"to dash against, to beat upon, Mt. 7:27; to strike the foot against, Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:11; to stumble, Jn. 11:9, 10; met. to stumble at, to take offense at, Rom. 9:32; 14:21; 1 Pet. 2:8*"
Definition and meaning
to dash against, to beat upon, Mt. 7:27; to strike the foot against, Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:11; to stumble, Jn. 11:9, 10; met. to stumble at, to take offense at, Rom. 9:32; 14:21; 1 Pet. 2:8*
In the original Greek the word is written: προσκόπτω
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 proskopto (G4350) across the King James Bible.
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
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Common questions
Strong's G4350 (proskopto) is a Greek word that means: to dash against, to beat upon, Mt. 7:27; to strike the foot against, Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:11; to stumble, Jn. 11:9, 10; met. to stumble at, to take offense at, Rom. 9:32; 14:21; 1 Pet. 2:8* It appears 8 times in the King James Bible.
The word proskopto (G4350) appears 8 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4350 is proskopto, a Greek word defined as: to dash against, to beat upon, Mt. 7:27; to strike the foot against, Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:11; to stumble, Jn. 11:9, 10; met. to stumble at, to take offense . James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
proskopto is a Greek word found in the New Testament.