βραδύτης (bradutēs)
bradutēs
slowness
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun bradutēs denotes a state of slowness or delay, capturing the idea of something not happening immediately. In its classical usage, it simply described physical tardiness or a lack of speed. However, in biblical Greek, the term carries a more specific nuance related to patience and restraint.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 3:9. Here, it describes God’s character as being "slow to anger" or patient with humanity. The contrast is not with speed itself, but with hasty judgment. It suggests a deliberate withholding of immediate retribution, allowing time for repentance rather than rushing to punish.
The root adjective bradys means slow, and the noun form abstracts this quality into a trait. While often translated as "longsuffering" or "patient," the literal sense emphasizes the delay in executing wrath. This usage highlights a divine restraint that prioritizes mercy over immediate justice, offering space for change rather than swift condemnation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels urgent or when we wonder why God seems silent, this word reminds us that His timing is different from ours. The term bradutēs describes a deliberate slowness, not as a failure to act, but as a choice to hold back judgment. In 2 Peter 3:9, it reveals that what looks like delay is actually mercy in motion.
God’s patience gives us space to turn back and find hope. Instead of rushing to punish, He waits for repentance. This slowness is not indifference; it is love that values every person enough to offer them time to change. It invites us to trust that His silence is often a gift, allowing grace more room to work in our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- slowness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- βραδύτητα1×
Key Verses
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II Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
This verse defines the word by contrasting human impatience with God’s deliberate restraint, showing that His slowness is an act of mercy rather than neglect.