σκληρός
hard
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Adjective
- A word that describes or qualifies a noun.
Case
- Nominative
- The case of the subject (and the predicate nominative).
- Genitive
- The case of source, possession, or “of” — answers “whose / from what.”
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Neuter
- Grammatically neuter.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one.
Every verse where G4642 appears in the Book of John — 1 distinct verse. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Greek form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Greek New Testament; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences of this word are not indexed here.
John
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
The Greek adjective σκληρος centers on the idea of “hard.” It is rare — just 5 verses in the entire Greek New Testament. Debuting at Matthew 25:24, it then recurs through the corpus. It shares a root with σκελος, σκολιος and σκολοψ. For the data behind this summary, explore the sense tree and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G4642 catalogs a Greek word from the Greek New Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Greek New Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 5
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 5 distinct verses.
- 5 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 5 of 27 New Testament books.
- #1,648
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 1,648 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 5 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the New Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Some books belong to more than one corpus (Luke is in both the Gospels and the Lukan corpus, and so on), so these shares overlap and need not total 100%. Each figure is a share of the word’s 5 distinct verses.
- Gospels 2 verses · 40%
- General (Catholic) Epistles 2 verses · 40%
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 1 verse · 20%
- Johannine 1 verse · 20%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Hard 3×, Is hard 2×
- American Standard Version: Hard 3×
- Berean Standard Bible: Hard 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Harsh 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G4642 across 6 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 1 rendering that appears only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G4642 across 5 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 2 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G4642 across 5 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 3 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G4642 across 6 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 4 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Senses in Thayer's
The 1 sense Thayer's distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- hard, harsh, rough, stiff
Word origin
Derived from σκελος (skélos) (G4628) — leg.
From the base of G4628 ; dry that is hard or tough (figuratively harsh severe ): - fierce hard.
— Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (1890), public domain.
Forms in the corpus
The 4 distinct written forms G4642 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that case’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| σκληρῶν sklērō̂n | Adjective, Genitive, Plural, Masculine | James 3:4 | 2 |
| σκληρόν sklērón | Adjective, Nominative, Singular, Neuter | Acts 26:14 | 1 |
| σκληρός sklērós | Adjective, Nominative, Singular, Masculine | John 6:60 | 1 |
| σκληρὸς sklēròs | Adjective, Nominative, Singular, Masculine | Matthew 25:24 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G4642, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
- σκληροκαρδια sklērokardía G4641 hardness of heart
- σκληροτης sklērótēs G4643 hardness
- σκληροτραχηλος sklērotráchēlos G4644 stubborn
- σκληρυνω sklērýnō G4645 to harden
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 8 — not the complete family. They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word σκληρος appears 48 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 45 verses in 17 books.
- 48
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 45
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 17 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 17 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Genesis 21:11 σκληρός
- Exodus 1:14 σκληρός
- Numbers 16:26 σκληρός
- Deuteronomy 1:17 σκληρός
- Judges 2:19 σκληρός
- 1 Samuel 1:15 σκληρός
- 2 Samuel 2:17 σκληρός
- 1 Kings 12:4 σκληρός
- 2 Chronicles 10:4 σκληρός
- Job 9:4 σκληρός
- Psalms 16:4 σκληρός
- Proverbs 17:27 σκληρός
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G4642) appears in the Greek Septuagint. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Genesis 21:11 σκληρός The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account of his son.
- Genesis 21:12 σκληρός God said to Abraham, "Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called.
- Genesis 42:7 σκληρός Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, "Where did you come from?" They said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."
- Genesis 42:30 σκληρός "The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
- Genesis 45:5 σκληρός Now don't be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
- Genesis 49:3 σκληρός "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
- Exodus 1:14 σκληρός and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.
- Exodus 6:9 σκληρός Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn't listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
- Numbers 16:26 σκληρός He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.
- Deuteronomy 1:17 σκληρός You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
- Deuteronomy 15:18 σκληρός It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do.
- Deuteronomy 26:6 σκληρός The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage:
- Deuteronomy 31:27 σκληρός For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against Yahweh; and how much more after my death?
- Judges 2:19 σκληρός But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn't cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.
- 1 Samuel 1:15 σκληρός Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.
- 1 Samuel 5:7 σκληρός When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is sore on us, and on Dagon our god.
- 1 Samuel 25:3 σκληρός Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
- 2 Samuel 2:17 σκληρός The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
- 2 Samuel 3:39 σκληρός I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness."
- 1 Kings 12:4 σκληρός Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
- 1 Kings 12:13 σκληρός The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,
- 1 Kings 12:24 σκληρός Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 10:4 σκληρός Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
- 2 Chronicles 10:13 σκληρός The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
- Job 9:4 σκληρός God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
- Job 22:21 σκληρός "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.
- Psalms 16:4 σκληρός Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink-offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take their names on my lips.
- Psalms 59:5 σκληρός You, Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel, Rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
- Proverbs 17:27 σκληρός He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
- Proverbs 27:16 σκληρός Restraining her is like restraining the wind, Or like grasping oil in his right hand.
- Proverbs 28:14 σκληρός Blessed is the man who always fears; But one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
- Proverbs 29:19 σκληρός A servant can't be corrected by words. Though he understands, yet he will not respond.
- Ecclesiastes 7:17 σκληρός Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
- Song of Solomon 8:6 σκληρός Set me as a seal on your heart, As a seal on your arm; For love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, A very flame of Yahweh.
- Isaiah 5:30 σκληρός They will roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea. If one looks to the land, behold, darkness and distress. The light is darkened in its clouds.
- Isaiah 8:12 σκληρός Don't you say, "A conspiracy!" concerning all about which this people shall say, "A conspiracy!" neither fear their fear, nor be in dread [of it].
- Isaiah 8:21 σκληρός They shall pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and it shall happen that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward:
- Isaiah 14:3 σκληρός It shall happen in the day that Yahweh shall give you rest from your sorrow, and from your trouble, and from the hard service in which you were made to serve,
- Isaiah 19:4 σκληρός I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts.
- Isaiah 21:2 σκληρός A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; besiege, Media; all the sighing of it have I made to cease.
- Isaiah 27:8 σκληρός In measure, when you send them away, you do contend with them; he has removed [them] with his rough blast in the day of the east wind.
- Isaiah 28:2 σκληρός Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one; as a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, will he cast down to the earth with the hand.
- Isaiah 48:4 σκληρός Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow brass;
- Daniel 11:32 σκληρός Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].
- Zephaniah 1:14 σκληρός The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly.
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G4642) in the Septuagint — not a translation of any one Hebrew word. The store carries no word-level Hebrew↔Greek alignment, so no Hebrew original is asserted here. Counts come from the recovered LXX Strong's tagging — high-frequency vocabulary is well covered, while rare or late forms may be untagged — so they reflect tagged occurrences and may slightly undercount.
