"to close, shut, Mt. 6:6; 25:10; to shut up a person, Rev. 20:3; met. of the heavens, Lk. 4:25; Rev. 11:6; κλεῖσαι τὰ σπλάγχνα, to shut one’s bowels, to be hard-hearted, void of compassion, 1 Jn. 3:17; κλείειν τὴν βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, to endeavor to prevent entrance into the king..."
Definition and meaning
to close, shut, Mt. 6:6; 25:10; to shut up a person, Rev. 20:3; met. of the heavens, Lk. 4:25; Rev. 11:6; κλεῖσαι τὰ σπλάγχνα, to shut one’s bowels, to be hard-hearted, void of compassion, 1 Jn. 3:17; κλείειν τὴν βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, to endeavor to prevent entrance into the kingdom of heaven, Mt. 23:13
In the original Greek the word is written: κλείω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of kleio (G2808) across the King James Bible.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
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Common questions
Strong's G2808 (kleio) is a Greek word that means: to close, shut, Mt. 6:6; 25:10; to shut up a person, Rev. 20:3; met. of the heavens, Lk. 4:25; Rev. 11:6; κλεῖσαι τὰ σπλάγχνα, to shut one’s bowels, to be hard-hearted, void of compassion, 1 Jn. 3:17;... It appears 15 times in the King James Bible.
The word kleio (G2808) appears 15 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2808 is kleio, a Greek word defined as: to close, shut, Mt. 6:6; 25:10; to shut up a person, Rev. 20:3; met. of the heavens, Lk. 4:25; Rev. 11:6; κλεῖσαι τὰ σπλάγχνα, to shut one’s bowels, t. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
kleio is a Greek word found in the New Testament.