χαλεπός
chalepós
G5467 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Primarily means 'difficult, hard to endure, grievous.' Refers to circumstances or times that are severe, dangerous, or distressing. In extended contexts, can describe persons or things as harsh, violent, or savage.
Semantic Range
difficult, hard to endure, severe, dangerous, grievous, fierce, violent, oppressive, distressing, troublesome
Root / Etymology
Likely from the Greek root χαλ- (related to hardship or severity); although Strong suggested a link to χαλάω ('to loosen, make slack'), modern scholarship considers this etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, χαλεπός frequently describes hard, troublesome, or dangerous situations, as well as challenging tasks or conditions. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, its application broadened to describe not only external situations ('perilous times' in 2 Timothy 3:1) but sometimes severe or harsh personal qualities (e.g., persons as 'fierce' or 'violent'). The term is often used to denote both physical hardship and emotional or social adversity. Standard English translations like 'fierce' or 'perilous' capture only part of its range; the word also conveys the sense of being burdensome, distressing, or even socially or morally challenging. Its usage in the New Testament retains these classical nuances.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from χαλάω through the idea of reducing the strength; difficult, i.e. dangerous, or (by implication) furious:--fierce, perilous.
Root Family
χαλεπός (chalepos) — hard, difficult, grievous
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5467-01 |
χαλεποὶ | chalepoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
difficult | grievous ones | difficult | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5467-01 |
Matthew 8:28 | χαλεποὶ | chalepoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
fierce | grievous ones | grievous ones |
G5467-01 |
2 Timothy 3:1 | χαλεποί | chalepoi | ADJ.A NOM M PL |
difficult | grievous ones | difficult |