CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1"/><title>Strong's Greek: 4642. σκληρός (skléros) -- Hard, harsh, difficult, severe</title></title><link rel="canonical" href="http://biblehub.com/greek/4642.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/strongsnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/interlinear/vmenus/acts/17-4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmstrongs/greek/4642.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's</a> > <a href="/englishmans_greek.htm">Greek</a> > 4642</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../greek/4641.htm" title="4641">◄</a> 4642. skléros <a href="../greek/4643.htm" title="4643">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Strong's Lexicon</div><div align="left"><span class="toptitle2">skléros: Hard, harsh, difficult, severe</span></div><p><span class="tophdg">Original Word: </span><span class="greek">σκληρός</span><br><span class="tophdg">Part of Speech: </span>Adjective<br><span class="tophdg">Transliteration: </span>skléros<br><span class="tophdg">Pronunciation: </span>sklā-ros'<br><span class="tophdg">Phonetic Spelling: </span>(sklay-ros')<br><span class="tophdg">Definition: </span>Hard, harsh, difficult, severe<br><span class="tophdg">Meaning: </span>hard, violent, harsh, stern.<p><span class="tophdg">Word Origin: </span>Derived from the Greek root "sklēroō," meaning "to harden."<p><span class="tophdg">Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: </span> - <b>Strong's Hebrew 7185 (qashah):</b> Meaning "to be hard, severe, or difficult."<p> - <b>Strong's Hebrew 2389 (chazaq):</b> Meaning "strong, firm, or hard."<p><span class="tophdg">Usage: </span>The Greek adjective "skléros" is used to describe something that is hard or harsh in nature. It can refer to physical hardness, such as a hard surface, or metaphorically to describe a difficult or severe situation, attitude, or speech. In the New Testament, it often conveys a sense of stubbornness or inflexibility, particularly in spiritual or moral contexts.<p><span class="tophdg">Cultural and Historical Background: </span>In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of hardness was often associated with strength and resilience, but also with inflexibility and harshness. In the biblical context, "skléros" is used to describe the hardness of heart that resists God's will or truth. This reflects a common biblical theme where a hardened heart is seen as a barrier to spiritual understanding and repentance.<div class="vheading2">HELPS Word-studies</div><p class="discovery"><b>4642</b> <i>sklērós</i> – properly, hard (because <i>dried</i> out); (figuratively) stiff, stubborn (unyielding) describing people who "won't budge" (bend, submit), or what is <i>unyieldingly harsh</i>.</p><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/discovery.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe><div class="vheading2">NAS Exhaustive Concordance</div><span class="hdg">Word Origin</span><br>from skelló (to dry)<br><span class="hdg">Definition</span><br>hard, rough<br><span class="hdg">NASB Translation</span><br>difficult (1), hard (2), harsh things (1), strong (1).<p><div align="center"><span class="smalltext"><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/nasec.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe></span></div><div class="vheading2">Thayer's Greek Lexicon</div><span class="maintitle">STRONGS NT 4642: σκληρός</span><br><br><span class="arttitle"><span class="grktitle">σκληρός</span></span>, <span class="greek2">σκληρά</span>, <span class="greek2">σκληρόν</span> (<span class="greek2">σκέλλω</span>, <span class="greek2">σκληναι</span>, (to dry up, be dry)), from (<span class="abbreviation">Hesiod</span>, <span class="abbreviation">Theognis</span>), <span class="abbreviation">Pindar</span>, <span class="abbreviation">Aeschylus</span> down; the <span class="manuref">Sept.</span> for <span class="hebrew">קָשֶׁה</span>, <span class="accented">hard, harsh, rough, stiff</span> (<span class="greek2">τά</span> <span class="greek2">σκληρά</span> <span class="greek2">καί</span> <span class="greek2">τά</span> <span class="greek2">μαλακά</span>, Xen) mem. 3, 10, 1); of men, metaphorically, <span class="accented">harsh, stern, hard</span>: <a href="/interlinear/matthew/25-24.htm">Matthew 25:24</a> (<a href="/interlinear/1_samuel/25-3.htm">1 Samuel 25:3</a>; <a href="/interlinear/isaiah/19-4.htm">Isaiah 19:4</a>; <a href="/interlinear/isaiah/48-4.htm">Isaiah 48:4</a>; many examples from secular authors are given by <span class="abbreviation">Passow</span>, under the word, 2 b.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2; especially <span class="abbreviation">Trench</span>, § xiv.)); of things: <span class="greek2">ἄνεμος</span>, <span class="accented">violent, rough,</span> <a href="/interlinear/james/3-4.htm">James 3:4</a>; <span class="greek2">ὁ</span> <span class="greek2">λόγος</span>, offensive and intolerable, <a href="/interlinear/john/6-60.htm">John 6:60</a>, equivalent to <span class="greek2">ὅς</span> <span class="greek2">σκανδαλίζει</span>, 61; <span class="greek2">σκληρά</span> <span class="greek2">λαλεῖν</span> <span class="greek2">κατά</span> <span class="greek2">τίνος</span>, to speak hard and bitter things against one, <a href="/interlinear/jude/1-15.htm">Jude 1:15</a> (<span class="greek2">σκληρά</span> <span class="greek2">λαλεῖν</span> <span class="greek2">τίνι</span> is also used of one who speaks roughly, <a href="/interlinear/genesis/42-7.htm">Genesis 42:7, 30</a>; <span class="greek2">ἀποκρίνεσθαι</span> <span class="greek2">σκληρά</span>, to reply with threats, <a href="/interlinear/1_kings/12-13.htm">1 Kings 12:13</a>); <span class="greek2">σκληρόν</span> <span class="greek2">ἐστι</span> followed by an infinitive, it is dangerous, turns out badly (<span class="abbreviation">A. V.</span> <span class="accented">it is hard</span>), <a href="/interlinear/acts/9-5.htm">Acts 9:5</a> <span class="manuref">Rec.</span>; <BIBLE/CHAPTER_VERSE:Acts 26:14>.<FOOTNOTE:1> <br><br><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/bsoft.