sphodra marks an intensified degree, heightening emotions, size, joy, growth, and calamity in biblical clauses.

The attested adverb consistently intensifies what the clause describes: grief, fear, distress, astonishment, and joy, as well as the magnitude of a stone, growth in disciples, and the hail plague. The same high-degree use is visible across these differing contexts rather than indicating separate lexical senses.

1. Strong intensification of a clause or description · dominant

   The adverb heightens the response or quality named in its clause: in Matthew 17:6 the APB renders the disciples as “very afraid,” and in Matthew 19:25 as “greatly astonished.” It also accompanies magnitude and extent: Mark 16:4 describes the stone as “very great,” Acts 6:7 says the disciples were multiplying “greatly,” and Matthew 2:10 renders the joy as “exceedingly great joy.” Revelation 16:21 likewise describes the hail plague as “very great.”

   Matthew 17:6Matthew 19:25Mark 16:4Acts 6:7Matthew 2:10Revelation 16:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB varies its wording among “greatly,” “very,” “deeply,” and “exceedingly great,” according to the surrounding clause. These are verse-level presentations of the adverb’s intensifying effect rather than fixed English equivalents.