Word Study for G3114 (μακροθυμέω)

makrothyméō /mak-roth-oo-meh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom the same as μακροθυμώς

Meaningto be long-spirited, i.e. (objectively) forbearing or (subjectively) patient

KJV usagebear (suffer) long, be longsuffering, have (long) patience, be patient, patiently endure.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of makrothyméō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word makrothyméō, represented by G3114, means to be long-spirited, forbearing, or patient. It is used to describe an objective state of forbearance or a subjective one of patience. Appearing 11 times across 9 unique verses, this term is used for actions such as to "bear (suffer) long," "be longsuffering," and "patiently endure."

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G3114 is applied to both divine and human character. God's own nature is described as being longsuffering toward humanity, not because of slackness concerning His promise, but because He is not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9. In a parable, a servant and his fellowservant both plead for patience, saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all" (Matthew 18:26, Matthew 18:29). Believers are also exhorted to be patient as they await the coming of the Lord, like a husbandman who shows long patience for the precious fruit of the earth James 5:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller context for the concept of longsuffering:

G1019 bradýnō (to delay): This word for being slack or tarrying is used in direct contrast to God's longsuffering. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, but is longsuffering 2 Peter 3:9.
G1551 ekdéchomai (to await): This term for waiting or expecting complements the idea of having long patience. For example, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it James 5:7.
G4741 stērízō (to set fast, to confirm): Believers are called not only to be patient but also to stablish their hearts, linking the endurance of patience with the act of strengthening one's inner self for the Lord's coming James 5:8.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3114 is significant, highlighting it as a foundational virtue.

A Core Attribute of God: The term is central to understanding God's posture toward humanity. He bears long with His elect who cry out to Him Luke 18:7, and His longsuffering is a direct expression of His desire for salvation rather than destruction 2 Peter 3:9.
The Nature of Christian Love: In the description of charity (love), the very first characteristic mentioned is that it suffereth long 1 Corinthians 13:4. This places patient endurance at the forefront of Christian conduct.
A Command for Believers: Patience is not merely an abstract ideal but a practical command. Believers are instructed to be patient toward all men, including the unruly, the feebleminded, and the weak 1 Thessalonians 5:14. It is the means by which one can patiently endure to obtain the promise Hebrews 6:15.

Summary

In summary, G3114 defines a steadfast and enduring spirit. It is not passive waiting but an active forbearance demonstrated first by God Himself, who is longsuffering to give space for repentance. For the believer, it is an essential aspect of love, a command for interpersonal relationships, and the spiritual posture required to endure faithfully until the fulfillment of God's promises.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 10 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 3×
Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Plural 2×
Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Singular 2×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 9 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew and James (2 verses each); never once in the other 20.

Matthew

Luke

1 Corinthians

1 Thessalonians

Hebrews

James

2 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.