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe><div class="vheading2">Strong's Exhaustive Concordance</div>fierce, hard. <p>From the base of <a href="/greek/4628.htm">skelos</a>; dry, i.e. Hard or tough (figuratively, harsh, severe) -- fierce, hard. <p>see GREEK <a href="/greek/4628.htm">skelos</a> <div class="vheading2">Forms and Transliterations</div>σκληρά σκληράς σκληροί σκληροίς σκληρον σκληρόν Σκληρος Σκληρός σκληρὸς σκληρότεροί σκληρώ σκληρων σκληρών σκληρῶν skleron sklerón sklerôn sklēron sklērón sklērōn sklērō̂n Skleros Sklerós skleròs Sklēros Sklērós sklēròs<div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/matthew/1-1.htm">Interlinear Greek</a> • <a href="/interlinear/genesis/1-1.htm">Interlinear Hebrew</a> • <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's Numbers</a> • <a href="/englishmans_greek.htm">Englishman's Greek Concordance</a> • <a href="/englishmans_hebrew.htm">Englishman's Hebrew Concordance</a> • <a href="/texts/matthew/1-1.htm">Parallel Texts</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="vheading">Englishman's Concordance</div><b><a href="/text/matthew/25-24.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Matthew 25:24</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular">Adj-NMS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/matthew/25.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">σε ὅτι <b>σκληρὸς</b> εἶ ἄνθρωπος</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/matthew/25.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> I knew <span class="itali">you to be a hard</span> man,<br><a href="/kjvs/matthew/25.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> that thou art <span class="itali">an hard</span> man, reaping<br><a href="/interlinear/matthew/25-24.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> you that <span class="itali">hard</span> you are a man<p><b><a href="/text/john/6-60.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">John 6:60</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular">Adj-NMS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/john/6.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">αὐτοῦ εἶπαν <b>Σκληρός</b> ἐστιν ὁ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/john/6.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> This <span class="itali">is a difficult</span> statement;<br><a href="/kjvs/john/6.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> This is <span class="itali">an hard</span> saying; who<br><a href="/interlinear/john/6-60.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> of him said <span class="itali">Hard</span> is the<p><b><a href="/text/acts/9-5.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Acts 9:5</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular">Adj-NNS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/acts/9.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">σὺ διώκεις <b>σκληρόν</b> σοι πρὸς</span><br><a href="/kjvs/acts/9.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> persecutest: <span class="itali">[it is] hard</span> for thee<br><a href="/interlinear/acts/9-5.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> you persecute <span class="itali">[It is] hard</span> for you against<p><b><a href="/text/acts/26-14.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Acts 26:14</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular">Adj-NNS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/acts/26.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">με διώκεις <b>σκληρόν</b> σοι πρὸς</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/acts/26.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> are you persecuting <span class="itali">Me? It is hard</span> for you to kick<br><a href="/kjvs/acts/26.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> me? <span class="itali">[it is] hard</span> for thee<br><a href="/interlinear/acts/26-14.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> me persecute you <span class="itali">[it is] hard</span> for you against<p><b><a href="/text/james/3-4.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">James 3:4</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural">Adj-GMP</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/james/3.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ὑπὸ ἀνέμων <b>σκληρῶν</b> ἐλαυνόμενα μετάγεται</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/james/3.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> and are driven <span class="itali">by strong</span> winds,<br><a href="/kjvs/james/3.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> of <span class="itali">fierce</span> winds,<br><a href="/interlinear/james/3-4.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> by winds <span class="itali">strong</span> being driven are turned about<p><b><a href="/text/jude/1-15.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Jude 1:15</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural">Adj-GNP</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/jude/1.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">πάντων τῶν <b>σκληρῶν</b> ὧν ἐλάλησαν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/jude/1.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> and of all <span class="itali">the harsh things</span> which<br><a href="/kjvs/jude/1.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> all <span class="itali">their hard</span> [speeches] which<br><a href="/interlinear/jude/1-15.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> all the <span class="itali">hard [things]</span> which spoke<p><b><a href="/greek/4642.htm">Strong's Greek 4642</a><br><a href="/greek/strongs_4642.htm">6 Occurrences</a></b><br><br><a href="/greek/skle_ro_n_4642.htm">σκληρῶν — 2 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/skle_ron_4642.htm">σκληρόν — 2 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/skle_ros_4642.htm">σκληρὸς — 2 Occ.</a><br><br></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="/greek/4641.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="4641"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="4641" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/greek/4643.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="4643"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="4643" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>