Boldness in Speech (παρρησιάζομαι)

Boldness in speech (παρρησιάζομαι) is to clearly speak a word openly.

After Paul’s conversion to Christianity and three years in the desert learning from Christ to serve as the steward of the dispensation of grace, he returned to Damascus. Then, he spoke clearly and openly, with boldness of speech, demonstrating from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 9:27).

While Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch of Pisidia sharing the gospel of the Christ in the synagogue, the Jews were filled with envy because of the great multitude of Gentiles following Paul. In response, they began to speak falsely against Paul and oppose his message. However, their attempts to undermine the good news only emboldened Paul and Barnabas, leading them to speak with even greater openness and clarity. This culminated in Paul's declaration to the Jews that since they rejected God and deemed themselves unworthy of eternal life, they would now turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).

In Ephesus, Apollos, a man from Alexandria, spoke accurately concerning the things of the Lord, knowing only the immersion of John the Baptist. As he began to speak openly in the synagogue, Aquila and Priscilla heard him. They then took him aside and explaining to him more accurately the way of God, filled him in on all that had happened since the immersion of John (Acts 18:26).

When defending himself against false charges from the Jew before Festus and Agrippa, after Festus called him mad, Paul spoke freely to King Agrippa. Paul was convinced that the King already knew about this matter (Acts 26:26). Because of his openness and clarity of words, Agrippa responded saying, “You almost persuade me also to become a Christian.” However, the issue at hand was whether Paul was guilty. In response to Festus' inquiry, Agrippa concluded that Paul had done nothing deserving chains. Nevertheless, because the Jews had conspired with the authorities to have Paul killed, Paul had exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar. As a result, he could not be released (Acts 26:32).

After detailing the defense believers have against Satan, Paul encourages the saints to worship God while supplication for other members of the body of the Christ, including himself. He specifically request supplication so that he has boldness and clarity in speech to make known what is the mystery of the gospel, for he is an ambassador in chains (Ephesians 6:20).

Boldness in speech arises from confidence in the truth of what is spoken. Paul knew that he was speaking the truth; therefore, even when the Jews spoke against him, opposing his message, or beat him for proclaiming the death on behalf of sins and resurrection of Christ, he grew in openness and clarity of his speech. His confidence was in God, not men.