Understanding βαρέω (bareō) Strong’s G916: The Burden of Heaviness That Weighs Down Body and Spirit

Pronunciation Guide: bah-REH-oh (βα-ρέ-ω)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G916: Βαρέω (bareō) describes a state of being weighed down, burdened, or oppressed. It refers to the sensation of heaviness, whether physical (as with sleep-laden eyes) or metaphorical (as with hearts burdened by worries). This verb conveys the experience of something pressing down upon a person, causing difficulty in function or movement.

Etymology and Morphology

• Verb (present active indicative, 1st person singular)
• Derived from the adjective βαρύς (barys, G926) meaning “heavy” or “weighty”
• Indo-European origin, related to Sanskrit “guru” (heavy, weighty)
• Primarily appears in narrative passages and teaching sections
• Used in contexts of physical limitations and spiritual warnings

Βαρέω Morphology:

• βαρέω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I burden, weigh down
• βαρεῖς (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you burden, weigh down
• βαρεῖ (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it burdens, weighs down
• βαροῦμαι (present passive indicative, 1st person singular) – I am burdened, weighed down
• βεβαρημένοι (perfect passive participle, nominative plural masculine) – having been weighed down
• βεβαρημένοι ἦσαν (periphrastic pluperfect passive, 3rd person plural) – they had been weighed down

Origin & History

The verb βαρέω derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷer-, which conveys heaviness or weight. In classical Greek literature, this word appears in works like Aristotle’s “Meteorologica,” where he uses it to describe the heaviness of certain elements and substances. The term also appears in Homer’s “Iliad” to describe warriors weighed down by their armor or by fatigue during battle.

In the Septuagint (LXX), βαρέω appears in passages like Exodus 7:14, where it describes Pharaoh’s heart being “hardened” or “weighed down” against letting the Israelites go. The translation choice reflects the Hebrew concept of a “heavy heart” (כָּבֵד לֵב, kaved lev) which implies stubbornness and resistance to persuasion. This usage establishes an important precedent for understanding New Testament applications, where spiritual insensitivity is often portrayed as a form of “heaviness.”

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To be weighed down physically, as with sleep or illness
• To be burdened emotionally or spiritually
• To be oppressed by external circumstances
• To be slowed or hindered in function
• To be made dull or insensitive (especially regarding spiritual matters)

Βαρέω Translation Options:

• “To be weighed down” – Emphasizes the physical sensation of heaviness pressing upon someone
• “To be burdened” – Highlights the oppressive nature of the weight being carried
• “To be overcome” – Suggests the overwhelming quality of the force pressing down
• “To be heavy-laden” – Combines the physical and emotional dimensions of the experience
• “To be oppressed” – Emphasizes the external force causing the heaviness

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, βαρέω appears predominantly in contexts where physical limitations intersect with spiritual significance. Its first appearance in Matthew 26:43 depicts the disciples unable to stay awake in Gethsemane because “their eyes were heavy” (βεβαρημένοι), highlighting both their physical exhaustion and spiritual unpreparedness during the Messiah’s hour of need. This pattern of physical heaviness reflecting spiritual condition continues throughout its usage.

The verb often carries the connotation of being weighed down in ways that prevent proper function or response. In Luke 9:32, Peter, James, and John are “heavy with sleep” during the Transfiguration, nearly missing the glorious revelation. Paul uses the term to warn believers against allowing their hearts to be “weighed down” with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life in Luke 21:34, suggesting that spiritual vigilance requires freedom from certain burdens.

• “And He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy [βεβαρημένοι].” Matthew 26:43
• “Now Peter and his companions had been overcome [βεβαρημένοι] with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.” Luke 9:32
• “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down [βαρηθῶσιν] with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap.” Luke 21:34
• “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened [ἐβαρήθημεν] excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.” 2 Corinthians 1:8
• “For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:5-13

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, the concept of “heaviness” carried both physical and metaphorical significance. The imagery of βαρέω would have resonated with the agricultural practices of the time, where farmers and laborers routinely carried heavy burdens on their backs or heads. This daily reality formed the basis for understanding spiritual and emotional heaviness in more concrete terms than we might today.

The Jewish concept of כָּבֵד (kaved) meaning “heavy” or “weighty” has significant overlap with βαρέω. In Hebrew thought, כָּבֵד could refer to physical weight but also to honor and glory (the related term כָּבוֹד, kavod). This creates an interesting linguistic paradox in which heaviness can be either negative (a burden) or positive (glory). When the disciples’ eyes were “heavy” (βεβαρημένοι) in Gethsemane, there is a sad irony that they missed witnessing the “weighty glory” of the Messiah’s pivotal moment of submission because they were weighed down by mere physical exhaustion.

Theological Significance

The usage of βαρέω throughout Scripture reveals an important spiritual principle: physical and spiritual states often mirror one another. When the body is weighed down by sleep, the spirit is often similarly dulled to spiritual realities. This connection between physical and spiritual alertness underscores the holistic nature of human existence as created by Yahweh – we are not merely spiritual beings trapped in physical bodies, but integrated creations whose physical state affects our spiritual receptivity.

The Messiah Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples against becoming “weighed down” (βαρηθῶσιν) by worldly concerns, recognizing that the heaviness of earthly preoccupations can render us spiritually dull and unprepared for His return. This teaching reveals God’s desire that His people maintain spiritual vigilance and freedom from unnecessary burdens. It demonstrates His compassionate understanding of our human tendency to become overwhelmed by life’s pressures while simultaneously calling us to a higher level of awareness and readiness.

βαρέω also illuminates the nature of spiritual warfare, suggesting that one of the enemy’s primary tactics is to burden believers until they become ineffective. Paul’s use of this term to describe his afflictions in Asia (2 Corinthians 1:8) reveals that even the most devoted servants of God experience seasons of being “burdened excessively.” Yet the Apostle’s testimony also showcases Yahweh’s faithful provision of strength and deliverance when we are weighed down beyond our natural capacities.

Personal Application

When we find ourselves “weighed down” (βεβαρημένοι) by life’s pressures, physical exhaustion, or spiritual oppression, we can take comfort in knowing that our Messiah understands this condition intimately. He witnessed it in His closest disciples and addresses it with compassion rather than condemnation. The recognition that we are βεβαρημένοι is often the first step toward receiving His liberation from those burdens.

The antidote to being “weighed down” is found in the Messiah’s invitation in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Though this passage uses a different Greek word (φορτίον) for burden, the principle remains the same – Jesus offers to exchange our crushing weights for His light yoke. When we feel βεβαρημένοι, we are not called to simply try harder to stay awake spiritually, but rather to bring our heaviness to Him for supernatural refreshment and renewal.

Related Words

• βάρος (baros) – weight, burden, abundance – This noun form refers to something heavy or weighty, whether literal or figurative. While βαρέω describes the state of being weighed down, βάρος identifies the actual burden causing that state. See G922
• βαρύς (barys) – heavy, weighty, burdensome – This adjective describes something characterized by weight or heaviness. It’s the adjectival root from which βαρέω derives, expressing the quality of heaviness rather than the action of being weighed down. See G926
• βαρύνω (barynō) – to make heavy, weigh down – A related verb that specifically emphasizes the action of making something heavy, rather than the state of being heavy. In the Septuagint, it often translates the Hebrew כָּבֵד (kaved). See G925
• καταβαρέω (katabareo) – to overburden, weigh down excessively – This compound form intensifies βαρέω by adding the prefix κατα-, suggesting a more complete or overwhelming weighing down. Paul uses it to describe not wanting to be a burden to the Corinthians. See G2599
• ἐπιβαρέω (epibareo) – to put a burden upon, be burdensome – Another compound form that adds the prefix ἐπι- (“upon”), emphasizing the placement of a burden upon someone. Paul uses this term when discussing his ministry support. See G1912

Did you Know?

• The English word “barometer” derives from the same root as βαρέω. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure or “heaviness,” reflecting the ancient understanding that air has weight. This connection reminds us that even invisible forces (like spiritual opposition or emotional strain) can exert real weight upon our lives.
• The concept of being “weighed down” with sleep (βεβαρημένοι) as mentioned in the Gethsemane narrative may have had medical significance to Luke, the physician-author. Modern medical science confirms that sleep deprivation creates a physiological condition where staying awake becomes progressively more difficult as receptors in the brain become “weighted down” with accumulating sleep-inducing chemicals – precisely the imagery captured in βαρέω.
• In ancient Jewish wedding customs, the bridegroom would often come for his bride in the middle of the night, and the bridal party was expected to be ready regardless of the hour. This cultural practice illuminates the Messiah’s warning in Luke 21:34 not to be “weighed down” (βαρηθῶσιν) and miss His return. The unprepared bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1-13 exemplify this danger, having fallen asleep (likely βεβαρημένοι with sleep) while waiting for the bridegroom.

Remember This

When our eyes are heavy (βεβαρημένοι) with physical exhaustion, our hearts with worldly concerns, or our spirits with trials beyond our strength, the Messiah stands ready not to condemn our weakness but to exchange our heaviness for His empowering presence.