τροποφορέω (tropophoreō)
tropophoreō
to put up with
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb tropophoreō describes the act of enduring or putting up with someone’s character and manners. It is a compound word formed from tropos, meaning "manner" or "way," and phoreō, meaning "to bear" or "carry." This combination suggests carrying the weight of another person's habits, behaviors, or dispositions, often implying patience in the face of difficult social dynamics.
In Scripture, this word appears only once, in Acts 13:18. Here it describes how God bore with the Israelites during their time in the wilderness. The text highlights a divine patience that tolerated their stubbornness and changing ways. By using this specific term, the author emphasizes that God did not simply ignore their behavior but actively sustained them despite their flaws.
Translators often render this as "put up with" or "endured," which captures the sense of tolerance rather than mere observation. The word carries a relational weight, indicating a long-suffering acceptance of human imperfection. It stands as a rare biblical example of God’s forbearance toward the collective attitudes of His people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tropophoreō appears just once in the New Testament, found in Acts 13:18. It describes God putting up with the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. This term combines ideas of manner and bearing, suggesting that God actively carried the weight of their stubbornness and changing habits. He did not merely watch them fail; He sustained them despite their flaws.
This rare verb reminds us that divine patience is an active choice. It is not passive tolerance but a deliberate carrying of another’s burdens. When we feel weary of others’ inconsistencies, this passage offers a model of grace. God’s forbearance shows that love often means staying present through difficult seasons, offering stability when behavior is unpredictable.
For your faith, this word invites you to trust in a God who does not give up on you easily. His patience is not weakness but strength used for restoration. You can find comfort knowing that your own imperfections are met with sustained care rather than immediate rejection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- He endured the ways1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐτροποφόρησεν1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 13:18
For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
This verse uniquely applies tropophoreō to God’s relationship with Israel, showing He actively bore with their wilderness stubbornness for forty years.