δυσβάστακτος (dusbastaktos)
dusbastaktos
ponderous
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective dysbastaktos describes something that is heavy and difficult to bear or carry. Formed from a prefix meaning "hard" and a root related to carrying burdens, it conveys a sense of oppressive weight. In the New Testament, this word appears only twice, both times in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
It is used specifically to describe the religious regulations imposed by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus notes that these leaders tie up heavy loads and place them on people's shoulders, yet they refuse to lift a finger to help (Matthew 23:4; Luke 11:46). The term highlights the crushing nature of these demands, distinguishing them from manageable guidance.
Translators typically render this word as "hard to bear" or "oppressive." This choice captures the physical and emotional strain experienced by those subjected to such strictures. The word serves as a stark contrast to the "easy yoke" Jesus later offers, emphasizing that his teaching is not meant to crush the spirit but to sustain it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dysbastaktos describes a weight so heavy it is nearly impossible to carry. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this term to critique religious leaders who imposed strict rules on others while refusing to help bear the load themselves. This image speaks to the exhaustion many feel when faith becomes a checklist of demands rather than a relationship with God.
Jesus contrasts these oppressive burdens with His own invitation, which offers rest instead of strain. When we encounter rules that crush rather than guide, we can remember that true faith is meant to sustain us, not break us. This word reminds us that grace is lighter than the weight of legalism.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- heavy to bear1×
- hard to bear1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δυσβάστακτα2×
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 uses dysbastaktos to highlight the hypocrisy of leaders who enforce heavy rules without offering any assistance.
-
Luke 11:46
He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.
Here the word emphasizes the unfairness of lawyers loading people with burdens they cannot handle alone.