Definition and Meaning:
In the biblical context, patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. It is a virtue that reflects endurance, perseverance, and long-suffering. Patience is often associated with faith and trust in God's timing and sovereignty.

Biblical References:

1. Old Testament:
· Proverbs 14:29 : "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly." This verse highlights the wisdom and understanding that come with patience, contrasting it with the foolishness of a quick temper.
· Ecclesiastes 7:8 : "The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one." Here, patience is valued over pride, emphasizing the importance of a humble and enduring spirit.

2. New Testament:
· Romans 12:12 : "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer." This exhortation from Paul encourages believers to remain patient during trials, maintaining hope and a strong prayer life.
· James 5:7-8 : "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near." James uses the metaphor of a farmer to illustrate the necessity of patience as believers await the return of Christ.

Theological Significance:

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 : "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." As a fruit of the Spirit, patience is a divine attribute that believers are called to cultivate through the Holy Spirit's work in their lives.

Examples of Patience in Scripture:

1. Job: The account of Job is a profound example of patience in suffering. Despite losing his wealth, health, and family, Job remained steadfast in his faith, ultimately being restored by God (Job 42:10-17).

2. Abraham: Abraham demonstrated patience in waiting for the fulfillment of God's promise to give him a son. Despite his advanced age, he trusted in God's timing, and Isaac was born as the promised heir (Genesis 21:1-3).

3. Jesus Christ: Jesus exemplified perfect patience throughout His ministry, enduring opposition, misunderstanding, and suffering. His patience is particularly evident in His interactions with His disciples and His endurance of the cross (Hebrews 12:2).

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to develop patience in their daily lives, recognizing it as an essential aspect of Christian character. Patience is crucial in relationships, as it fosters understanding and forgiveness. It is also vital in spiritual growth, as it teaches reliance on God's timing and purposes.

Challenges to Patience:

In a fast-paced world, patience is often challenged by the desire for immediate results and gratification. Believers must resist the temptation to act impulsively and instead trust in God's perfect timing and wisdom.

Conclusion:

Patience is a vital Christian virtue that reflects a deep trust in God and His plans. It is cultivated through the Holy Spirit and is essential for enduring trials, fostering healthy relationships, and growing in faith.1. (a.) Having the quality of enduring; physically able to suffer or bear.

2. (a.) Undergoing pains, trails, or the like, without murmuring or fretfulness; bearing up with equanimity against trouble; long-suffering.

3. (a.) Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent; as, patient endeavor.

4. (a.) Expectant with calmness, or without discontent; not hasty; not overeager; composed.

5. (a.) Forbearing; long-suffering.

6. (n.) One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.

7. (n.) A person under medical or surgical treatment; -- correlative to physician or nurse.

8. (v. t.) To compose, to calm.

5281. hupomone -- a remaining behind, a patient enduring
... a remaining behind, a patient enduring. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration:
hupomone Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-om-on-ay') Short Definition: endurance ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5281.htm - 7k

3114. makrothumeo -- to persevere, to be patient
... to persevere, to be patient. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: makrothumeo Phonetic
Spelling: (mak-roth-oo-meh'-o) Short Definition: I suffer long, have ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3114.htm - 7k

420. anexikakos -- enduring evil
... enduring evil. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: anexikakos Phonetic Spelling:
(an-ex-ik'-ak-os) Short Definition: enduring evil, patient of evil ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/420.htm - 7k

1933. epieikes -- seemly, equitable, yielding
... gentle, moderation, patient. From epi and eiko; appropriate, ie (by implication)
mild -- gentle, moderation, patient. see GREEK epi. see GREEK eiko. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1933.htm - 7k

2594. kartereo -- to be steadfast
... Verb Transliteration: kartereo Phonetic Spelling: (kar-ter-eh'-o) Short Definition:
I persevere, endure Definition: I persevere, endure, am steadfast, patient. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2594.htm - 6k

5005. talaiporos -- distressed, miserable
... Word Origin probably from a root tala- (patient, stedfast) and poreo = pentheo
Definition distressed, miserable NASB Word Usage wretched (2). wretched. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5005.htm - 7k

5278. hupomeno -- to stay behind, to await, endure
... and meno; to stay under (behind), ie Remain; figuratively, to undergo, ie Bear
(trials), have fortitude, persevere -- abide, endure, (take) patient(-ly), suffer ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5278.htm - 8k

463. anoche -- a delaying, forbearance
... of punishment), patience. Cognate: 463 (from 430 , "bear ") -- properly,
divine (patient endurance). 463 ("divine ") occurs twice ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/463.htm - 7k

