Janell Kremer

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Current Episode

The Language of Suffering

What Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic Teach Us About Pain

Suffering is one of the most universal human experiences. No one escapes it. Yet when we read Scripture, we quickly discover that suffering is not one-dimensional. The Bible uses a rich vocabulary across Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic to describe pain, hardship, affliction, and anguish. Each word gives us a deeper lens into both our own suffering and the suffering of Christ.

When we understand the language of suffering, we begin to see that God does not speak vaguely about pain. He names it. He enters it. And He redeems it.

Hebrew: The Weight of Pain

The Hebrew language is deeply earthy and experiential. Its words for suffering often connect pain to the body, labor, and the soul.

1. Makob (מַכְאוֹב) — Physical and Emotional Pain

Derived from the root ka’ab, meaning “to be in pain,” makob is the primary Hebrew word for both bodily anguish and inner grief. It reminds us that suffering is often both physical and emotional at the same time.

Isaiah uses this word prophetically about Christ:

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…” (Isaiah 53:3)

Jesus did not merely observe pain; He became intimately acquainted with it. Makob tells us that our Savior knows the ache of human sorrow firsthand.

2. Sᵊḇālâ (סְבָלָה) — Heavy Burden and Crushing Labor

Sᵊḇālâ refers to heavy loads, harsh labor, and the crushing burden of oppression. It paints the picture of carrying more than one was meant to bear.

We see this in Egypt:

“Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens…” (Exodus 1:11)

There are seasons when suffering feels like carrying unbearable weight. Yet Scripture reminds us that God sees every burden.

3. Tsarah (צָרָה) — Distress in a Narrow Place

Coming from the root tsar, meaning “narrow” or “tight,” tsarah describes the feeling of being trapped, confined, or pressed in by circumstances.

Jacob declared:

“…the God who answers me in the day of my distress…” (Genesis 35:3)

How many of us know this kind of suffering? The kind where life feels narrow, options disappear, and the walls seem to close in. Yet it is often in the narrow places that God meets us most profoundly.

4. Etsev (עֶצֶב) — Toil, Sorrow, and Painful Labor

Etsev speaks of sorrow connected to labor, emotional anguish, and the pain of what must be endured.

After the fall, God tells Eve:

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing…” (Genesis 3:16)

This word reminds us that suffering entered humanity’s story through brokenness, but it would not have the final word.

Greek: The Process of Endurance

The New Testament shifts our focus from suffering itself to what suffering produces.

1. Pascho (πάσχω) — To Suffer or Endure

This is the most common Greek word for suffering, used 42 times in the New Testament. It’s broad, covering physical pain, emotional hardship, and unjust treatment.

Peter writes:

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you…” (1 Peter 2:21)

Suffering is not just something to survive; sometimes it is part of our calling as followers of Christ.

2. Pathema (πάθημα) — Ongoing Affliction

Pathema describes suffering that lingers—deep emotional pain, severe trial, or afflictions endured over time.

Paul says:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory…” (Romans 8:18)

This word reminds us that some suffering is not momentary. It stretches across seasons. But so does glory.

3. Kakopatheo (κακοπαθέω) — To Endure Hardship

This word combines “bad” and “pain,” emphasizing the endurance of harsh conditions, almost like military discipline.

Paul exhorts Timothy:

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

Some suffering trains us. It strengthens endurance and shapes faithfulness.

4. Thlipsis (θλῖψις) — Pressure, Tribulation, Crushing

From a root meaning “to press” or “squeeze,” thlipsis describes the crushing pressure of trials.

Paul writes:

“…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance…” (Romans 5:3)

This kind of suffering feels like being pressed on every side. But pressure often produces perseverance.

Aramaic: The Cry and the Compassion

Aramaic carries a deeply relational and emotional texture.

1. Sabachthani (שְׁבַקְתַּנִי) — The Cry of Abandonment

This is one of the most sacred expressions of suffering in Scripture.

Jesus cried:

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)

This word captures the agony of feeling abandoned. It gives language to the moments when heaven feels silent.

Yet even here, Jesus teaches us that lament is still prayer.

2. Chasha — The Embrace of Pain

This word reflects deep empathy—entering into another’s suffering rather than merely observing it.

Hebrews tells us:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses…” (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus does not stand at a distance from our suffering. He steps into it. He feels it. He carries it.

What the Language of Suffering Reveals

When we put these words together, a profound picture emerges:

• Makob tells us suffering hurts.
• Sᵊḇālâ tells us suffering weighs us down.
• Tsarah tells us suffering narrows us.
• Etsev tells us suffering toils within us.
• Pascho tells us suffering is endured.
• Pathema tells us suffering can linger.
• Kakopatheo tells us suffering can train us.
• Thlipsis tells us suffering can press us.
• Sabachthani tells us suffering can feel like abandonment.
• Chasha tells us suffering is not faced alone.

The beauty of Scripture is this: God does not minimize suffering. He defines it in all its complexity.

And then He does something even greater.

He enters it.

Jesus bore makob. He carried sevel. He endured thlipsis. He cried sabachthani. And now He meets us with chasha—deep compassion.

Suffering may shape us, but it does not have to destroy us.

Because in Christ, suffering is never wasted.

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Discovering the Hebrew Months Newsletter

Understanding the Times and Seasons

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Now My Eyes See You

When pain becomes an invitation to encounter God face-to-face

If this episode has stirred something in you, Janell invites you to go deeper with her. Explore her devotional Now My Eyes See You. In it, she shares how suffering, though disorienting, can become the place where we encounter God’s redeeming presence. Like Job, we are not alone in the ashes. Jesus steps in and leads us into healing. The devotional is available on Amazon in all formats. And Janell has a free Bible study to accompany it, link is below.

Download the pdf notes and all seven videos. You can use it forever! Whether you have questions about suffering, this resource will help. If you know of people in your life that do, this resource will be a rich and meaningful addition to your faith toolbox.

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