Bible Dictionaries
Forbear, Forbearance

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to hold up" (ana, "up," echo, "to have or hold"), is used in the Middle Voice in the NT, signifying "to bear with, endure;" it is rendered "forbearing (one another)" in Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13 . See BEAR. Cp. B, No. 1, below.

lit., "to send up or back" (ana, "up," hiemi, "to send"), hence, "to relax, loosen," or, metaphorically, "to desist from," is translated "forbearing" (threatening) in Ephesians 6:9 ("giving up your threatening," T.K. Abbott). See LEAVE , LOOSE.

"to spare" (its usual meaning), "to refrain from doing something," is rendered "I forbear" in 2 Corinthians 12:6 . See SPARE.

properly denotes "to protect by covering;" then, "to conceal;" then, by covering, "to bear up under;" it is translated "forbear" in 1 Thessalonians 3:1,5 . See BEAR.

Note: In 1 Corinthians 9:6 , the verb ergazomai, "to work," is used in the present infinitive, with a; negative, and translated "to forbear working" (lit., "not working").

"a holding back" (akin to A, No. 1), denotes "forbearance," a delay of punishment, Romans 2:4; 3:25 , in both places of God's "forbearance" with men; in the latter passage His "forbearance" is the ground, not of His forgiveness, but of His pretermission of sins, His withholding punishment. In Romans 2:4 it represents a suspense of wrath which must eventually be exercised unless the sinner accepts God's conditions; in Romans 3:25 it is connected with the passing over of sins in times past, previous to the atoning work of Christ.

Note: Cp. the noun epieikeia, Acts 24:4 , "clemency;" 2 Corinthians 10:1 , "gentleness." Synonymous with this are makrothumia, "longsuffering," and hupomone, "patience" (see Colossians 1:11 ). Anoche and makrothumia are used together in Romans 2:4 . See also Ephesians 4:2 (where A, No. 1, is used in this combination). Trench (Syn.) and Abbott-Smith (Lex.) state that huponone expresses patience with regard to adverse things, makrothumia patience with regard to antagonistic persons. It must be observed, however, that in Hebrews 6:15 the verb makrothumeo is used of Abraham's patience under the pressure of trying circumstances (cp. also James 5:7,8 ). Makrothumia and hupomone are often found together, e.g., 2 Corinthians 6:4,6; 2 Timothy 3:10 .

"Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger and is associated with mercy, and is used of God, Exodus 34:6 , Sept., Romans 2:4; 1 Peter 3:20 . Patience is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; it is the opposite of despondency and is associated with hope, in 1 Thessalonians 1:3; it is not used of God." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 183,184.]

denotes "patiently forbearing evil," lit., "patient of wrong," (from anecho, A, No. 1 and kakos, "evil"), "enduring;" it is rendered "forbearing" in 2 Timothy 2:24 .

an adjective (from epi, used intensively, and eikos, "reasonable"), is used as a noun with the article in Philippians 4:5 , and translated "forbearance" in the RV; AV, "moderation," RV, marg., "gentleness," "sweet reasonableness" (Matthew Arnold). See GENTLE.