What does kardia (καρδία) mean in the Bible?

In Scripture, the heart is the center of the inner person — the place of will, understanding, emotion, and allegiance. A soft or contrite heart is one that has been broken open before God: receptive to His word, responsive to His Spirit, and willing to repent and trust. This is the heart God promises to give by His Spirit, replacing stone with flesh.

What does sklērokardia (σκληροκαρδία) mean in the Bible?

In Scripture, σκληροκαρδία refers to the hardened heart — one that has closed against God's voice through persistent sin, willful unbelief, or deliberate rejection. A hard heart cannot receive God's word, resists His Spirit, and progressively loses its capacity to perceive spiritual reality.

What is the difference between kardia and sklērokardia?

kardia (καρδία) means "heart" while sklērokardia (σκληροκαρδία) means "hardness of heart". Scripture often reveals meaning through contrast. This page places the contrite, open καρδία against σκληροκαρδία — hardness of heart — to clarify the difference between a heart responsive to God and one that has closed itself against His voice.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in condition?

kardia: Open, receptive, broken before God. sklērokardia: Closed, resistant, calloused against God.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in response to god's word?

kardia: Receives and responds. sklērokardia: Deflects and refuses.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in direction?

kardia: Toward repentance, life, and clarity. sklērokardia: Toward blindness, judgment, and ruin.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in human experience?

kardia: Contrition, teachability, genuine worship. sklērokardia: Defensiveness, dullness, spiritual deafness.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in origin?

kardia: Given by God's Spirit — a new creation. sklērokardia: Formed by persistent sin and self-will.

How do kardia and sklērokardia differ in end?

kardia: God does not despise the contrite heart. sklērokardia: Treasures up wrath; becomes increasingly blind.

Soft vs Hard Heart — Biblical Word Contrast

Name: Lemmalink Biblical Lemma Dataset
Creator: Lemmalink
License: https://lemmalink.com/terms

Explore the biblical contrast between soft and hard heart through Greek and Hebrew word study on Lemmalink.