makrothumia Patience, steadfastness, endurance Forbearance, patience toward others Constancy, perseverance, long-suffering, to bear with “to be patient, long-suffering, to bear with, lit. to be long-tempered….Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, and is associated with mercy, and is used of God…” (W.E. Vine)

makrothumia “A long holding out of the mind, before it gives room to action or to passion.” (R.C. Trench) “The self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong.” (T.K. Abbott) “We might well translate it ‘the power to see things through.’” (William Barclay)

Old Testament & Aprocrypha Patience with events – Macc.8:4 Patience with people: The basis for… – Forgiveness – Proverbs 19:11 – Humility – Fellowship – Proverbs 15:18 – All good personal relationships Proverbs 25:15 – All true wisdom – Proverbs 14:29 – Lasting joy – Ecclus. 1:22

God is “Slow to Anger” Exodus 34:6; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 103:8; 86:15; 145:8; Jonah 4:2 God’s longsuffering is the sinner’s hope – Joel 2:13 – It provides a warning – It can be the sinner’s doom

New Testament The patience of God – 2 Peter 3:15 – 1 Timothy 1:12-16 – Calling men to repentance 2 Peter 3:9 Romans 2:4 – May be used by man for his own destruction Romans 9:22

New Testament In relationship to our fellow-man – Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 13:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:14 For the teacher – 2 Timothy 3:10 Response of Christian toward circumstances and events – Colossians 1:11 – Hebrews 6:12-15 – James 5:7-10