What does φορέω (phoréō) mean in the Bible?
Φορέω (phoréō) means to wear or bear something, often as a continuing or characteristic condition. Jesus uses the word for people who wear fine clothing in royal palaces (Matt.
Greek · G5409
φορέω
To wear
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
φορέω G5409
Pronunciation phoréō
What does φορέω (phoréō) mean in the Bible?
Φορέω (phoréō) means to wear or bear something, often as a continuing or characteristic condition. Jesus uses the word for people who wear fine clothing in royal palaces (Matt.
Reader summary
Full entry for φορέω (G5409) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5409?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include he does not carry (1), in (1), shall we bear (1), we have borne (1), wearing (1).
Where does φορέω (phoréō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 11:8. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (2), James (1), John (1), Matthew (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Φορέω (phoréō) means to wear or bear something, often as a continuing or characteristic condition. Jesus uses the word for people who wear fine clothing in royal palaces (Matt. 11:8). John 19:5 depicts Jesus coming out wearing the crown of thorns and purple robe while Pilate says, “Here is the man.” The clothing is imposed as mock royalty, but within John's Gospel it intensifies the confrontation with Jesus' true identity.
Paul uses the verb differently. Civil authority bears the sword as God's servant for public good and judgment (Rom. 13:4). In 1 Corinthians 15:49 believers who have borne the image of the earthly man will bear the image of the heavenly man. James uses fine clothing to expose favoritism in the assembly (Jas. 2:3). The word itself therefore does not make what is worn righteous or shameful; the object and context determine its force.
For the church, φορέω opens reflection on identity, status, and embodied witness. Jesus bears mocking symbols without surrendering His true kingship. Believers await resurrection conformity to the heavenly man. Congregations must not assign worth by clothing or wealth. At the same time, Romans 13 should not be used to make every act of government righteous; the passage defines authority as service ordered toward good and accountable to God.
Book contextCanonical parallelEditorial synthesis
How the Bible Uses It
The verb moves from clothing and status, through Jesus' mock royal garments, to civil authority, resurrection identity, and congregational favoritism.
- Matt.11.8
Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.
Jesus contrasts John's prophetic wilderness ministry with the status and comfort signaled by palace clothing.
- John.19.5
When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
Jesus bears the costume of mock kingship while John's narrative confronts the reader with His true identity.
- Rom.13.4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Bearing the sword belongs to civil service under God and is defined by responsibility for good and judgment of wrongdoing.
- 1Cor.15.49
And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
The resurrection hope includes conformity to the heavenly man, Christ, beyond the mortal image now borne.
- Jas.2.3
If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
Clothing becomes the visible cue for sinful partiality and false judgments of human worth.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It he does not carry 1× Romans 13:4
in 1× James 2:3
shall we bear 1× 1 Corinthians 15:49
we have borne 1× 1 Corinthians 15:49
wearing 1× John 19:5
who wear 1× Matthew 11:8
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 11:8 φοροῦντες to who wear Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural John 19:5 φορῶν to wearing Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Romans 13:4 φορεῖ to he does not carry Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1 Corinthians 15:49 ἐφορέσαμεν to we have borne Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1 Corinthians 15:49 φορέσομεν to shall we bear Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural James 2:3 φοροῦντα to in Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 11:8
Aligned rows 6
Books represented 5
Matthew 1 John 1 Romans 1 1 Corinthians 2 James 1
Source forms
ἐφορέσαμεν 1x ephoresamen 1 Corinthians 15:49
φορεῖ 1x phorei Romans 13:4
φορέσομεν 1x phoresomen 1 Corinthians 15:49
φοροῦντα 1x phorounta James 2:3
φοροῦντες 1x phorountes Matthew 11:8
φορῶν 1x phorōn John 19:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 15:49
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 15:49
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Romans 13:4
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular 1x James 2:3
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Matthew 11:8
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x John 19:5
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Interpret what is worn according to context. Clothing can signal mockery, wealth, office, or future identity, but it never provides a reliable measure of a person's worth before God.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that Romans 13:4 makes every use of state force righteous. The authority is described as God's servant for good and remains accountable to that purpose.
- Do not claim that fine clothing proves divine favor or leadership fitness. James 2 condemns congregational honor assigned on that basis.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to wear
Source Gloss
to wear
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
6 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 11:8 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
φοροῦντες forountev
I carry, wear
Read verse John 19:5 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
φορῶν forwn
I carry, wear
Read verse Romans 13:4 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
φορεῖ· forei
I carry, wear
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:49 Verb First Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐφορέσαμεν eforesamen
I carry, wear
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:49 Verb First Person Plural Future Active Indicative
φορέσομεν foresomen
I carry, wear
Read verse James 2:3 Verb Present Active Participle Accusative Singular Masculine
φοροῦντα forounta
I carry, wear
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 4 aorist 1 future 1
Voice
active 6
Mood
indicative 3 participle 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 11:8 φοροῦντες present active participle participle John 19:5 φορῶν present active participle participle Romans 13:4 φορεῖ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 15:49 ἐφορέσαμεν aorist active indicative completed 1 Corinthians 15:49 φορέσομεν future active indicative prospective James 2:3 φοροῦντα present active participle participle
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
φορέω is built from this root:
For the Preacher and Teacher
What a person wears can signal status, office, shame, or hope, but appearance does not establish ultimate identity. In John 19, soldiers dress Jesus to mock Him, and Pilate displays Him before the crowd. The imposed clothing lies about Him and yet ironically points toward the kingship John has proclaimed. James shows the opposite congregational failure: people see expensive clothes and assign honor, then dishonor the poor.
Paul turns the verb toward resurrection, promising that those who bear Adam's mortal image will bear the image of the heavenly man. Preaching should lead the church away from appearance-based judgment, toward reverence for the crucified King, responsible evaluation of authority, and hope in bodily resurrection.
Anchor passage
John.19.5
Doctrinal connections
- John 19:1-16 - Jesus displayed as mocked King
- James 2:1-13 - clothing, favoritism, and the poor
- Romans 13:1-7 - authority as accountable service
- 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 - resurrection body and heavenly image
The verb often suggests wearing or bearing something over time. It can apply to clothing, weapons, or an image, so the object is essential to interpretation.
From Old to New Testament
Royal garments, shame, and restored glory run through Scripture. John's mocked King and Paul's resurrection image bring those themes into focus without making every act of wearing symbolic.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain