Greek word · G1912

ἐπιβαρέω

epibareō

to burden

To put weight upon, burden. Used of financial demands (1 Thess 2:9), and figuratively of exaggerating or being severe (2 Cor 2:5).

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπι-βαρέω, -ῶ

to put a burden on, be burdensome: figuratively, absol., 2 Corinthians 2:6; with accusative of person(s), 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:8 (cf. M, Th., I, 29).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Thessalonians 3:8

Range of meaning

To put weight upon, burden. Used of financial demands (1 Thess 2:9), and figuratively of exaggerating or being severe (2 Cor 2:5).

Against the English

KJV 'be chargeable to' meant 'be a financial charge on', which is exact but now archaic. 'Burden' is right, as long as readers hear the money and household side of it.

How it drifted

'Chargeable' today suggests 'liable to criminal charge' or 'subject to a fee'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hellenistic Greek uses it for imposing costs or burdens. The related ἀβαρής ('not burdensome') appears in 2 Cor 11:9 for the same policy of Paul's.

From the study of 1 Thessalonians 2:9

Range of meaning

To put weight on, to weigh down. In the New Testament it means to be a (financial) burden to someone (2 Thess 3:8; 2 Cor 2:5 is used differently: 'to put it too heavily'). It is related to baros, 'weight', which can also mean 'importance, dignity, authority.'

Against the English

Modern 'burden' often means emotional strain or being a nuisance. KJV 'chargeable' (= putting costs on someone's account) is closer to the financial sense meant here.

How it drifted

In everyday modern speech 'not wanting to be a burden' is mostly about emotional or practical imposition, so the money sense gets lost.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Thess 3:8 explains it directly: 'we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it… so as not to burden any of you.' Compare 2 Cor 11:9; 12:16 (the related katabareō).

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:5 ἐπιβαρῶ, I may burden

    Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.

1 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 ἐπιβαρῆσαί to burden

    Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

    Here: Literally 'to put weight on'. Here it means a financial burden, living at someone's expense. It echoes v. 6, where Paul says they 'could have been a weight' (en barei) as apostles.

2 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 ἐπιβαρῆσαί to be burdensome to

    nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

    Here: Literally 'to put weight on'. Here it means to be a financial or household burden by needing to be fed and housed.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.