Lexical Summary areskia: Pleasing, desire to please Original Word: ἀρέσκεια Strong's Exhaustive Concordance desire to pleaseFrom a derivative of aresko; complaisance -- pleasing. see GREEK aresko HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 699 areskeía – the effort to fully and properly please (used only in Col 1:10). See 700 (areskō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom areskó Definition a desire to please, pleasing NASB Translation please (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 699: ἀρεσκείαἀρεσκεία (T WH ἀρεσκια (see Iota)), ἀρεσκειας, ἡ (from ἀρεσκεύω to be complaisant; hence, not to be written (with R G L Tr) ἀρεσκεία (cf. Chandler § 99; Winers Grammar, § 6, 1 g.; Buttmann, 12 (11))), desire to please: περιπατεῖν ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν, to please him in all things, Colossians 1:10; (of the desire to please God, in Philo, opif. § 50; de profug. § 17; de victim. § 3 at the end In native Greek writings commonly in a bad sense: Theophrastus, char. 3 (5); Polybius 31, 26, 5; Diodorus 13, 53; others; (cf. Lightfoot on Colossians, the passage cited)). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope Strong’s Greek 699 denotes the orientation of a life aimed at “pleasing” another. In its single New Testament appearance (Colossians 1:10) the object of that pleasure is explicitly the Lord. The term therefore concentrates the idea of deliberate, comprehensive God-pleasing in motive, thought, and deed. Biblical Usage Colossians 1:9–10 forms part of Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God”. 1. The phrase “please Him in every way” sets the breadth of the obligation—nothing in the disciple’s walk is outside the sphere of divine pleasure. Theological Significance God-pleasing is not presented as a legalistic target but as the inevitable outcome of regeneration (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:1; Romans 12:1–2). Justification grounds the believer’s acceptance; sanctification expresses it by pursuing what delights the Father (Ephesians 5:8–10). The Spirit supplies both desire and power (Philippians 2:13), ensuring that “in every way” is attainable, not idealistic. Historical Background In the Greco-Roman milieu, loyalty to patrons—or appeasing capricious deities—was a social necessity. Paul redirects that cultural impulse toward the one true God, rooting it in covenantal relationship rather than calculated favor-seeking. The Jewish concept of “walking” (halakha) underlies the exhortation, merging Old Testament imagery of a life patterned after divine instruction with the Christ-centered ethic of the New Covenant. Intertextual Connections and Related Concepts • areskō (“to please”) – Romans 15:3; Galatians 1:10 The cluster of terms frames a consistent biblical theme: authentic faith seeks God’s approval, not human applause. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Discipleship curricula should evaluate growth by the Colossians 1:10 grid: knowledge of God’s will, fruitfulness, spiritual increase. Practical Application for Believers Today • Daily prayer: ask specifically for wisdom that leads to actions God finds pleasing. In sum, Strong’s 699 portrays the comprehensive ambition of the redeemed heart—to align every aspect of life with what delights the Lord, thereby displaying the beauty of the gospel before a watching world. Forms and Transliterations αρέσκειαι αρέσκειαν ἀρεσκείαν αρεσκιαν ἀρεσκίαν areskeian areskeíanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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