Bible Dictionaries
Fain

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to will deliberately, wish, desire, be minded," implying the deliberate exercise of volition (contrast No. 3), is translated "would fain" in Philemon 1:13 (in the best mss.). See DISPOSED.

"to set one's heart upon, desire," is translated "would fain" in Luke 15:16 , of the Prodigal Son. See DESIRE.

"to wish, to design to do anything," expresses the impulse of the will rather than the intention (see No. 1); the RV translates it "would fain" in Luke 13:31 , of Herod's desire to kill Christ, AV, "will (kill);" in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 , of the desire of the missionaries to return to the church in Thessalonica. See DISPOSED.

Note: In Acts 26:28 , in Agrippa's statement to Paul, the RV rendering is "with but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian." The lit. rendering is "with (or in) little (labor or time) thou art persuading me so as to make (me) a Christian." There is no verb for "wouldest" in the original, but it brings out the sense.