who cured the sufferer after forgiving his sins. Then, at Christ’s bidding, the former paralytic picked up his cot and went home. (Matt. 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26) On another occasion the manservant of an army officer was laid up with paralysis and was about to die, but Jesus healed him from a distance. (Matt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10) This slave was “terribly tormented” or “terribly afflicted” (Matt. 8:6, NW, 1961 and 1950 editions), which may, but does not necessarily, indicate that he was suffering intense pain. Though usually not painful, paralysis may be. Cramplike pains occur in the spine and the extremities in cases of paralysis agitans (Parkinsonism, or “shaking palsy”) and there is agonizing pain in paraplegia dolorosa, a form of paralysis associated with some cases of spinal cord cancer. “Paralytics” are persons afflicted with paralysis.

The evangelist Philip preached and performed signs in the city of Samaria, curing many paralyzed persons. (Acts 8:5-8) In Lydda, paralyzed Aeneas, “who had been lying flat on his cot for eight years,” was told by Peter: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise and make up your bed.” At that, “he rose immediately.”—Acts 9:32-35.

PARAN

(Paʹran).

The name is of uncertain meaning, possibly from a root defined as “abounding in foliage,” hence “ornamental,” or, more likely, from a root meaning “abounding in caverns or caves.” Paran was the greater part of that vast wilderness region in which the nation of Israel wandered about for some thirty-eight years before entering the Promised Land. (Num. 10:11, 12; Deut. 2:14) Having no fixed boundaries, Paran occupied the central and northeastern portion of the Sinai Peninsula. On the E was that part of the Rift Valley known as the Arabah and also the Gulf of Aqabah, on the S the wilderness of Sinai, on the SW the wilderness of Sin, and on the NW and N the wildernesses of Etham and Shur. Toward the Dead Sea to the NE Paran blended with, and perhaps included, the wilderness of Zin.

For the most part Paran was a rough mountainous region of limestone, plateau-like in places, the central section being between 2,000 and 2,500 feet (610 to 762 meters) high. (Deut. 33:2; compare Habakkuk 3:3.) It was also included as part of “that great and fear-inspiring wilderness” referred to at Deuteronomy 1:1, 19; 8:15. Except during the brief rainy seasons the gravel face of this rude country is devoid of green vegetation; springs are few and far between. These factors emphasize the complete dependence upon Jehovah to provide food and water miraculously during those many years for the nation of Israel, numbering perhaps 3,000,000 persons.—Ex. 16:1, 4, 12-15, 35; Deut. 2:7; 8:15, 16.

Apparently the first reference to this wilderness of Paran was in the days of Lot when Chedorlaomer and his allies defeated a number of cities in the vicinities of the Dead Sea and Edom as far S as El-paran. (Gen. 14:4-6) Later, after Ishmael was dismissed by his father Abraham, he settled down in the wilderness of Paran and occupied himself mainly with the hunt.—Gen. 21:20, 21.

However, the principal references to Paran are in connection with the wanderings of the Israelites. After leaving Mount Sinai, Israel camped at Taberah and Kibroth-hattaavah, then at Hazeroth on the southern edge of Paran, before moving N toward Kadesh-barnea. (Num. 10:12, 33; 11:3, 34, 35; 12:16) Not long after entering Paran the twelve spies were sent out to reconnoiter Canaan. (Num. 13:3, 26) The bad report given by the majority upon returning resulted in Jehovah’s decree that the nation prolong their stay in the wilderness until all the registered ones who had murmured against God had died off. (Num. 13:31-33; 14:20-34) During that forty years by far the majority of Israel’s campsites, from Egypt to the Promised Land, were in Paran.—Num. 33:1-49.

According to the Septuagint Version as found in the Vatican Manuscript No. 1209, David went into the wilderness of Maon following the death and burial of Samuel. However, the Masoretic text, as well as the Syriac, Vulgate and Septuagint (Alexandrine Manuscript) versions say he went into the wilderness of Paran. (1 Sam. 25:1) When David became king and made war on Edom, the young Edomite prince Hadad, together with some of his father’s servants, made his escape to Egypt. On the way down they were joined by certain men of Paran as they passed through that country.—1 Ki. 11:15-18.