Bible Dictionaries
Desire, Desirous

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"a desire, craving, longing, mostly of evil desires," frequently translated "lust," is used in the following, of good "desires:" of the Lord's "wish" concerning the last Passover, Luke 22:15; of Paul's "desire" to be with Christ, Philippians 1:23; of his "desire" to see the saints at Thessalonica again, 1 Thessalonians 2:17 .

With regard to evil "desires," in Colossians 3:5 the RV has "desire," for the AV, "concupiscence;" in 1 Thessalonians 4:5 , RV, "lust," for AV, "concupiscence;" there the preceding word pathos is translated "passion," RV, for AV, "lust" (see AFFECTION); also in Colossians 3:5 pathos and epithumia are associated, RV , "passion," for AV, "inordinate affection." Epithumia is combined with pathema, in Galatians 5:24; for the AV, "affections and lusts," the RV has "passions, and the lusts thereof." Epithumia is the more comprehensive term, including all manner of "lusts and desires;" pathema denotes suffering; in the passage in Gal. (l.c.) the sufferings are those produced by yielding to the flesh; pathos points more to the evil state from which "lusts" spring. Cp. orexis, "lust," Romans 1:27 . See CONCUPISCENCE , LUST , and Trench, Syn. lxxxvii.

lit., "good pleasure" (eu, "well," dokeo, "to seem"), implies a gracious purpose, a good object being in view, with the idea of a resolve, showing the willingness with which the resolve is made. It is often translated "good pleasure," e.g., Ephesians 1:5,9; Philippians 2:13; in Philippians 1:15 , "good will;" in Romans 10:1 , "desire," (marg., "good pleasure"); in 2 Thessalonians 1:11 , RV, "desire," AV and RV, marg., "good pleasure."

It is used of God in Matthew 11:26 ("well pleasing," RV, for AV, "seemed good"); Luke 2:14 , RV, "men in whom He is well pleased," lit., "men of good plearure" (the construction is objective); Luke 10:21; Ephesians 1:5,9; Philippians 2:13 . See PLEASURE , SEEM , WILL.

"an earnest desire, a longing for" (epi, "upon," intensive, potheo, "to desire"), is found in 2 Corinthians 7:7,11 , AV, "earnest desire," and "vehement desire;" RV, "longing" in both places. See LONGING.

with the same meaning as No. 3, is used in Romans 15:23 , RV, "longing," AV, "great desire." Cp. epipothetos, Philippians 4:1 , "longed for," and epipotheo, "to long for" [see B, Note (4)]. See LONGING.

denotes "a will, that which is willed" (akin to B, No. 6). It is rendered "desires," in Ephesians 2:3 . See PLEASURE , WILL.

Note: In 1 Peter 4:3 , RV, boulema is rendered "desire." See WILL.

"to deem worthy," is translated "desire" in Acts 28:22 , where a suitable rendering would be "We think it meet (or good) to hear of thee;" so in Acts 15:38 . See THINK.

"to desire earnestly" (as with A, No. 1), stresses the inward impulse rather than the object desired. It is translated "to desire" in Luke 16:21; 17:22; 22:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 6:11; 1 Peter 1:12; Revelation 9:6 . See COVET.

in Luke 7:36 is translated "desired;" in Luke 14:32 , RV, "asketh," for AV, "desireth;" so in John 12:21; Acts 16:39; 18:20; 23:20; in ver. 18 "asked," for AV, "prayed." See ASK.

"to have a strong affection for, a yearning after," is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 , "being affectionately desirous of you." It is probably derived from a root indicating rememberance.

"to reach or stretch out," is used only in the Middle Voice, signifying the mental effort of stretching oneself out for a thing, of longing after it, with stress upon the object desired (cp. No. 2); it is translated "desire" in Hebrews 11:16; in 1 Timothy 3:1 , RV, "seeketh," for AV, "desireth;" in 1 Timothy 6:10 , RV, "reached after," for AV, "coveted after." In Hebrews 11:16 , a suitable rendering would be "reach after." See COVET , SEEK. Cp. orexis, lust, Romans 1:27 .

"to will, to wish," implying volition and purpose, frequently a determination, is most usually rendered "to will." It is translated "to desire" in the RV of the following: Matthew 9:13; 12:7; Mark 6:19; Luke 10:29; 14:28; 23:20; Acts 24:27; 25:9; Galatians 4:17; 1 Timothy 5:11; Hebrews 12:17; 13:18 . See DISPOSED , FORWARD , INTEND , LIST , LOVE , MEAN , PLEASED, RATHER , VOLUNTARY , WILL.

"to wish, to will deliberately," expresses more strongly than thelo (No. 6) the deliberate exercise of the will; it is translated "to desire" in the RV of the following: Acts 22:30; 23:38; 27:43; 28:18; 1 Timothy 2:8; 5:14; 6:9; Jude 1:5 . See DISPOSED , INTEND , LIST , MINDED , WILLING , WISH , WOULD.

"to have a zeal for, to be zealous towards," whether in a good or evil sense, the former in 1 Corinthians 14:1 , concerning spiritual gifts RV, "desire earnestly," AV, "desire;" in an evil sense, in James 4:2 , RV, "covet," for AV, "desire to have."

"to ask," is rendered "to desire" in AV, e.g., in Matthew 20:20; Luke 23:25 [RV, always "to ask (for)"].

is translated "earnestly desiring" in 2 Peter 3:12 , RV. See HASTE.

Note: The following are translated by the verb "to desire" in the AV. (1) Eperotao, No. 3, with epi, intensive, "to ask, interrogate, inquire of, consult, or to demand of a person;" in Matthew 16:1 , RV, "asked." See ASK. (2) Zeteo, "to seek;" in Matthew 12:46,47 , RV, "seeking;" in Luke 9:9 , RV, "sought." See ENDEAVOR , GO , Note (2), (a), INQUIRE , REQUIRE , SEEK. (3) Epizeteo, "to seek earnestly" (No. 2, with epi, intensive), in Acts 13:7 , RV, "sought;" in Philippians 4:17 , RV, "seek for" (twice). See INQUIRE , SEEK. (4) Epipotheo, "to long after, to lust;" in 2 Corinthians 5:2 , RV, "longing;" in 1 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Timothy 1:4 , RV, "longing;" in 1 Peter 2:2 , RV, "long for." See A, Nos. 3,4. See LONG , LUST. (5) Exaiteomai, intensive of No. 9, occurs in Luke 22:31 . (6) For parakaleo, see BESEECH , EXHORT , INTREAT. (7) For "desirous of vain glory," see VAINGLORY.