STRONGS NT 5159: τροφοφορέωτροφοφορέω, τροφοφόρω: 1 aorist ἐτροφοφόρησα; (τροφός and φέρω); to bear like a nurse or mother, i. e. to take the most anxious and tender care of: τινα, Acts 13:18 G L T Tr marginal reading (R. V. marginal reading bear as a nursing-father) (Deuteronomy 1:31, the Alex. manuscript, etc.; 2 Macc. 7:27; Macarius, hom. 46, 3 and other ecclesiastical writings); see τροποφορέω.

Strong’s 5159 embodies the picture of carrying or nurturing someone whose strength is insufficient for the journey. The term evokes the tender, active care of a nurse or parent, yet can also shade into the idea of patiently putting up with immature behavior. Because both ideas—nurture and forbearance—are implied, the word intertwines divine compassion with divine longsuffering.

Old Testament Background

Paul’s mention in Acts 13:18 deliberately pulls forward several wilderness texts in which the LORD “carried” Israel:

• Deuteronomy 1:31 – “And in the wilderness you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
• Exodus 19:4 – “…how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”
• Numbers 11:12 – “…Why do You tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant…?”
• Psalm 28:9 – “…shepherd them and carry them forever.”

These passages establish God as both patient guardian and gentle bearer of His covenant people. The wilderness generation often provoked divine wrath, yet God preserved the nation, guided them, fed them, and ultimately brought them to the border of Canaan. Strong’s 5159 therefore gathers up centuries of redemptive history into a single verb: God both puts up with and carries His own.

New Testament Usage

Acts 13:18 is the only New Testament occurrence: “For about forty years He endured their conduct in the wilderness” (Berean Standard Bible). Speaking in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, Paul compresses Israel’s national account to demonstrate that the same gracious God who bore with Israel has now fulfilled His promises in Jesus Christ.

Textual Considerations

Some early manuscripts read a near-homophonous verb meaning “he bore with their ways,” while others read the verb reflected by Strong’s 5159, “he carried/nurtured them.” Either reading is doctrinally sound; both highlight God’s covenant faithfulness. The dual attestation also explains why many English translations place a marginal note such as “cared for them like a nurse.” The church’s confidence does not rest on the exact nuance but on the consistent portrait of God’s grace.

Theological Significance

1. Divine Fatherhood: The word underscores that Israel’s survival rested not on their own resilience but on God’s sustaining care (Isaiah 46:3–4).
2. Divine Forbearance: The wilderness wanderings typify humanity’s sinfulness met by God’s patience (Romans 3:25–26).
3. Christological Fulfillment: Paul’s sermon moves from God’s past nurture to the sending of the Savior, Jesus (Acts 13:23). The same gracious God who carried Israel now offers salvation through His Son.
4. Ecclesiological Paradigm: What God did for Israel prefigures His ongoing nurture of the church (Ephesians 5:29; Jude 1:24).

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Shepherding Model: Leaders are to “carry” the flock, not merely tolerate it. Paul himself echoes the metaphor: “We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7).
• Patience in Discipleship: Spiritual growth often resembles the wilderness journey—slow, uneven, prone to complaint. The verb challenges ministers to combine tender provision with steady forbearance.
• Assurance for Believers: God’s people may stumble, yet the One who once bore Israel continues to bear His children until they reach the promised rest (Hebrews 4:9–11).

Historical Commentary

Chrysostom notes that Paul wished his hearers to “admire the loving-kindness of God, Who, though so often insulted, not only forbare but even added benefits.” Later exegetes (e.g., Calvin) emphasize that the verse demolishes works-righteousness by portraying salvation history as sustained entirely by divine mercy.

Doctrinal Integration

The verb stands at the junction of providence and perseverance. God’s providential “carrying” guarantees the believer’s perseverance: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6). Thus Strong’s 5159 enriches the doctrine of eternal security without obscuring human responsibility to trust and obey.

Homiletical Applications

1. “Carried Through the Desert” – A sermon tracing how God carries His people from conversion to glorification.
2. “The Ministry of Forbearance” – Exhorting the church to reflect God’s patience toward immature believers.
3. “From Wilderness to Cross” – Showing that the God who nurtured Israel culminated His care by sending the True Bread from heaven (John 6:32–35).

Strong’s 5159 may appear only once, yet it opens a vista on the entire account of redemption: a holy God who lovingly shoulders His people’s burdens until they arrive safely home.