Greek word · G463

ἀνοχή

anochē

tolerance

From anechō, "hold up, hold back, put up with". It means a holding back, a delay or pause. In secular Greek it could mean a truce or armistice, a suspension of hostilities. In the NT it occurs only here and in Romans 3:26, where God "in his forbearance" passed over sins committed beforehand.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀνοχή, -ῆς, ἡ

(ἀνέχω, -ομαι), [in LXX: 1Ma.12:25 (RV, respite)* ;]

1. in cl., a holding back, delaying (MM, VGT, see word).

2. forbearance, delay of punishment: Romans 2:4 3:26.†

SYN.: μακροθυμία, ὑπομονή. ἀ., forbearance, is the result and expression of μ., which involves the idea of tolerance, long-suffering, as God with sinners. ὑ. expresses patience with respect to things, as μ. with persons; it is active as well as passive, denotes not merely endurance but perseverance (see Tr., Syn., § liii; Lft., Notes, 259, 273; DB, ii, 47). (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 Romans 2:4

Range of meaning

From anechō, "hold up, hold back, put up with". It means a holding back, a delay or pause. In secular Greek it could mean a truce or armistice, a suspension of hostilities. In the NT it occurs only here and in Romans 3:26, where God "in his forbearance" passed over sins committed beforehand.

Against the English

KJV/WEB "forbearance" is accurate. BSB/NASB "tolerance" is accurate in its older sense (putting up with something), but modern readers hear "tolerance" as acceptance or approval. NASB 2020 and others use "restraint", which is closer.

How it drifted

In modern English "tolerance" has shifted toward meaning acceptance of difference as legitimate. The Greek word implies the opposite: the offence is real, and the punishment is only being held back for now.

Used elsewhere in the period

In 1 Maccabees 12:25 the word means a respite or opportunity ("he gave them no respite"). Lexicons (BDAG, LSJ) give "holding back, delay, pause" and, in classical usage, a "truce". Romans 3:25–26 links God's anochē to his passing over of earlier sins until he dealt with them in Christ.

From the study of 1 Maccabees 12:25

Range of meaning

A 'holding back': stopping hostilities, a truce or armistice, a pause or respite. From that: delay, room, opportunity. In moral language it also meant patience or tolerance, holding back anger.

Against the English

KJV/Brenton 'respite'; WEB 'opportunity'. Readers who know the New Testament meet this word as 'forbearance' (Romans 2:4; 3:26), God's patience. That sense is foreign to this verse.

How it drifted

Not a drift in the English of this verse. The risk is reading the Pauline 'forbearance' sense into it. Here it is plain military language: a lull in which an army can manoeuvre.

Used elsewhere in the period

Classical and Hellenistic writers use it for armistices and truces (LSJ s.v.). In the Septuagint it appears in 1 Maccabees (here and 12:25 is its clearest military use). Paul uses it for God's restraint in judgement (BDAG s.v.).

Where it appears

Romans · 2

  1. Romans 2:4 ἀνοχῆς forbearance

    Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

    Here: A holding back: God's deliberate suspension of the punishment that is due. In ordinary Greek the word could mean a truce or a pause in hostilities. It is temporary by nature.

  2. Romans 3:25 ἀνοχῇ forbearance

    God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

    Here: A deliberate restraint, like a pause in hostilities. Paul has already used it in 2:4 ('the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience'), where it is meant to lead people to repentance, not to make them complacent.

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