πρόσκαιρος G4340
Temporary, lasting only for a time; transient, not enduring.
This adjective draws a sharp line between what is fleeting and what is eternal. Built from 'pros' (toward) and 'kairos' (season, opportune time), it describes things that belong only to a particular moment and will not last. Paul uses it in a powerful contrast: 'the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal' (2 Cor 4:18). In the parable of the sower, it characterizes those whose faith withers under pressure because it has no deep root (Matt 13:21; Mark 4:17). Spanish 'temporal' and French 'temporaire'/'passager' capture both the time-bound and passing nuances.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Lasting only for a limited season; transient and impermanent, typically contrasted with what is eternal (aiōnios). The multilingual evidence splits along an illuminating axis: French offers both 'passager' (passing, fleeting) and 'temporaire' (temporary), while Spanish uses 'temporal' in the sense of belonging-to-time rather than eternity. In the Synoptic parables, it describes superficial faith that endures only 'for a time' before falling away under tribulation (Matt 13:21; Mark 4:17). Paul and the author of Hebrews both deploy it to relativize worldly advantages: affliction is 'temporary' (2 Cor 4:18), and sin's pleasure is 'for a season' (Heb 11:25). 4×
AR["مُؤَقَّت", "مُؤَقَّتونَ", "مُؤَقَّتٌ", "وَقتِيٌّ"]·ben["অস্থায়ী", "অস্থায়ী,", "সাময়িক"]·DE["zeitlich", "πρόσκαιρός"]·EN["temporary"]·FR["passager", "temporaire"]·heb["זְמַנִּי", "זְמַנִּית", "לְשָׁעָה"]·HI["अल्पकालीन", "अस्थाई", "अस्थायी", "थोदेए-देर-क"]·ID["sementara"]·IT["proskairon", "temporaneo"]·jav["sawetawis", "sawetawis-wekdal", "sedhela", "suwaunipun,"]·KO["일시적이다", "일시적인-자들", "잠시의", "잠시이나"]·PT["são-temporárias", "temporário", "temporários"]·RU["временное", "временные", "временный"]·ES["temporal", "temporales"]·SW["vya-muda,", "wa-muda-mfupi", "ya-muda"]·TR["geçici"]·urd["تھوڑے-عرصے-کا", "عارضی"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πρόσκαιρος, ον, occasional, extraordinary, ἑορτή Refs; αἱ π. ἐπιβολαί the additional taxes, Refs 4th c.AD+; τὰ δημόσια τέλη κανονικά τε καὶ π. τούτων Refs 6th c.AD+ __2 opportune, ἐκδρομαί Refs 1st c.AD+; ῥῆμα Refs 5th c.BC+ __3 at the time, τὰ π. ἄδηλα Refs 2nd c.AD+ __4 πρόσκαιρον, τό, agreement having temporary validity, Refs 6th c.AD+ __II lasting for a time, temporary, Refs 1st c.BC+; π. ἡ…