Suffer

Suffer - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SUF'FER, v.t.[L. suffero; sub, under, and fero, to bear; as we say, to undergo.]

1. To feel or bear what is painful, disagreeable or distressing, either to the body or mind; to undergo. We suffer pain of body; we suffer grief of mind. The criminal suffers punishment; the sinner suffers the pangs of conscience in this life, and is condemned to suffer the wrath of an offended God. We often suffer wrong; we suffer abuse; we suffer injustice.

2. To endure; to support; to sustain; not to sink under.

Our spirit and strength entire,

Strongly to suffer and support our pains.

3. To allow; to permit; not to forbid or hinder. Will you suffer yourself to be insulted?

I suffer them to enter and possess.

Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. Lex.19.

4. To undergo; to be affected by. Substances suffer an entire change by the action of fire, or by entering into new combinations.

5. To sustain; to be affected by; as, to suffer loss or damage.

SUF'FER,v.i. To feel or undergo pain of body or mind; to bear what is inconvenient. We suffer with pain, sickness or sorrow. We suffer with anxiety. We suffer by evils past and by anticipating others to come. We suffer from fear and from disappointed hopes.

1. To undergo, as punishment.

The father was first condemned to suffer on a day appointed,and the son afterwards, the day following.

2. To be injured; to sustain loss or damage. A building suffers for want of seasonable repairs. It is just that we should suffer for neglect of duty.

Public business suffers by private infirmities.

Suffering - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SUF'FERING, ppr. Bearing; undergoing pain, inconvenience or damage; permitting; allowing.

SUF'FERING, n. The bearing of pain, inconvenience or loss; pain endured; distress, loss or injury incurred; as sufferings by pain or sorrow; sufferings by want or by wrongs.

suf'-er-ing: A great variety of Hebrew and Greek expressions, too large to be here enumerated, have been translated by "suffering" and other forms derived from the same verb. The most obvious meanings of the word are the following:

(1) The commonest meaning perhaps in the English Versions of the Bible is "to permit," "to allow," "to give leave to": "Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away" (Mr 10:4).

(2) "To experience," "to go through,"' "to endure": "I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him" (Mt 27:19). A woman "had suffered many things of many physicians" (Mr 5:26). Other common phrases are "to suffer affliction" (1Th 3:4; Heb 11:25, the Revised Version (British and American) "share ill-treatment"), "to suffer hardship" (2Ti 2:9), "to suffer adversity" (Heb 13:3 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "to be ill-treated"), "to suffer dishonor" (the King James Version "shame," Ac 5:41), "to suffer violence," (Mt 11:12), "to suffer wrong" (Ac 7:24), "to suffer terror" (Ps 88:15), "to suffer shipwreck" (2Co 11:25), "to suffer hunger" (Ps 34:10; Pr 19:15), "to suffer thirst" (Job 24:11).

(3) "To put up with," "to tolerate": the King James Version, "For ye suffer fools gladly (the Revised Version (British and American) "ye bear with the foolish gladly"), seeing ye yourselves are wise" (2Co 11:1,9).

(4) "To undergo punishment": "Think ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they have suffered these things?" (Lu 13:2).

(5) "To sustain loss": "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss" (1Co 3:15; also Php 3:8). (6) "To suffer death." Here the clearest references are to the suffering or passion of Christ, which indeed includes the enduring of untold hardships and affliction, all of which culminate in His vicarious death for man (Mt 16:21; Mr 8:31; 9:12; Lu 9:22; 17:25; 22:15; 24:26,46; Ac 3:18; 17:3; 26:23; 1Pe 3:18).

Suffering belongs to the discipline of all Christ's followers (Ro 8:17; 2Co 1:7; Ga 3:4; Php 3:10; 1Th 2:2; 2Th 1:5; 2Ti 2:12; 3:12; Jas 5:10; 1Pe 2:20 f; 3:14,17; 4:1,13,16; 5:10). Such suffering is called a suffering for God's or Christ's sake (Jer 15:15; Ac 9:16; Php 1:29; 2Ti 1:12). This fellowship in suffering unites us with the saints of God in all times (Jas 5:10), and is indeed a fellowship with the Lord Himself (Php 3:10), who uses this discipline to mold us more and more according to His character.

H. L. E. Luering

Definition

The terms “suffer” and “suffering” refer to experiencing something very unpleasant, such as illness, pain, or other hardships.

• When people are persecuted or when they are sick, they suffer.
• Sometimes people suffer because of wrong things they have done; other times they suffer because of sin and disease in the world.
• Suffering can be physical, such as feeling pain or sickness. It can also be emotional, such as feeling fear, sadness, or loneliness.
• The phrase “suffer me” means “bear with me” or “hear me out” or “listen patiently.”

Translation Suggestions

• The term “suffer” can be translated as “feel pain” or “endure difficulty” or “experience hardships” or “go through difficult and painful experiences.”
• Depending on the context, “suffering” could be translated as “extremely difficult circumstances” or “severe hardships” or “experiencing hardship” or “time of painful experiences.”
• The phrase “suffer thirst” could be translated as “experience thirst” or “suffer with thirst.”
• To “suffer violence” could also be translated as “undergo violence” or “be harmed by violent acts.”

Bible References

• 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5
• 2 Timothy 1:8
• Acts 7:11-13
• Isaiah 53:11
• Jeremiah 6:6-8
• Matthew 16:21
• Psalms 22:24
• Revelation 1:9
• Romans 5:3-5

Examples from the Bible stories

• __9:13 God said, “I have seen the suffering__ of my people.”
• __38:12 Jesus prayed three times, “My Father, if it is possible, please let me not have to drink this cup of suffering__.”
• __42:3 He (Jesus) reminded them that the prophets said the Messiah would suffer__ and be killed, but would rise again on the third day.
• __42:7 He (Jesus) said, “It was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer__, die, and rise from the dead on the third day.”
• __44:5 “Although you did not understand what you were doing, God used your actions to fulfill the prophecies that the Messiah would suffer__ and die.”
• __46:4 God said, “I have chosen him (Saul) to declare my name to the unsaved. I will show him how much he must suffer__ for my sake.”
• __50:17 He (Jesus) will wipe away every tear and there will be no more suffering__, sadness, crying, evil, pain, or death.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0943, H1741, H1934, H4531, H5142, H5375, H5999, H6031, H6040, H6041, H6064, H6090, H6770, H6869, H6887, H7661, G00910, G09410, G09710, G22100, G23460, G23470, G25520, G25530, G25610, G38040, G39580, G43100, G47780, G47770, G48410, G50040