Greek word · G916

βαρέω

bareō

to burden

To weigh down, burden, make heavy. It is used of physical loads, financial burdens (2 Cor 1:8; 1 Tim 5:16), and the heaviness of sleep or stupor that dulls the senses.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

βαρέω, -ῶ (later form of βαρύνω, which see),

[in LXX: Exodus 7:14 (כָּבֵד), 2Ma.13:9 * ;]

to depress, weigh down. In NT, in pass. only: Matthew 26:43, Luke 9:32 21:34, 2 Corinthians 1:8 5:4, 1 Timothy 5:16.†

(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 Luke 21:34

Range of meaning: To weigh down, burden, make heavy. It is used of physical loads, financial burdens (2 Cor 1:8; 1 Tim 5:16), and the heaviness of sleep or stupor that dulls the senses.
Against the English: 'Weighed down' (BSB, ESV, NIV, YLT) and 'loaded down' (WEB) keep the picture. The KJV's 'overcharged' meant 'overloaded' in 1611, but a modern reader may hear a billing term.
How it drifted: 'Overcharged' has narrowed in modern English to 'charged too much money'.
Used elsewhere in the period: Luke 9:32: the disciples at the Transfiguration were 'heavy (bebarēmenoi) with sleep'. Matt 26:43 says the same of the disciples in Gethsemane. In the LXX, Exod 7:14 says 'the heart of Pharaoh has become heavy (bebarētai)', translating the Hebrew kabed, 'heavy'. That is the classic picture of a heart that has stopped responding to God.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 1:8

Range of meaning: To weigh down or burden. In the New Testament it is always passive: to be weighed down or loaded, physically or figuratively (BDAG).
Against the English: 'Pressed' (KJV), 'burdened' (ESV, NASB, YLT), 'weighed down' (WEB). NLT's 'crushed and overwhelmed' brings out the force but drops the simple picture of weight.
Used elsewhere in the period: Elsewhere it describes eyes 'heavy' with sleep (Matt 26:43; Luke 9:32), hearts 'weighed down' by carousing (Luke 21:34), and the church 'burdened' (1 Tim 5:16). Paul uses it again in 2 Cor 5:4: 'we groan, being burdened' in this mortal 'tent'. Homer already used the related form of men 'heavy with wine'.

From the study of 1 Timothy 5:16

Range of meaning: To weigh down, to burden, to press heavily on. It is used physically (eyes heavy with sleep, Matt 26:43), emotionally ("burdened beyond our strength", 2 Cor 1:8), and financially.
Against the English: "Burdened" in modern versions is accurate. KJV "charged" meant "loaded with expense" in 1611. Today a reader is more likely to hear "accused" or "billed".
How it drifted: "Charge" in the sense of "to load" or "to put to expense" (from Old French charger, "to load") has mostly given way to legal and commercial senses.
Used elsewhere in the period: Paul uses the related verb ἐπιβαρέω for not wanting to be a financial burden on churches (1 Thess 2:9; 2 Thess 3:8; 2 Cor 2:5). Papyri use βαρέω and related words for financial imposts and burdens.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

Matthew 26:43 βεβαρημένοι.¶ wearied.

And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

Here: 'Weighed down'. A perfect passive participle, meaning a state that had already set in: their eyelids had become heavy and stayed that way. The word for a load pressing down is used here of drowsiness.

Luke · 2

Luke 9:32 βεβαρημένοι wearied

Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him.
Luke 21:34 βαρηθῶσιν may be burdened

But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

Here: The picture is of something heavy pressing down until the person becomes dull and sluggish. Luke uses the same verb for eyes 'heavy with sleep' (9:32), so it carries the idea of drowsiness.

2 Corinthians · 2

2 Corinthians 1:8 ἐβαρήθημεν we were weighed

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

Here: 'We were weighed down.' The picture is a load pressing down until it crushes. The verb is passive: this was done to them.
2 Corinthians 5:4 βαρούμενοι, being burdened,

For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.

Here: Passive: pressed under a load. The verb echoes 1:8 ('we were weighed down beyond our strength') and contrasts with the 'weight of glory' in 4:17.

1 Timothy · 1

1 Timothy 5:16 βαρείσθω should be burdened

If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

Here: "Let it not be weighed down." The picture is a load pressing down; here it is a financial load, the cost of keeping someone fed and housed. Present tense: the assembly should not be carrying this weight on an ongoing basis.

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