ἐπιβαρ-έω G1912
burden, weigh down; impose oneself as a financial or emotional weight
This verb means to weigh down or be a burden to someone, particularly in financial or emotional terms. Paul uses it exclusively in his letters to describe his deliberate choice not to burden the churches he served. The classical usage includes being overloaded or pressed heavily upon. In Paul's ministry context, it speaks to his practice of self-support to avoid being a financial drain on new believers.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Translations consistently use burden language: Spanish ser-carga/abrume ('be a burden, burden'), German belasten ('burden'). In 2 Corinthians 2:5, Paul delicately handles a discipline case, saying 'not to burden you all.' In 1 Thessalonians 2:9 and 2 Thessalonians 3:8, Paul reminds the churches he worked night and day 'that we might not burden any of you' while preaching the gospel. This reflects Paul's consistent practice of tentmaking to maintain financial independence and remove obstacles to the gospel's advance. 3×
AR["أُثقِلَ", "نُثَقِّلَ"]·ben["আমি-ভারী-করি", "বোঝা-হওয়া", "ভার-দিতে"]·DE["belasten"]·EN["I-might-burden", "to-burden"]·FR["surcharger", "ἐπιβαρῆσαί"]·heb["אַכְבִּיד", "לְהַכְבִּיד"]·HI["बोझ-डालूं", "भअर-दअलन"]·ID["aku-membebani", "membebani", "memberatkan"]·IT["epibarēsai", "sovraccaricare"]·jav["kula-mboteni", "ngrepotan"]·KO["무겁게-하지-않으려고", "짐이-되지-않기-위하여"]·PT["sermos-pesados", "sobrecarregue"]·RU["обременить", "обременял"]·ES["abrume", "ser-carga"]·SW["kuwalemea", "mlemee", "mzigo"]·TR["ağırlaştırayım", "yük-olmak"]·urd["بوجھ-بننا", "بوجھ-ڈالنے-کو", "بوجھ-ڈالوں"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπιβαρ-έω, weigh down: hence, be a burden to, Refs; overload, of food, Refs 2nd c.AD+: with dative, press heavily upon, Refs 2nd c.AD+ —middle, lay a burden on oneself, trouble oneself, c.infinitive, Refs 2nd c.AD+ — passive, with future middle Refs 5th c.BC+ (Te nos). __2. passive, of a bandage, to be found irksome, Refs