Bible Dictionaries
Joy, Joyfulness, Joyfully, Joyous

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"joy, delight" (akin to chairo, "to rejoice"), is found frequently in Matthew and Luke, and especially in John, once in Mark (Mark 4:16 , RV, "joy," AV, "gladness"); it is absent from 1Cor. (though the verb is used three times), but is frequent in 2Cor., where the noun is used five times (for 2 Corinthians 7:4 , RV, see Note below), and the verb eight times, suggestive of the Apostle's relief in comparison with the circumstances of the 1st Epistle; in Colossians 1:11 , AV, "joyfulness," RV, "joy." The word is sometimes used, by metonymy, of the occasion or cause of "joy," Luke 2:10 (lit., "I announce to you a great joy"); in 2 Corinthians 1:15 , in some mss., for charis, "benefit;" Philippians 4:1 , where the readers are called the Apostle's "joy;" so 1 Thessalonians 2:19,20; Hebrews 12:2 , of the object of Christ's "joy;" James 1:2 , where it is connected with falling into trials; perhaps also in Matthew 25:21,23 , where some regard it as signifying, concretely, the circumstances attending cooperation in the authority of the Lord. See also the Note following No. 3.

Note: In Hebrews 12:11 , "joyous" represents the phrase meta, "with," followed by chara, lit., "with joy." So in Hebrews 10:34 , "joyfully;" in 2 Corinthians 7:4 the noun is used with the Middle Voice of huperperisseuo, "to abound more exceedingly," and translated "(I overflow) with joy," RV (AV, "I am exceeding joyful").

"exultation, exuberant joy." Cp. B, No. 3, below. See GLADNESS.

is rendered "joy" in the AV of Acts 2:28 , RV, "gladness," as in 14:17. See GLADNESS.

Note: "Joy" is associated with life, e.g., 1 Thessalonians 3:8,9 . Experiences of sorrow prepare for, and enlarge, the capacity for "joy," e.g., John 16:20; Romans 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 8:2; Hebrews 10:34; James 1:2 . Persecution for Christ's sake enhances "joy," e.g., Matthew 5:11,12; Acts 5:41 . Other sources of "joy" are faith, Romans 15:13; Philippians 1:25; hope, Romans 5:2 (kauchaomai, see B, No. 2); 12:12 (chairo, see B, No. 1); the "joy" of others, Romans 12:15 , which is distinctive of Christian sympathy. Cp. 1 Thessalonians 3:9 . In the OT and the NT God Himself is the ground and object of the believer's "joy," e.g., Psalm 35:9; 43:4; Isaiah 61:10; Luke 1:47; Romans 5:11; Philippians 3:1; 4:4 .

"to rejoice, be glad," is translated "joyfully" in Luke 19:6 , lit., "rejoicing;" "we joyed," 2 Corinthians 7:13; "I joy," Philippians 2:17; "do ye joy," Philippians 2:18; "joying," Colossians 2:5; "we joy," 1 Thessalonians 3:9 . It is contrasted with weeping and sorrow, e.g., in John 16:20,22; Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 7:30 (cp. Psalm 30:5 ). See FAREWELL , GLAD , GREETING , HAIL , REJOICE.

"to boast, glory, exult," is rendered "we joy," in Romans 5:11 , AV (RV, "we rejoice"). It would have been an advantage to translate this word distinctively by the verbs "to glory" or "to exult."

"to exult, rejoice greatly," is translated "with exceeding joy" in 1 Peter 4:13 (Middle Voice), lit., "(ye rejoice, chairo) exulting." Cp. A, No. 2. See GLAD , REJOICE.

"to benefit, profit," in the Middle Voice, "to have profit, derive benefit," is translated "let me have joy" in Philemon 1:20 (RV marg., "help"); the Apostle is doubtless continuing his credit and debit metaphors and using the verb in the sense of "profit."