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βαρέως

baréōs

G917 adverb

SILEX Entry

Definition

Heavily, with a sense of weight, burden, or oppression; used adverbially to describe something occurring in a manner that imposes difficulty, emotional weight, or resistance. In some contexts, indicates a state of being weary, troubled, or with effort. Also used metaphorically to express mental or spiritual heaviness (i.e., dullness, sorrow, or lethargy).

Semantic Range

in a heavy manner, with weight or burden, with difficulty, oppressively, sluggishly, with emotional heaviness, dully, with sorrow or fatigue

Root / Etymology

From the adjective βαρύς ('heavy, weighty, severe, serious') with the adverbial suffix -ως, forming an adverb meaning 'heavily' or 'with weight.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, βαρέως regularly denotes physical heaviness or the experience of being weighed down, whether bodily or emotionally. In Hellenistic and Koine usage (including the New Testament), its scope broadens to include metaphorical senses—such as mental dullness, emotional distress, or lethargy—as seen, for example, in contexts describing despondency or spiritual fatigue. The septuagint uses the adverb similarly, both in literal and figurative ways. Standard English translations often render the term as 'heavily,' 'with difficulty,' or 'dully,' but may not always capture its emotive or metaphorical nuance. Its sense is close to but distinct from βαρύς as an adjective, which denotes heaviness, severity, or importance; βαρέως focuses on the manner or quality of the action or state. Related terms include βαρέως φέρω ("to take hard," "to be grieved") and βαρέως κοιμάομαι ("to sleep heavily").

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

adverb from βαρύς; heavily (figuratively):--dull.

Root Family

βαρέως (bareōs) — heavy, weighty, burdensome

Root βαρ- heavy, weighty, burdensome

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G917-01 βαρέως bareos ADV dull heavily heavily 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G917-01 Matthew 13:15 βαρέως bareos ADV they scarcely heard heavily heavily
G917-01 Acts 28:27 βαρέως bareos ADV dull heavily heavily
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