suffer meaning in the KJV

Meaning in context

Suffer is context-dependent. In Matthew 19:14 the command concerns permitting the little children to come. It is not a command to cause them pain.

In Exodus 12:23 the statement concerns not allowing the destroyer to come in. In 1 Peter 4:16, suffer concerns undergoing hardship as a Christian. These are different uses of the same English spelling.

Look for the construction around the word. Suffer someone to do something often concerns permission, while suffer as or suffer for can concern enduring hardship. The actual sentence remains the deciding evidence.

KJV examples

Matthew 19:14 KJV

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Suffer means permit the children to come.

Exodus 12:23 KJV

For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

The statement concerns not permitting the destroyer to enter.

1 Peter 4:16 KJV

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Here suffer concerns hardship endured as a Christian.

First exact-word occurrence

Exodus 12:23 KJV

For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

This is the earliest occurrence of this exact English spelling in canonical KJV Bible order. A related word form, a subject, or a person may appear earlier.

Find every occurrence

The exact English word suffer appears 96 times in 95 KJV verses. Counts ignore letter case and exclude other spellings and word forms.

For original-language details, select the word in the particular chapter. A word can represent different terms or constructions in different verses.

Related word studies

• letteth

  In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, letteth means restrains or holds back.

• prevent

  Prevent can mean come before, go before, or meet beforehand in the KJV.

Study method

These explanations are separate study notes. Every Scripture quotation above is copied from the existing KJV chapter text. Read the whole chapter and compare the setting before applying a meaning to another occurrence.

• Difficult and archaic KJV words
• Methodology and sources