What the Bible Says About Patience

"Patience" comes 34 times in the King James Bible, all of them in the New Testament. Patient and patiently bring it to 49 times in 46 verses. Three of those verses are in the Old Testament. They're Psalm 37:7, Psalm 40:1 and Ecclesiastes 7:8, and each says patient or patiently. The first "patience" is Matthew 18:26, in the parable of a king and a servant who owed him ten thousand talents.

31 of the 49 stand for the Greek hupomonē, which Strong's Concordance defines as "cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy." Strong's derives it from hupomenō, "to stay under (behind), i.e. remain," which stands behind three more. Ten stand for makrothumeō and its kin, makrothumia and makrothumōs. Strong's builds all three from two words. Makros is "long," and thumos is "passion (as if breathing hard)." The three in the Old Testament are three different Hebrew words.

Below are passages with patience, patient or patiently, each quoted word for word with its reference. Short notes give the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English. Well-known verses on patience like James 1:3 and Romans 5:3 and 4 are already quoted on the site's other pages, so they're named and linked near the end rather than quoted again. A table counts the words behind all 49, and a list gives every verse where the King James text says patience, patient or patiently.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7)

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (Psalm 37:7)

"Rest" is damam, which Strong's defines as "to be dumb; by implication, to be astonished, to stop." "Wait patiently" is one Hebrew word, chul, which Strong's defines as "properly, to twist or whirl" and "figuratively, to wait." The KJV prints chul patiently only here. "Fret" is charah, "to glow or grow warm." The psalm says "fret not thyself" three times, in 37:1, here and in 37:8. Each time the verb is charah. The trust page quotes part of 37:1 and all of 37:3 to 5, and the anger page quotes 37:8.

I waited patiently for the LORD (Psalm 40:1 and 2)

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalm 40:1-2)

"Waited patiently" stands for one Hebrew verb, qavah, written twice in a row in two forms. Strong's defines it as "to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect." It's also the verb behind wait in Isaiah 40:31, which is on the strength page. "Inclined" is natah, "to stretch or spread out." "Horrible" is sha'on, "uproar (as of rushing)." "Miry" is yaven, which Strong's defines as "properly, dregs (as effervescing); hence, mud."

The patient in spirit (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

"Patient" is arek, which Strong's defines simply as "long," and "spirit" is ruach both times. "Proud" is gabah, "lofty (literally or figuratively)." The KJV prints arek longsuffering four times and slow nine times. In Proverbs 14:29, 15:18 and 16:32 it stands beside aph. Strong's defines aph as "properly, the nose or nostril" and also "ire," and the KJV prints the pair slow to wrath or slow to anger. Exodus 34:6 prints the same pair longsuffering. All four of those verses are on the anger page.

Have patience with me (Matthew 18:26)

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. (Matthew 18:26)

It's the first "patience" in the King James Bible. "Have patience" is makrothumeō, which Strong's defines as "to be long-spirited, i.e. (objectively) forbearing or (subjectively) patient." In 18:29 the servant's fellowservant says the same words to him, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all." The forgiveness page gives the Greek behind forgave and forgive in the same parable.

Bring forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15)

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15)

It closes the explanation of the parable of the sower, which begins "The seed is the word of God" (8:11). "Patience" is hupomonē. "Keep" is katechō, which Strong's defines as "to hold down (fast)." "Bring forth fruit" is one Greek word, karpophoreō, "to be fertile (literally or figuratively)."

In your patience possess ye your souls (Luke 21:19)

In your patience possess ye your souls. (Luke 21:19)

"Patience" is hupomonē. The verse before it reads "But there shall not an hair of your head perish" (21:18).

By patient continuance in well doing (Romans 2:7)

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (Romans 2:7)

"Patient continuance" is hupomonē, and it's the one place the KJV prints it so. "Well doing" is two Greek words, ergon and agathos, work and good. "Immortality" is aphtharsia, which Strong's defines as "incorruptibility."

