Bible Dictionaries
Patience, Patient, Patiently

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

lit., "an abiding under" (hupo, "under," meno, "to abide"), is almost invariably rendered "patience." "Patience, which grows only in trial, James 1:3 , may be passive, i.e., == "endurance," as, (a) in trials, generally, Luke 21:19 (which is to be understood by Matthew 24:13 ); cp. Romans 12:12; James 1:12; (b) in trials incident to service in the gospel, 2 Corinthians 6:4; 12:12; 2 Timothy 3:10; (c) under chastisement, which is trial viewed as coming from the hand of God our Father, Hebrews 12:7; (d) under undeserved affliction, 1 Peter 2:20; or active, i.e. == "persistence, perseverance," as (e) in well doing, Romans 2:7 (AV, "patient continuance"); (f) in fruit bearing, Luke 8:15; (g) in running the appointed race, Hebrews 12:1 .

"Patience perfects Christian character, James 1:4 , and fellowship in the patience of Christ is therefore the condition upon which believers are to be admitted to reign with Him, 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 1:9 . For this patience believers are 'strengthened with all power,' Colossians 1:11 , 'through His Spirit in the inward man,' Ephesians 3:16 .

"In 2 Thessalonians 3:5 , the phrase "the patience of Christ,' RV, is possible of three interpretations, (a) the patient waiting for Christ, so AV paraphrases the words, (b) that they might be patient in their sufferings as Christ was in His, see Hebrews 12:2 , (c) that since Christ is "expecting till His enemies be made the footstool of His feet,' Hebrews 10:13 , so they might be patient also in their hopes of His triumph and their deliverance. While a too rigid exegesis is to be avoided, it may, perhaps, be permissible to paraphrase: 'the Lord teach and enable you to love as God loves, and to be patient as Christ is patient." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians by Hogg and Vine, pp. 222,285.]

In Revelation 3:10 , "the word of My patience" is the word which tells of Christ's patience, and its effects in producing "patience" on the part of those who are His (see above on 2 Thessalonians 3:5 ).

"long-suffering" (see B, No. 2), is rendered "patience" in Hebrews 6:12; James 5:10; see LONGSUFFERING.

akin to A, No. 1, (a) used intransitively, means "to tarry behind, still abide," Luke 2:43; Acts 17:14; (b) transitively, "to wait for," Romans 8:24 (in some mss.), "to bear patiently, endure," translated "patient" (present participle) in Romans 12:12; "ye take it patiently," 1 Peter 2:20 (twice). See also under A, No. 1.

akin to A, No. 2, "to be long-tempered," is translated "to have patience," or "to be patient," in Matthew 18:26,29; 1 Thessalonians 5:14 , AV (RV, "be longsuffering"); James 5:7 (1st part, "be patient;" 2nd part, RV, "being patient," AV, "hath long patience"); in Hebrews 6:15 , RV, "having (AV, after he had) patiently endured." See LONGSUFFERING.

Notes: (Adjectives). (1) For epieikes, translated "patient" in 1 Timothy 3:3 , AV, see GENTLE. (2) For anexikakos, translated, "patient" in 2 Timothy 2:24 , AV, see FOREBEAR.

akin to A, No. 2, and B, No. 2, denotes "patiently" Acts 26:3 .