Vine New Testament Dictionary :: Desire (Noun and Verb), Desirous

"a desire, craving, longing, mostly of evil desires," frequently translated "lust," is used in the following, of good "desires:" of the Lord's "wish" concerning the last Passover, Luk 22:15; of Paul's "desire" to be with Christ, Phi 1:23; of his "desire" to see the saints at Thessalonica again, 1Th 2:17.

With regard to evil "desires," in Col 3:5 the RV has "desire," for the AV, "concupiscence;" in 1Th 4:5, RV, "lust," for AV, "concupiscence;" there the preceding word pathos is translated "passion," RV, for AV, "lust" (see AFFECTION); also in Col 3:5 pathos and epithumia are associated, RV, "passion," for AV, "inordinate affection." Epithumia is combined with pathema, in Gal 5:24; for the AV, "affections and lusts," the RV has "passions, and the lusts thereof." Epithumia is the more comprehensive term, including all manner of "lusts and desires;" pathema denotes suffering; in the passage in Gal. (l.c.) the sufferings are those produced by yielding to the flesh; pathos points more to the evil state from which "lusts" spring. Cp. orexis, "lust," Rom 1:27. See CONCUPISCENCE, LUST, and Trench, Syn. lxxxvii.

lit., "good pleasure" (eu, "well," dokeo, "to seem"), implies a gracious purpose, a good object being in view, with the idea of a resolve, showing the willingness with which the resolve is made. It is often translated "good pleasure," e.g., Eph 1:1,9, Phi 2:13; in Phi 1:15, "good will;" in Rom 10:1, "desire," (marg., "good pleasure"); in 2Th 1:11, RV, "desire," AV and RV, marg., "good pleasure."

It is used of God in Mat 11:26 ("well pleasing," RV, for AV, "seemed good"); Luk 2:14, RV, "men in whom He is well pleased," lit., "men of good plearure" (the construction is objective); Luk 10:21, Eph 1:1,9, Phi 2:13. See PLEASURE, SEEM, WILL.

"an earnest desire, a longing for" (epi, "upon," intensive, potheo, "to desire"), is found in 2Co 1:7,11, AV, "earnest desire," and "vehement desire;" RV, "longing" in both places. See LONGING.

with the same meaning as No. 3, is used in Rom 15:23, RV, "longing," AV, "great desire." Cp. epipothetos, Phi 4:1, "longed for," and epipotheo, "to long for" [see B, Note (4)]. See LONGING.

denotes "a will, that which is willed" (akin to B, No. 6). It is rendered "desires," in Eph 2:3. See PLEASURE, WILL.

Note: In 1Pe 4:3, RV, boulema is rendered "desire." See WILL.

"to deem worthy," is translated "desire" in Act 28:22, where a suitable rendering would be "We think it meet (or good) to hear of thee;" so in Act 15:38. See THINK.

"to desire earnestly" (as with A, No. 1), stresses the inward impulse rather than the object desired. It is translated "to desire" in Luk 16:21, Luk 17:22, Luk 22:15, 1Ti 3:1, Heb 6:11, 1Pe 1:12, Rev 9:6. See COVET.

in Luk 7:36 is translated "desired;" in Luk 14:32, RV, "asketh," for AV, "desireth;" so in Joh 12:21, Act 16:39, Act 18:20, Act 23:20; in Act 23:18 "asked," for AV, "prayed." See ASK.

"to have a strong affection for, a yearning after," is found in 1Th 2:8, "being affectionately desirous of you." It is probably derived from a root indicating rememberance.

"to reach or stretch out," is used only in the Middle Voice, signifying the mental effort of stretching oneself out for a thing, of longing after it, with stress upon the object desired (cp. No. 2); it is translated "desire" in Heb 11:16; in 1Ti 3:1, RV, "seeketh," for AV, "desireth;" in 1Ti 6:10, RV, "reached after," for AV, "coveted after." In Heb 11:16, a suitable rendering would be "reach after." See COVET, SEEK. Cp. orexis, lust, Rom 1:27.

"to will, to wish," implying volition and purpose, frequently a determination, is most usually rendered "to will." It is translated "to desire" in the RV of the following: Mat 9:13, Mat 12:7, Mar 6:19, Luk 10:29, Luk 14:28, Luk 23:20, Act 24:27, Act 25:9, Gal 4:17, 1Ti 5:11, Heb 12:17, Heb 13:18. See DISPOSED, FORWARD, INTEND, LIST, LOVE, MEAN, PLEASED, RATHER, VOLUNTARY, WILL.

"to wish, to will deliberately," expresses more strongly than thelo (No. 6) the deliberate exercise of the will; it is translated "to desire" in the RV of the following: Act 22:30, Act 23:38, Act 27:43, Act 28:18, 1Ti 2:8, 1Ti 5:14, 1Ti 6:9, Jud 1:5. See DISPOSED, INTEND, LIST, MINDED, WILLING, WISH, WOULD.

"to have a zeal for, to be zealous towards," whether in a good or evil sense, the former in 1Co 14:1, concerning spiritual gifts RV, "desire earnestly," AV, "desire;" in an evil sense, in Jam 4:2, RV, "covet," for AV, "desire to have."

"to ask," is rendered "to desire" in AV, e.g., in Mat 20:20, Luk 23:25 [RV, always "to ask (for)"].

is translated "earnestly desiring" in 2Pe 3:12, RV. See HASTE.

Note: The following are translated by the verb "to desire" in the AV. (1) Eperotao, No. 3, with epi, intensive, "to ask, interrogate, inquire of, consult, or to demand of a person;" in Mat 16:1, RV, "asked." See ASK. (2) Zeteo, "to seek;" in Mat 1:12,47, RV, "seeking;" in Luk 9:9, RV, "sought." See ENDEAVOR, GO, Note (2), (a), INQUIRE, REQUIRE, SEEK. (3) Epizeteo, "to seek earnestly" (No. 2, with epi, intensive), in Act 13:7, RV, "sought;" in Phi 4:17, RV, "seek for" (twice). See INQUIRE, SEEK. (4) Epipotheo, "to long after, to lust;" in 2Co 5:2, RV, "longing;" in 1Th 3:6, 2Ti 1:4, RV, "longing;" in 1Pe 2:2, RV, "long for." See A, Nos. 3,4. See LONG, LUST. (5) Exaiteomai, intensive of No. 9, occurs in Luk 22:31. (6) For parakaleo, see BESEECH, EXHORT, INTREAT. (7) For "desirous of vain glory," see VAINGLORY.