βαστάζω (G941) — Greek Lexicon

βαστάζω

bastázō

G941 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To lift or carry—primarily referring to physically raising, bearing, or transporting an object or person. By extension, to bear a burden (literal or metaphorical), to support or sustain (someone or something), or to endure a condition or circumstance. In certain contexts, also to take away, remove, or bear away (as with sins or guilt).

Semantic Range

to lift, to carry, to bear (physically), to support, to sustain, to endure, to bear (emotionally or morally), to take up, to remove, to bear away

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root βαστ-, possibly related to βαίνω ('to go, walk'), though the connection is uncertain and debated in modern linguistics. The relationship to βᾶσις ('a step, a pace') is traditionally suggested but not etymologically assured. The origin may ultimately be pre-Greek or from an unknown substrate.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, βαστάζω is rare but attested with the primary sense of 'to lift' or 'to carry.' Its use expands in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, where the verb is commonly employed in general language and in the Septuagint (LXX) for both the literal physical act of carrying (e.g., burdens, vessels, or people) and metaphorically for bearing responsibilities, suffering, or guilt. In the New Testament, βαστάζω frequently occurs in contexts ranging from carrying a physical object (e.g., a man on a stretcher) to figurative applications, such as bearing one's own responsibilities or 'bearing' the failings of others. The verb can also denote removal or taking away, especially in religious or ritual language (such as bearing away sins). Standard English translations often utilize 'bear,' 'carry,' 'take up,' or 'endure,' but the Greek carries flexible nuance, particularly in its metaphorical and idiomatic uses. The semantic overlap with αἴρω ('lift, take up, remove') is notable, although βαστάζω implies ongoing support or endurance rather than simple removal. The verb does not, in itself, imply atonement or sacrificial ideas unless the context specifically denotes such a religious action.

Translation Consistency

primary "carry" 12 occurrences

'Carry' best captures the primary sense of βαστάζω — to lift, bear, or transport — while naturally covering the extended senses (bearing a burden, supporting, enduring, taking away). It is the most common and natural English rendering in the P2 data and works smoothly for all inflected forms (carry, carries, carried, carrying), making it ideal for consistent translation across this Strong's number.

Alternatives (15 occurrences):

"bear" (4x) "carried" (4x) "bore" (1x) "having carried" (1x) "bearing" (1x) "having borne" (1x) "carries" (1x) "picked up" (1x) "support" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps remotely derived from the base of βάσις (through the idea of removal); to lift, literally or figuratively (endure, declare, sustain, receive, etc.):--bear, carry, take up.

Root Family

βαστ- (bastázō) — to carry, to bear, to support

Root βαστ- to carry, to bear, to support

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G941-01`	βαστάσαι	bastasai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to carry	4
`G941-11`	βαστάζων	bastazon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	bearing	carrying	carrying	3
`G941-04`	βαστάσει	bastasei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall bear	he/she/it will carry	he/she/it will carry	2
`G941-06`	βαστάζειν	bastazein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to bear	2
`G941-09`	βαστάζετε	bastazete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	bear	keep bearing	keep carrying	2
`G941-15`	ἐβάστασας	ebastasas	`V AOR ACT IND 2P SG`	have carried	you carried	you carried	2
`G941-02`	βαστάσασά	bastasasa	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F SG`	that bore	having carried	having borne	1
`G941-03`	βαστάσασι	bastasasi	`V AOR ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	have borne	to those having carried	having carried	1
`G941-05`	βαστάζει	bastazei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	carry	he/she/it carries	carries	1
`G941-07`	βαστάζεις	bastazeis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	support	you are carrying	support	1
`G941-08`	βαστάζεσθαι	bastazesthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	to be carried	to be carried	to be carried	1
`G941-10`	βαστάζω	bastazo	`V PRS ACT IND 1P SG`	bear	I carry	I carry	1
`G941-12`	βαστάζοντες	bastazontes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	bearing	bearing	bearing	1
`G941-13`	βαστάζοντος	bastazontos	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN N SG`	carries	of carrying	of carrying	1
`G941-14`	ἐβάστασαν	ebastasan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	picked up	they carried	they picked up	1
`G941-16`	ἐβάστασεν	ebastasen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	bore	he/she/it bore	he bore	1
`G941-17`	ἐβάσταζεν	ebastazen	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he carried	he was bearing	he was carrying	1
`G941-18`	ἐβαστάζετο	ebastazeto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P SG`	was-carried	was being carried	was carried	1

Occurrences in Scripture

27 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G941-01`	Matthew 3:11	βαστάσαι	bastasai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to carry
`G941-16`	Matthew 8:17	ἐβάστασεν	ebastasen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	bore	he/she/it bore	he bore
`G941-03`	Matthew 20:12	βαστάσασι	bastasasi	`V AOR ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	have borne	to those having carried	having carried
`G941-11`	Mark 14:13	βαστάζων	bastazon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	bearing	carrying	carrying
`G941-12`	Luke 7:14	βαστάζοντες	bastazontes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	bearing	bearing	bearing
`G941-09`	Luke 10:4	βαστάζετε	bastazete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	carry	keep bearing	keep carrying
`G941-02`	Luke 11:27	βαστάσασά	bastasasa	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F SG`	that bore	having carried	having borne
`G941-05`	Luke 14:27	βαστάζει	bastazei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	carry	he/she/it carries	carries
`G941-11`	Luke 22:10	βαστάζων	bastazon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	bearing	carrying	carrying
`G941-14`	John 10:31	ἐβάστασαν	ebastasan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	picked up	they carried	they picked up
`G941-17`	John 12:6	ἐβάσταζεν	ebastazen	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he carried	he was bearing	he was carrying
`G941-06`	John 16:12	βαστάζειν	bastazein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to bear
`G941-11`	John 19:17	βαστάζων	bastazon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	bearing	carrying	carrying
`G941-15`	John 20:15	ἐβάστασας	ebastasas	`V AOR ACT IND 2P SG`	have carried	you carried	you carried
`G941-18`	Acts 3:2	ἐβαστάζετο	ebastazeto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P SG`	was-carried	was being carried	was carried
`G941-01`	Acts 9:15	βαστάσαι	bastasai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to carry
`G941-01`	Acts 15:10	βαστάσαι	bastasai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to bear
`G941-08`	Acts 21:35	βαστάζεσθαι	bastazesthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	to be carried	to be carried	to be carried
`G941-07`	Romans 11:18	βαστάζεις	bastazeis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	support	you are carrying	support
`G941-06`	Romans 15:1	βαστάζειν	bastazein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to bear
`G941-04`	Galatians 5:10	βαστάσει	bastasei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall bear	he/she/it will carry	he/she/it will carry
`G941-09`	Galatians 6:2	βαστάζετε	bastazete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	bear	keep bearing	keep carrying
`G941-04`	Galatians 6:5	βαστάσει	bastasei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will bear	he/she/it will carry	he/she/it will carry
`G941-10`	Galatians 6:17	βαστάζω	bastazo	`V PRS ACT IND 1P SG`	bear	I carry	I carry
`G941-01`	Revelation 2:2	βαστάσαι	bastasai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to bear	to carry	to bear
`G941-15`	Revelation 2:3	ἐβάστασας	ebastasas	`V AOR ACT IND 2P SG`	have endured	you carried	you carried
`G941-13`	Revelation 17:7	βαστάζοντος	bastazontos	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN N SG`	carries	of carrying	of carrying

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