📖 Biblical Definition
To carry, support, or produce. Greek phero (to carry, bring) and bastazo (to take up, bear burden) cover the field. Several biblical uses are theologically loaded. (1) Bear fruit — John 15:5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. Continuous production flowing from union with Christ. (2) Bear one another's burdens — Gal 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Mutual support within the body. (3) Bear the cross — Luke 14:27: whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Sustained costly discipleship. (4) Bear witness — testimony to truth. (5) Bear one's name — wearing Christ's name publicly. Each use is active and ongoing — not a one-time act but a sustained carrying.
📜 KJV Continual Tense
In KJV: beareth — sustained carrying, sustained producing.
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John 15:5: "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." Continuous abiding produces continuous fruit-bearing.
Galatians 6:2: "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Continuous mutual carrying is the body’s standard practice.
1 Corinthians 13:7: love "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Four continuous tenses; love’s sustained shape.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
To carry, support, produce.
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To support; to carry; to bring forth; in Scripture especially of bearing fruit (the saint’s union-rooted production), bearing burdens (the body’s mutual support), bearing the cross (sustained discipleship), and bearing witness.
📖 Key Scripture
John 15:5 — "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Galatians 6:2 — "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
1 Corinthians 13:7 — "Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
"Bearing burdens" reduced to platitude rather than the costly mutual carrying Paul commands.
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Modern usage of "bear with" has weakened to mild patience ("bear with me a moment"). Paul’s "bear ye one another’s burdens" is muscular — literally take weight off another’s shoulders onto your own.
Recover the muscle: bearing is bodily, costly, sustained. Love bears all things because love is in it for the long haul.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek pherō, bastaō; Hebrew nasa.
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['Greek', 'G5342', 'pherō', 'to bear, carry']
['Greek', 'G941', 'bastaō', 'to bear, lift']
['Hebrew', 'H5375', 'nasa', 'to lift, bear, carry']
Usage
"Bear one another's burdens."
"Love beareth all things."
"Abide in Christ; bear much fruit."