φορτ-ίον G5413
A burden or load carried by a person, whether literal or figurative; also a ship's cargo or freight.
Most often this word describes the burdens people carry — the easy yoke and light load Jesus offers (Matt 11:30), the heavy burdens the Pharisees bind on others' shoulders (Matt 23:4; Luke 11:46), and the personal load each believer must bear (Gal 6:5). But in Acts 27:10 it shifts to the cargo of a storm-threatened ship, where Paul foresees loss 'of the cargo and the ship.' The multilingual evidence tracks the distinction neatly: for personal burdens, Hindi uses 'bojh' (burden) and Spanish 'cargas,' but for ship freight, Hindi shifts to 'maalke' (goods/property) and English to 'cargo' rather than 'burden.'
Senses
1. burden, load (personal) — A burden or load borne by a person, whether a physical weight or a figurative responsibility, obligation, or hardship. Jesus contrasts his light burden with the heavy loads the Pharisees impose (Matt 11:30; 23:4; Luke 11:46), and Paul teaches that each person must carry his own load (Gal 6:5). Spanish 'carga/cargas,' Hindi 'bojh' (burden), and German 'Last' all converge on the personal, weighty character of this sense. 5×
AR["أَحمالًا", "أَحْمالاً", "الأَحْمالَ", "حِملَهُ", "حِملُ"]·ben["বোঝা", "বোঝাগুলো", "ভারকে"]·DE["Last", "φορτία", "φορτίοις", "φορτίον"]·EN["burden", "burdens", "load", "with-burdens"]·FR["charge", "φορτίον"]·heb["מַשָּׂא", "מַשָּׂאוֹת"]·HI["बोझ", "बोझों-को"]·ID["beban", "beban-beban"]·IT["phortia", "phortiois", "phortion"]·jav["momotan"]·KO["짐들-을", "짐은", "짐을"]·PT["fardo"]·RU["бремена", "бремя", "ношам", "ношами"]·ES["carga", "cargas", "con-cargas"]·SW["mizigo", "mizito", "mzigo"]·TR["yükler", "yüklere", "yüküm", "yükünü"]·urd["بوجھ", "بوجھوں"]
2. cargo (ship's freight) — Cargo or freight carried by a ship, distinct from personal burdens. In Acts 27:10, Paul warns that the voyage will bring disaster 'to the cargo and to the ship.' The translation signatures shift noticeably: English uses 'cargo' rather than 'burden,' Hindi moves to 'maalke' (goods/property), and the commercial, maritime context sets this apart from the personal load of the other occurrences. 1×
AR["الحُمُولَةِ"]·ben["মালের"]·DE["φορτίου"]·EN["cargo"]·FR["fardeau"]·heb["מִטְעָן"]·HI["मालके"]·ID["muatan"]·IT["carico"]·jav["momotan"]·KO["화물-의"]·PT["carga"]·RU["груза"]·ES["carga"]·SW["mizigo"]·TR["yükün"]·urd["سامان"]
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
φορτ-ίον, τό, load, burden, freight, LXX+7th c.BC+; φέρων ἀνθράκων φ. Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 plural, wares, merchandise, Refs 8th c.BC+ __2.b especially of agricultural produce, crops, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __3 of a child in the womb, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔρωτος falsa lectio in Refs 6th c.BC+ __4 metaphorically, μεῖζον φ. ἢ καθ᾽ αὑτὸν αἰρόμενον taking too heavy a burden upon him, NT+4th c.BC+; χρυσοῦν φ., of wealth, Refs 2nd c.AD+