βαρύς (barus)
barus
weighty
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective barus literally describes something heavy in physical weight, but in Scripture it almost always carries a metaphorical sense of burden or severity. It appears six times, primarily in Matthew and Acts, to describe things that press down on a person’s spirit or conscience rather than their shoulders.
This word captures the crushing nature of religious legalism when Jesus criticizes the scribes for tying up "heavy burdens" (barus) and placing them on people’s shoulders (Matthew 23:4). The same term describes "weighty" accusations in Acts 25:7 and "violent" wolves in Acts 20:29, showing how physical heaviness translates into moral or social oppression.
Its usage highlights the contrast between genuine faith and oppressive rule. While John notes that God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3), the word barus defines the opposite experience: laws or leaders that crush rather than guide. It serves as a stark reminder of the difference between divine guidance and human tyranny.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word barus describes a weight that presses down on the spirit. In Matthew 23:4, Jesus uses it to describe religious rules that crush people. The leaders tied up heavy burdens and laid them on others, yet refused to help carry them. This image shows how legalism can become a source of exhaustion rather than guidance.
Yet there is hope. In 1 John 5:3, the same root idea appears in reverse. We learn that God’s commands are not grievous or crushing. They are designed to support us, not break us. This contrast invites us to examine where we place our trust. Are we carrying weights that do not belong to us? Or are we resting in the lightness of grace?
When life feels heavy, remember that God does not ask us to bear impossible loads. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. We can find peace in knowing that true faith brings relief, not oppression.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- weighty1×
- weightier [matters]1×
- heavy1×
- grievous1×
- burdensome1×
- [are] weighty1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- βαρέα2×
- βαρεῖαι2×
- βαρύτερα1×
- βαρεῖς1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:4
For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.
This verse defines the word by showing how religious leaders misuse authority to create unbearable loads for others.
-
I John 5:3
For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
Here the concept is reversed, affirming that obedience to God brings freedom rather than crushing pressure.
-
Acts 25:7
When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,
The term describes false accusations that weigh heavily on Paul, illustrating how legal charges can oppress the innocent.