3116. makrothumos -- with forbearance, patiently
... Word Origin adverb from makrothumos (patient); from makros and thumos Definition
with forbearance, patiently NASB Word Usage patiently (1). patiently. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3116.htm - 7k

1914. epiblepo -- to look on (with favor)
... giving ("to notice ," , 1, 24.12). ["This compound verb is common in medical
writers for the patient" (, 2, 134).]. Word Origin from epi ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1914.htm - 7k

750. arek -- long
... longsuffering patient, slow to anger. From 'arak; long -- long(-suffering, -winged),
patient, slow (to anger). see HEBREW 'arak. 749, 750. arek. 751 . ...
/hebrew/750.htm - 6k

3176. yachal -- to wait, await
... A primitive root; to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope -- (cause to, have,
make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry, trust, wait. 3175, 3176. ...
/hebrew/3176.htm - 6k

The Patient Workman
... CORINTHIANS (To II Corinthians, Chap. V) THE PATIENT WORKMAN. 'Now He that hath
wrought us for the self-same thing is God.'"2 Corinthians 5:5. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the patient workman.htm

How the Impatient and the Patient are to be Admonished.
... How the impatient and the patient are to be admonished. (Admonition 10.)
Differently to be admonished are the impatient and the patient. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter ix how the impatient.htm

The Patient Teacher, and the Slow Scholars
... THE PATIENT TEACHER, AND THE SLOW SCHOLARS. 'And when Jesus knew It, He
saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the patient teacher and the.htm

Of Patient Endurance
... THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE: THE FIRST BOOK CHAPTER V. OF PATIENT
ENDURANCE. The third point is patient endurance. We ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter v of patient endurance.htm

God's Patient Pleadings
... GOD'S PATIENT PLEADINGS. 'I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising
early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods patient pleadings.htm

LM Doddridge. The Patient Waiting Upon God.
... SUPPLEMENT. 529. LM Doddridge. The Patient Waiting upon God. 1 Wait on
the Lord, ye heirs of hope, And let His word support your ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/529 l m doddridge the.htm

That God is Patient for this End, that we May Repent of Our Sin ...
... Third Book. 35. That God is patient for this end, that we may repent of our
sin, and be reformed. In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus: "Say ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/35 that god is patient.htm

Letter v. --Profit to be Gained by Patient Endurance.
... FIFTH BOOK: FRESH TRIALS, SUFFERINGS AND PRIVATIONS. Letter V."Profit to
be gained by Patient Endurance. You have reason to bless ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/letter v profit to be gained.htm

Of Bearing Injuries, and who Shall be Approved as Truly Patient
... THE THIRD BOOK. ON INWARD CONSOLATION CHAPTER XIX Of bearing injuries, and who
shall be approved as truly patient. "What sayest thou, My Son? ...
/.../kempis/imitation of christ/chapter xix of bearing injuries.htm

God Showed Himself, by the Fall of Man, as Patient, Benign ...
... Against Heresies: Book III Chapter XX."God showed himself, by the fall of man, as
patient, benign, merciful, mighty to save Man is therefore most ungrateful ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xx god showed himself by.htm

Patient (34 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent; as, patient
endeavor. ... Multi-Version Concordance Patient (34 Occurrences). ...
/p/patient.htm - 16k

Endurance (31 Occurrences)
... She is full of trust, full of hope, full of patient endurance. (WEY). ... And let us
run with patient endurance the race that lies before us, (WEY DBY YLT NAS). ...
/e/endurance.htm - 15k

Longsuffering (17 Occurrences)
... away in thy longsuffering." In Ecclesiastes 7:8, we have 'erekh ruach, the King
James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "patient in spirit ...
/l/longsuffering.htm - 16k

Patience (59 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The state or quality of being patient; the power of suffering with fortitude;
uncomplaining endurance of evils or wrongs, as toil, pain, poverty, insult ...
/p/patience.htm - 27k

Patiently (25 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) In a patient manner. Multi-Version
Concordance Patiently (25 Occurrences). Luke 8:15 But as for ...
/p/patiently.htm - 14k

Late (24 Occurrences)
... James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth ...
/l/late.htm - 14k

Promised (150 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 6:12 that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through
faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises. (See NIV). ...
/p/promised.htm - 37k

Valuable (17 Occurrences)
... (WEY). James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the Coming of the Lord. ... He
is patient over it till it has received the early and the later rain. ...
/v/valuable.htm - 11k

Olive (61 Occurrences)
... The olive, Olea Europaea (Natural Order Oleaceae), is a slow-growing tree, requiring
years of patient labor before reaching full fruitfulness. ...
/o/olive.htm - 37k

Waits (21 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming
of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious ...
/w/waits.htm - 11k

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