Unto all patience and longsuffering (Colossians 1:11)

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Colossians 1:11)

"Patience" is hupomonē and "longsuffering" is makrothumia, which Strong's defines as "longanimity, i.e. (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively) fortitude." The two families stand side by side here. The KJV prints makrothumia longsuffering 12 times and patience twice, in Hebrews 6:12 and James 5:10. "Strengthened" is dunamoō, "to enable." Strong's derives it from dunamis, the word behind "might" in the same verse. "Joyfulness" is chara, "cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight."

Be patient toward all men (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

"Be patient" is makrothumeō. "Unruly" is ataktos, which Strong's defines as "unarranged, i.e. (by implication) insubordinate." "Feebleminded" is oligopsuchos, "little-spirited, i.e. faint-hearted." Neither comes anywhere else in the New Testament. The next verse goes on, "See that none render evil for evil unto any man" (5:15).

Through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12 to 15)

12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (Hebrews 6:12-15)

"Patience" in 6:12 is makrothumia, one of the two places the KJV prints it patience. "Patiently endured" in 6:15 is makrothumeō. "Slothful" is nōthros, which Strong's defines as "sluggish, i.e. (literally) lazy." It comes again only in 5:11, where the KJV prints it dull, "seeing ye are dull of hearing."

Ye have need of patience (Hebrews 10:35 and 36)

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

"Patience" is hupomonē. "Confidence" is parrēsia, which Strong's defines as "all out-spokenness" and "by implication, assurance." "Recompence of reward" is one Greek word, misthapodosia, "requital (good or bad)." Hebrews is the only book that has it, in 2:2, 10:35 and 11:26.

Let us run with patience the race (Hebrews 12:1)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1)

"Patience" is hupomonē. "Race" is agōn, which Strong's defines as "properly, a place of assembly (as if led), i.e. (by implication) a contest (held there)." "Weight" is ogkos, "a mass (as bending or bulging by its load), i.e. burden (hindrance)." "Doth so easily beset" is one Greek word, euperistatos. Strong's defines it as "well standing around, i.e. (a competitor) thwarting (a racer) in every direction." Neither ogkos nor euperistatos comes anywhere else in the New Testament. The sentence goes on into 12:2, which is on the joy page.

Be patient therefore, brethren (James 5:7 and 8)

7 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. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:7-8)

"Be patient" in 5:7, "hath long patience" and "be ye also patient" are all makrothumeō. "Husbandman" is geōrgos, which Strong's defines as "a land-worker, i.e. farmer." "Stablish" is stērizō, "to set fast."

Ye have heard of the patience of Job (James 5:10 and 11)

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (James 5:10-11)

"Patience" in 5:10 is makrothumia, and in 5:11 it's hupomonē, so the two words come a verse apart. "Suffering affliction" is one Greek word, kakopatheia, which Strong's defines as "hardship." "Very pitiful" is polusplanchnos, "extremely compassionate." Neither comes anywhere else in the New Testament. The book of Job itself never says patience in the King James Bible, and neither does any other book of the Old Testament.

Ye take it patiently (1 Peter 2:20)

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (1 Peter 2:20)

Both "take it patiently" are hupomenō, the verb Strong's derives hupomonē from. "Buffeted" is kolaphizō, which Strong's defines as "to rap with the fist," and it comes five times in the New Testament. "Glory" is kleos, "renown (as if being called)," and this is its only place in the New Testament.

And to temperance patience (2 Peter 1:5 and 6)

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (2 Peter 1:5-6)

Both "patience" are hupomonē. "Add" is epichorēgeō, which Strong's defines as "to furnish besides, i.e. fully supply." "Temperance" is egkrateia, "self-control." "Godliness" is eusebeia, "piety." The list goes on in 1:7, which the love page quotes in part.

Here is the patience of the saints (Revelation 14:12)

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)

"Patience" is hupomonē. Revelation 13:10 ends with nearly the same words, "Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." Revelation has hupomonē seven times, more than any other book.

The words behind patience

The KJV says patience, patient or patiently 49 times. Counted by their Strong's numbers, the Greek and Hebrew words in this table stand behind all 49.

