Bible Dictionaries
Earnest, Earnestness, Earnestly

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

akin to speudo, "to hasten," denotes "haste," Mark 6:25; Luke 1:39; hence, "earnestness," 2 Corinthians 8:7 , RV, for AV, "diligence," and ver. 8, for AV, "forwardness;" in 2 Corinthians 7:12 , "earnest care," for AV, "care;" in 2 Corinthians 8:16 , "earnest care." See BUSINESS , CARE , CAREFULNESS , DILIGENCE , FORWARDNESS , HASTE.

akin to A, denotes "active, diligent, earnest," 2 Corinthians 8:22 RV, "earnest," for AV, "diligent;" in the latter part of the verse the comparative degree, spoudaioteros, is used, RV, "more earnest," for AV, "more diligent;" in ver. 17, RV, in the superlative sense, "very earnest," for AV, "more forward." See DILIGENT , FORWARD.

"earnestly" (ek, "out," teino, "to stretch;" Eng., "tension," etc.), is used in Acts 12:5 , "earnestly," RV, for AV, "without ceasing" (some mss. have the adjective ektenes, "earnest"); in 1 Peter 1:22 , "fervently." The idea suggested is that of not relaxing in effort, or acting in a right spirit. See FERVENTLY.

the comparative degree of No. 1, used as an adverb in this neuter form, denotes "more earnestly, fervently," Luke 22:44 .

akin to B, signifies "with haste," or "with zeal, earnestly," Luke 7:4 , RV, "earnestly," for AV, "instantly;" in 2 Timothy 1:17 (RV); Titus 3:13 , "diligently;" in Philippians 2:28 , the comparative spoudaioteros, RV, "the more diligently," AV, "the more carefully." See CAREFULLY , DILIGENTLY , INSTANTLY.

lit., "in earnestness," cp. C, No. 1, is translated "earnestly" in Acts 26:7 , RV, for AV, "instantly." See INSTANTLY.

Notes: (1) For the phrase "earnest expectation," Romans 8:19; Philippians 1:20 , see EXPECTATION. (2) In 1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:1,39 , zeloo, "to be zealous about," is translated "desire earnestly." See DESIRE. (3) In 2 Peter 3:12 , speudo is translated "earnestly desiring," for AV, "hasting unto." See HASTEN. (4) In Jude 1:3 , epagonizo, "to contend earnestly," is so translated. (5) In James 5:17 the dative case of the noun proseuche is translated "earnestly" (AV), in connection with the corresponding verb, lit., "he prayed with prayer" (RV, "fervently"), implying persevering continuance in prayer with fervor. Cp., e.g., Psalm 40:1 , lit., "in waiting I waited." See FERVENT. (6) Atenizo, akin to C, No. 1, "to fix the eyes upon, gaze upon," is translated "earnestly looked" in Luke 22:56 , AV (RV, "looking steadfastly"); in Acts 3:12 , AV, "look ye earnestly," RV, "fasten ye your eyes on;" in Acts 23:1 , AV, "earnestly beholding," RV, "looking steadfastly on." (7) In Hebrews 2:1 , prosecho, "to give heed," is used with the adverb perissoteros, "more abundantly," to signify "to give the more earnest heed;" lit., "to give heed more exceedingly." For the verb see ATTEND , GIVE , No. 16, HEED, REGARD.