"to be slow towards, be long-enduring; to exercise patience, be long-suffering, clement, or indulgent, to forbear, Mt. 18:26, 29; 1 Cor. 13:4; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Pet. 3:9; to have patience, endure patiently, wait with patient expectation, Heb. 6:15; Jas. 5:7, 8; to bear long with en..."
Definition and meaning
to be slow towards, be long-enduring; to exercise patience, be long-suffering, clement, or indulgent, to forbear, Mt. 18:26, 29; 1 Cor. 13:4; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Pet. 3:9; to have patience, endure patiently, wait with patient expectation, Heb. 6:15; Jas. 5:7, 8; to bear long with entreaties for deliverance and avengement, Lk. 18:7*
In the original Greek the word is written: μακροθυμέω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 makrothumeo (G3114) across the King James Bible.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
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Common questions
Strong's G3114 (makrothumeo) is a Greek word that means: to be slow towards, be long-enduring; to exercise patience, be long-suffering, clement, or indulgent, to forbear, Mt. 18:26, 29; 1 Cor. 13:4; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Pet. 3:9; to have patience, endure patien... It appears 9 times in the King James Bible.
The word makrothumeo (G3114) appears 9 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3114 is makrothumeo, a Greek word defined as: to be slow towards, be long-enduring; to exercise patience, be long-suffering, clement, or indulgent, to forbear, Mt. 18:26, 29; 1 Cor. 13:4; 1 Thess.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
makrothumeo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.