Meaning
signifies (a) "to be pleasing to, be acceptable to," Mat 14:6, Mar 6:22, Act 6:5, Rom 8:8, Rom 15:2, 1Co 1:7-34, Gal 1:10, 1Th 2:15, 1Th 4:1 (where the preceding kai, "and," is epexegetical, "even," explaining the "walking," i.e., Christian manner of life, as "pleasing" God; in Gen 5:22, where the Hebrew has "Enoch walked with God," the Sept. has "Enoch pleased God;" cp. Mic 6:8, Heb 11:5); 2Ti 2:4; (b) "to endeavor to please," and so, "to render service," doing so evilly in one's own interests, Rom 15:1, which Christ did not, Rom 15:3; or unselfishly, 1Co 10:33, 1Th 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, Heb 11:5, RV, "he had been "well-pleasing" (unto God)," AV, "he pleased;" so Heb 11:6; in the Passive Voice, Heb 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., Luk 12:32, "it is (your Father's) good pleasure;" so Rom 1:15-27, RV; 1Co 1:21, Gal 1:15, Col 1:19, 1Th 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., Mat 3:17, Mat 12:18, Mat 17:5, 1Co 10:5, 2Co 12:10, 2Th 2:12, Heb 10:6, Heb 10:8, Heb 10:38, 2Pe 1:17.
"to will, wish, desire," is translated "it pleased (Him)" in 1Co 12:18, 1Co 15:38, RV. See DESIRE, B, No. 6.
"to live riotously," is translated "giveth herself to pleasure" in 1Ti 5:6, RV (AV, "liveth in pleasure"); "taken your pleasure" in Jam 5:5, AV, "been wanton."
Notes: (1) In Act 15:22, AV, dokeo, "to seem good to" (RV), is translated "it pleased" (in some mss., Act 15:34); in Heb 12:10, AV, "(after their own) pleasure," RV, "(as) seemed good (to them)." (2) For suneudokeo, rendered "have pleasure in" in Rom 1:32, AV, see CONSENT, No. 6. (3) For truphao, rendered "lived in pleasure" in Jam 5:5 AV, see DELICATELY.
denotes "pleasing, agreeable," Joh 8:29, RV, "(the things that are) pleasing," AV, "(those things that) please;" AV and RV in 1Jo 3:22; in Act 6:2, "fit" (RV marg., "pleasing"); Act 12:3, "it pleased," lit., "it was pleasing." See FIT.
eu, "well," and No. 1, is translated "well-pleasing" in the RV except in Rom 1:12-2 (see marg., however). See ACCEPT, B, No. 4.
a "pleasing," a giving pleasure, Col 1:10, of the purpose Godward of a walk worthy of the Lord (cp. 1Th 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., Pro 31:30.
