Bible Dictionaries
Please, Pleasing, Well-Pleasing, Pleasure

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies (a) "to be pleasing to, be acceptable to," Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:22; Acts 6:5; Romans 8:8; 15:2; 1 Corinthians 7:32-34; Galatians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; 4:1 (where the preceding kai, "and," is epexegetical, "even," explaining the "walking," i.e., Christian manner of life, as "pleasing" God; in Genesis 5:22 , where the Hebrew has "Enoch walked with God," the Sept. has "Enoch pleased God;" cp. Micah 6:8; Hebrews 11:5 ); 2 Timothy 2:4; (b) "to endeavor to please," and so, "to render service," doing so evilly in one's own interests, Romans 15:1 , which Christ did not, Romans 15:3; or unselfishly, 1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Thessalonians 2:4 . This sense of the word is illustrated by Moulton and Milligan (Vocab.) from numerous inscriptions, especially describing "those who have proved themselves of use to the commonwealth."

signifies "to be well-pleasing" (eu, "well," and a form akin to No. 1); in the Active Voice, Hebrews 11:5 , RV, "he had been "well-pleasing" (unto God)," AV, "he pleased;" so Hebrews 11:6; in the Passive Voice, Hebrews 13:16 .

signifies (a) "to be well pleased, to think it good" [eu, "well," and dokeo, see Note (1) below], not merely an understanding of what is right and good as in dokeo, but stressing the willingness and freedom of an intention or resolve regarding what is good, e.g., Luke 12:32 , "it is (your Father's) good pleasure;" so Romans 15:26,27 , RV; 1 Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 1:15; Colossians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 2:8 , RV, "we were well pleased" (AV, "we were willing"); this meaning is frequently found in the papyri in legal documents; (b) "to be well pleased with," or "take pleasure in," e.g., Matthew 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; 1 Corinthians 10:5; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 10:6,8,38; 2 Peter 1:17 .

"to will, wish, desire," is translated "it pleased (Him)" in 1 Corinthians 12:18; 15:38 , RV. See DESIRE , B, No. 6.

"to live riotously," is translated "giveth herself to pleasure" in 1 Timothy 5:6 , RV (AV, "liveth in pleasure"); "taken your pleasure" in James 5:5 , AV, "been wanton."

Notes: (1) In Acts 15:22 , AV, dokeo, "to seem good to" (RV), is translated "it pleased" (in some mss., ver. 34); in Hebrews 12:10 , AV, "(after their own) pleasure," RV, "(as) seemed good (to them)." (2) For suneudokeo, rendered "have pleasure in" in Romans 1:32 , AV, see CONSENT , No. 6. (3) For truphao, rendered "lived in pleasure" in James 5:5 AV, see DELICATELY.

denotes "pleasing, agreeable," John 8:29 , RV, "(the things that are) pleasing," AV, "(those things that) please;" AV and RV in 1 John 3:22; in Acts 6:2 , "fit" (RV marg., "pleasing"); Acts 12:3 , "it pleased," lit., "it was pleasing." See FIT.

eu, "well," and No. 1, is translated "well-pleasing" in the RV except in Romans 12:1,2 (see marg., however). See ACCEPT , B, No. 4.

a "pleasing," a giving pleasure, Colossians 1:10 , of the purpose Godward of a walk worthy of the Lord (cp. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ). It was used frequently in a bad sense in classical writers. Moulton and Milligan illustrate from the papyri its use in a favorable sense, and Deissmann (Bible Studies) from an inscription. In the Sept., Proverbs 31:30 .