πρόσκαιρος (proskairos)
proskairos
temporary
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective proskairos describes something that lasts only for a limited time, carrying the sense of being temporary or transient. Its meaning derives from its components: pros ("toward" or "for") and kairos ("season" or "opportune time"). Together, they suggest a duration defined by a specific season rather than permanence.
In the New Testament, this word appears in four verses, primarily in the Gospels and Second Corinthians. Jesus uses it to describe the shallow faith of those who receive the seed with joy but fall away when trouble comes, because their root has no depth (Matthew 13:21; Mark 4:17). The imagery is agricultural, highlighting how quickly such faith withers under pressure.
The Apostle Paul also employs this term to contrast earthly struggles with eternal realities. In Second Corinthians 4:18, he describes present troubles as proskairos—light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory. This usage underscores a theological distinction between what is fleeting and what endures forever.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word proskairos reminds us that difficult seasons are limited. It describes something lasting only for a specific season, not forever. When trouble comes, this truth helps you see it as temporary rather than permanent.
In Matthew and Mark, Jesus uses this idea to warn against shallow faith. People who start with joy but fall away when pressure hits have no deep root. Their reaction is proskairos—brief and unstable. This shows why staying grounded in God's word matters so much.
Paul also uses this word in 2 Corinthians to contrast our current struggles with eternal glory. He calls present troubles light and momentary compared to what awaits us. This perspective offers hope, knowing that hardship is not the final story. Your faith can endure because it is built on what lasts forever.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- temporary2×
- temporary,1×
- [the] temporary1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πρόσκαιρός1×
- πρόσκαιροί1×
- πρόσκαιρον1×
- πρόσκαιρα,1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:21
yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
Jesus uses this concept to describe how shallow faith withers quickly when persecution arises, highlighting the need for deep roots.
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Mark 4:17
They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.
This occurrence parallels Matthew's account, emphasizing that without a root in oneself, joy is short-lived under pressure.
-
II Corinthians 4:18
while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Paul contrasts these temporary visible troubles with eternal unseen realities, offering a theological anchor for endurance.