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πώρωσις

pṓrōsis

G4457 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

State or condition of being hardened, particularly a psychological or moral hardness that manifests as insensitivity, dullness, or inability to perceive, understand, or respond to stimuli—especially spiritual or ethical matters. The term is primarily used for a hardening of mental or moral faculties resulting in obtuseness or imperviousness to persuasion, insight, or compassion.

Semantic Range

hardening (of physical tissue); callousing; insensitivity; mental dullness; moral or spiritual obtuseness; stubbornness; inability to perceive or understand (especially in spiritual or ethical contexts)

Root / Etymology

From the verb πωρόω (to harden, to make callous), derived from πῶρος (stone, callus; a form of hard tissue). Thus, πώρωσις literally denotes the process or state of becoming hard or calloused.

Historical & Contextual Notes

πώρωσις is a rare noun used primarily in medical and metaphorical contexts. In classical and medical Greek, it describes the formation of a callus (e.g., around a fractured bone), or the thickening or hardening of bodily tissues. In the Septuagint and the New Testament, the term often serves as a metaphor for insensitivity or a state of spiritual or moral obtuseness, rendering a person unresponsive to divine messages or ethical imperatives. It typically refers specifically to mental or spiritual 'hardness'—especially in contexts where individuals or groups are depicted as unreceptive or resistant to understanding or faith. English translations as 'hardness' or 'blindness' may capture only part of the sense; the concept is broader, encompassing both cognitive and dispositional resistance. Not to be confused with other terms for 'blindness' (e.g., τυφλότης) or 'foolishness' (ἀφροσύνη); πώρωσις highlights the process or condition of becoming hardened and the resulting lack of sensitivity or awareness.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from πωρόω; stupidity or callousness:--blindness, hardness.

Root Family

πώρωσις (pōrōsis) — hardening, callousing, insensitivity, moral dullness, spiritual obtuseness

Root πωρ- to harden, to make callous, to render insensitive

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4457-01 πωρώσει porosei N DAT F SG hardness to calloused hardening hardening 1
G4457-03 πώρωσις porosis N NOM F SG hardening calloused hardening calloused hardening 1
G4457-02 πώρωσιν porosin N ACC F SG hardness calloused insensitivity hardness 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4457-01 Mark 3:5 πωρώσει porosei N DAT F SG hardness to calloused hardening hardening
G4457-03 Romans 11:25 πώρωσις porosis N NOM F SG hardening calloused hardening calloused hardening
G4457-02 Ephesians 4:18 πώρωσιν porosin N ACC F SG hardness calloused insensitivity hardness
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