Word	Language	Strong's number	Times behind patience	One place
hupomonē	Greek	G5281	31	Hebrews 12:1
makrothumeō	Greek	G3114	7	James 5:7
hupomenō	Greek	G5278	3	1 Peter 2:20
makrothumia	Greek	G3115	2	Hebrews 6:12
makrothumōs	Greek	G3116	1	Acts 26:3
anexikakos	Greek	G420	1	2 Timothy 2:24
epieikēs	Greek	G1933	1	1 Timothy 3:3
chul	Hebrew	H2342	1	Psalm 37:7
qavah	Hebrew	H6960	1	Psalm 40:1
arek	Hebrew	H750	1	Ecclesiastes 7:8

Patience, patient and patiently come 46 times in the New Testament, in 43 verses. Hupomonē and hupomenō stand behind 34 of them, and makrothumeō, makrothumia and makrothumōs behind 10. Hupomonē comes 32 times in all. The KJV prints it patience 29 times, patient continuance in Romans 2:7 and patient waiting in 2 Thessalonians 3:5. Its one other place is enduring in 2 Corinthians 1:6.

Every place the KJV says patience

Patience, patient or patiently comes in these 46 verses.

Psalms 37:7, 40:1
Ecclesiastes 7:8
Matthew 18:26, 18:29
Luke 8:15, 21:19
Acts 26:3
Romans 2:7, 5:3, 5:4, 8:25, 12:12, 15:4, 15:5
2 Corinthians 6:4, 12:12
Colossians 1:11
1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:14
2 Thessalonians 1:4, 3:5
1 Timothy 3:3, 6:11
2 Timothy 2:24, 3:10
Titus 2:2
Hebrews 6:12, 6:15, 10:36, 12:1
James 1:3, 1:4, 5:7, 5:8, 5:10, 5:11
1 Peter 2:20
2 Peter 1:6
Revelation 1:9, 2:2, 2:3, 2:19, 3:10, 13:10, 14:12

Patience on the other pages

Some well-known verses on patience are quoted on the site's other pages. Romans 5:3 and 4, 8:25, 12:12 and 15:4 are on the hope page. James 1:3 and Revelation 3:10 are on the temptation page, and the wisdom page quotes a phrase of James 1:4. Revelation 1:9 is on the fear page, and the love page quotes phrases of 2 Timothy 3:10, Titus 2:2 and Revelation 2:19. Galatians 5:22 has makrothumia, which the KJV prints longsuffering there, and it's on the peace page. 1 Corinthians 13:4 has makrothumeō and is on the love page.

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope, peace, anger, pride, temptation, wisdom, joy, thanksgiving, money, trust and Christmas

How this page was made

Every verse is quoted from the 1769 standard text of the King James Version and checked word for word against two more digital copies. The printed KJV sets supplied words in italics, which this page doesn't show. Verse numbers follow the KJV. Hebrew Bibles number Psalm 40:1 and 2 as 40:2 and 3, since they count the psalm's title as its first verse.

Hebrew words were identified with the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. Greek words were identified with STEPBible's tagged Greek New Testament. The counts of the words behind patience come from the Strong's numbers in the CrossWire Bible Society's KJV, each checked against the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible or STEPBible's Greek. Greek counts follow the Textus Receptus as STEPBible gives it. Every Greek word the notes cite in a quoted verse stands in all eight Greek editions STEPBible compares. Some quoted words don't. "Lord" in Matthew 18:26 stands only in the Textus Receptus, the Byzantine text and Tyndale House's edition. "Rain" in James 5:7 and "my" in James 5:10 stand only in the Textus Receptus and the Byzantine text. "Which endure" in James 5:11 is a present in those two and an aorist in the other six. "Possess" in Luke 21:19 is a command in six editions and a future in the other two. The second "here" in Revelation 14:12 stands only in the Textus Receptus, and so does "all" in the Matthew 18:29 words the note quotes. The second "the Lord" in James 5:11 stands in seven of the eight, all but the Byzantine text. The notes cite no Greek for any of these words. Elsewhere in the quoted verses the editions differ in a word, its form, its spelling or the order of words. Of the words the notes cite, only kakopatheia in James 5:10 differs. Four editions spell it kakopathia, and the Textus Receptus puts it earlier in the verse than the other seven do. STEPBible is a Tyndale House Cambridge project. STEPBible's data and the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible are both shared under CC BY 4.0. The definitions come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). If you find a mistake, tell us through the support page.

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