← G3114 G3116 →

μακροθυμία

makrothymía

G3115 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The state or quality of being slow to anger or irritation; enduring provocation, harm, or hardship without retaliation; patient restraint in the face of difficulties or offenses. In various contexts, refers both to forbearance toward others (especially regarding wrongdoing or insult) and steadfastness or perseverance under challenging circumstances.

Semantic Range

forbearance, patience under provocation, long-suffering, steadfastness, restraint of anger, endurance in face of wrongdoing, slowness to retaliate

Root / Etymology

From the compound μακρο- ('long, far, enduring') + θυμός ('spirit, temper, passion, anger'), literally 'long-tempered' or 'slow to anger.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, μακροθυμία appears rarely, with related terms like μακρόθυμος used to describe being slow to anger or having a calm disposition. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek—including the Septuagint and the New Testament—μακροθυμία takes on a strong ethical nuance: it often describes enduring injuries, slights, or adversities with restraint rather than seeking vengeance or succumbing to irritation. In the Septuagint, it is frequently used to translate Hebrew terms indicating divine forbearance or patience (e.g., אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם), especially in descriptions of the Deity’s disposition toward Israel. In the New Testament, μακροθυμία is listed as a virtue (e.g., Galatians 5:22), describing both divine and human attitudes; it can refer to God's patient restraint toward humanity or the patience exhorted in believers toward others and in affliction. English translations such as 'longsuffering' or 'patience' often capture part of the semantic range, but 'longsuffering' in contemporary English may not fully communicate the proactive, steadfast restraining of anger implied by μακροθυμία. Contrasts with ὑπομονή, which is more focused on endurance under pressure or perseverance, whereas μακροθυμία centers on restraint in the face of provocation.

Translation Consistency

primary "patience" 10 occurrences

"Patience" is the most natural, commonly understood English noun that captures makrothymía’s central sense of slowness to anger, forbearance toward wrongdoing, and endurance under hardship. It is more idiomatic than the archaic "longsuffering" and more accessible than the more technical "forbearance," while covering the typical semantic range shown in the SILEX entry (restraint of anger, perseverance, enduring provocation).

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"long-tempered forbearance" (4x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as μακροθυμώς; longanimity, i.e. (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively) fortitude:--longsuffering, patience.

Root Family

μακρο- + θυμ- (makrothymía) — to endure, to hold back anger, to be slow to wrath

Root μακρο- + θυμ- to endure, to hold back anger, to be slow to wrath

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3115-01 μακροθυμίᾳ makrothumia N DAT F SG patience long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience 6
G3115-02 μακροθυμίαν makrothumian N ACC F SG patience long-tempered forbearance long-tempered forbearance 4
G3115-03 μακροθυμίας makrothumias N GEN F SG patience of long-suffering of patience 4

Occurrences in Scripture

14 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3115-03 Romans 2:4 μακροθυμίας makrothumias N GEN F SG longsuffering of long-suffering of patience
G3115-01 Romans 9:22 μακροθυμίᾳ makrothumia N DAT F SG patience long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-01 2 Corinthians 6:6 μακροθυμίᾳ makrothumia N DAT F SG patience long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-01 Galatians 5:22 μακροθυμία makrothumia N NOM F SG patience long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-03 Ephesians 4:2 μακροθυμίας makrothumias N GEN F SG patience of long-suffering of patience
G3115-02 Colossians 1:11 μακροθυμίαν makrothumian N ACC F SG patience long-tempered forbearance long-tempered forbearance
G3115-02 Colossians 3:12 μακροθυμίαν makrothumian N ACC F SG patience long-tempered forbearance long-tempered forbearance
G3115-02 1 Timothy 1:16 μακροθυμίαν makrothumian N ACC F SG longsuffering long-tempered forbearance long-tempered forbearance
G3115-01 2 Timothy 3:10 μακροθυμίᾳ makrothumia N DAT F SG patience long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-01 2 Timothy 4:2 μακροθυμίᾳ makrothumia N DAT F SG longsuffering long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-03 Hebrews 6:12 μακροθυμίας makrothumias N GEN F SG patience of long-suffering of patience
G3115-03 James 5:10 μακροθυμίας makrothumias N GEN F SG patience of long-suffering of patience
G3115-01 1 Peter 3:20 μακροθυμία makrothumia N NOM F SG longsuffering long-tempered forbearance for long-tempered patience
G3115-02 2 Peter 3:15 μακροθυμίαν makrothumian N ACC F SG patience long-tempered forbearance long-tempered forbearance
← G3114 Greek Lexicon G3116 →