κᾰκοπαθ-έω G2553
to suffer hardship, endure affliction, experience distress or difficulty
This verb means to suffer hardship, be in distress, or endure difficulty. Second Timothy uses it twice in exhortations: 'I suffer hardship even to the point of chains' (2:9) and 'endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus' (4:5). James 5:13 asks pastorally, 'Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.' Classical usage includes being in ill plight, distress from circumstances, sickness, or plants failing to thrive. The New Testament use focuses on enduring difficulty, particularly persecution and affliction in ministry. The word emphasizes patient endurance through suffering rather than the suffering itself—the active bearing of hardship with faith.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense emphasizes enduring hardship, particularly in Christian ministry and life. Paul models it personally—suffering chains for the gospel—and commands Timothy to embrace it as part of faithful service. The soldier metaphor (2 Timothy 2:3-4) frames hardship-endurance as essential to Christian discipleship. James uses it more broadly for any suffering (illness, persecution, difficulty), with prayer as the response. The Spanish glosses use 'sufrir' (to suffer) with variations, French has the verb forms, and German 'Leiden ertragen' (endure suffering). This isn't passive victimhood but active, resolute endurance—bearing affliction while remaining faithful to calling and turning to God in prayer. 3×
AR["أَتَأَلَّمُ", "احْتَمِلِ-الأَلَمَ", "يَتَألَّمُ"]·ben["কষ্ট-পাচ্ছে", "কষ্ট-ভোগ-করছি,", "কষ্ট-সহ্য-কর,"]·DE["Leiden-ertragen"]·EN["I-suffer-hardship", "Is-suffering", "suffer-hardship"]·FR["Κακοπαθεῖ", "κακοπάθησον", "κακοπαθῶ"]·heb["סְבֹל", "סוֹבֵל"]·HI["दुःखी-है", "दुख-उथअ,", "दुख-उथत-होओन,"]·ID["Menderita", "aku-menderita", "menderitalah"]·IT["kakopathei", "kakopathēson", "kakopathō"]·jav["Kang-nandhang-sangsara", "kula-nandhang-sangsara,", "nandhang-sangsara,"]·KO["고난-당하느냐", "고난-을-받아라", "고난받는다,"]·PT["sofro"]·RU["Страдает", "переноси-страдания", "страдаю"]·ES["Sufre", "sufre", "sufro"]·SW["Anateseka", "ninateseka", "tesa"]·TR["Sıkıntı-çeker", "acı-çek", "acı-çekiyorum"]·urd["تکلیف-برداشت-کر", "تکلیف-میں-ہے", "میں-تکلیف-اُٹھاتا-ہوں"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κᾰκοπαθ-έω, future -παθήσομαιRefs 1st c.AD+: perfect κεκακοπάθηκα Refs 4th c.BC+:—to be in ill plight, be in distress, Refs 5th c.BC+; πολλὰ κ. Refs 3rd c.BC+; τινι by or from a thing, τοῦ Χωρίου τῇ ἀπορίᾳ Refs 5th c.BC+; of sickness, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. σώματι suffer in body, Refs 5th c.BC+; of plants or trees, Refs 4th c.BC+