"a worm; met. gnawing anguish, Mk. 9:48*"
Definition and meaning
a worm; met. gnawing anguish, Mk. 9:48*
In the original Greek the word is written: σκώληξ
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
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 skolex (G4663) across the King James Bible.
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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Common questions
Strong's G4663 (skolex) is a Greek word that means: a worm; met. gnawing anguish, Mk. 9:48* It appears 3 times in the King James Bible.
The word skolex (G4663) appears 3 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4663 is skolex, a Greek word defined as: a worm; met. gnawing anguish, Mk. 9:48*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
skolex is a Greek word found in the New Testament.