παχύνω (pachunō)
pachunō
to thicken
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb pachunō literally means to make something thick or fat, describing a physical increase in mass. In the New Testament, however, it appears only twice, and both times it is used metaphorically to describe a hardening of the heart. This usage draws on the image of callousness, where emotional sensitivity is lost as one becomes spiritually "fat" or dull.
Jesus quotes this term in Matthew 13:15 when explaining why many people do not understand his parables. He says their hearts have grown gross, making them unable to perceive spiritual truth. The same phrase reappears in Acts 28:27, where Paul applies it to the stubbornness of his fellow Jews who reject the gospel message despite clear evidence.
This word highlights a serious spiritual condition: not ignorance, but willful insensitivity. It suggests that repeated rejection of truth can lead to a state where the heart becomes unresponsive, like thickened skin that no longer feels touch. The term warns against allowing hardness to set in over time.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pachunō describes a heart that has grown thick or callous through repeated exposure to truth without response. It is not merely ignorance but a spiritual dullness where sensitivity fades away. When we ignore gentle nudges from God, our hearts can become hardened over time, making it difficult to perceive His voice clearly.
This warning invites us to examine how we respond to Scripture and conviction. Do we allow truth to soften our hearts, or do we let familiarity breed indifference? Jesus used this image in Matthew 13:15 to explain why some reject His message despite clear evidence. The call is to keep our hearts tender and responsive.
May you find grace to remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Let your heart stay open, ready to hear and understand, so that you might experience the healing and restoration God offers to all who seek Him with sincere faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Has grown dull2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπαχύνθη2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:15
for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’
Jesus uses this term to explain why many people fail to understand His parables, linking their spiritual blindness to a heart that has grown callous through willful rejection.
-
Acts 28:27
For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’
Paul quotes the same phrase to describe the stubbornness of his fellow Jews who rejected the gospel despite clear evidence, highlighting the consequence of persistent unresponsiveness.