A paradox is a situation/fact/statement which is surprising because it contains two things which seem to contradict each other (not just surprising). Example: I open the door and I expected to see my cousin - and I actually see a lion. Not a paradox, but certainly a surprise. Giving stimulants to children who are hyperactive makes them calmer. That is a paradox. I can resist anything but temptation. A paradoxical statement which is intended to be humorous. The paradox here lies in the fact that resisting something is definitionally avoiding things which are tempting - so saying you can resist anything but temptation is self-contradictory.