Topical Bible: Desirous

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In the context of the Bible, the term "desirous" refers to having a strong wish or longing for something. This concept is often explored in Scripture, where desires can be either righteous or sinful, depending on their nature and object. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on the nature of desires, guiding believers in aligning their desires with God's will.

Righteous Desires

Righteous desires are those that align with God's will and purpose. The Bible encourages believers to cultivate desires that are pleasing to God. In Psalm 37:4 , it is written, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." This verse suggests that when one's delight is in the Lord, their desires will naturally align with His will, leading to fulfillment.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, expresses a righteous desire for the spiritual growth and well-being of others. Philippians 1:23 states, "I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." Here, Paul's desire to be with Christ reflects a longing for eternal communion with the Lord, a desire that is commendable and rooted in faith.

Sinful Desires

Conversely, the Bible warns against sinful desires, which are those that lead one away from God's commandments and into sin. James 1:14-15 provides insight into the nature of sinful desires: "But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." This passage illustrates the progression from desire to sin, emphasizing the need for vigilance in guarding one's heart.

The Apostle John also warns against worldly desires in 1 John 2:16 : "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world." Here, John categorizes sinful desires as those that are rooted in the flesh and the material world, contrasting them with the spiritual desires that come from God.

Desires and the Heart

The Bible frequently associates desires with the condition of the heart. Proverbs 4:23 advises, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." This verse underscores the importance of maintaining a pure heart, as it is the source of one's desires and actions.

Jesus, in His teachings, emphasizes the significance of the heart in relation to desires. In Matthew 5:28 , He states, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." This teaching highlights the seriousness of sinful desires and the need for inner purity.

Transformation of Desires

The transformation of desires is a key aspect of the Christian life. Romans 12:2 encourages believers, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Through the renewal of the mind, believers can align their desires with God's will, leading to a life that is pleasing to Him.

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in transforming desires. Galatians 5:16 instructs, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." By living in accordance with the Spirit, believers can overcome sinful desires and cultivate those that are righteous and God-honoring.

In summary, the Bible provides a comprehensive understanding of desires, distinguishing between those that are righteous and those that are sinful. Believers are called to examine their desires, ensuring they align with God's will and contribute to a life of holiness and devotion.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) Feeling desire; eagerly wishing; solicitous; eager to obtain; covetous.

Greek

2442. himeiromai -- be affectionately desirous.
... 2441, 2442. himeiromai. 2443 . be affectionately desirous. ... Word Origin variant
reading for homeiromai, qv. be affectionately desirous. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2442.htm - 6k

4123. pleonektes -- one desirous of having more
... one desirous of having more. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
pleonektes Phonetic Spelling: (pleh-on-ek'-tace) Short Definition: a covetous ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4123.htm - 7k

441. anthropareskos -- man-pleasing
... man-pleasing. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: anthropareskos Phonetic
Spelling: (anth-ro-par'-es-kos) Short Definition: desirous of pleasing men ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/441.htm - 6k

2755. kenodoxos -- vainglorious
... conceited, boastful. From kenos and doxa; vainly glorifying, ie Self-conceited --
desirous of vain-glory. see GREEK kenos. see GREEK doxa. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2755.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

183. avah -- to incline, desire
... covet, greatly desire, be desirous, long, lust after. A primitive root; to wish
for -- covet, (greatly) desire, be desirous, long, lust (after). 182, 183. ...
/hebrew/183.htm - 6k

189. Evi -- one of five chiefs of Midian
... 2). Evi. Probably from 'avah; desirous; Evi, a Midianitish chief -- Evi. see
HEBREW 'avah. 188, 189. Evi. 190 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/189.htm - 6k

Library

And Now Being Desirous to Catch Simon by a Wile...
... Section 63. And now being desirous to catch Simon by a wile? 63. And now
being desirous to catch Simon by a wile, and Joazar with ...
/.../josephus/the life of flavius josephus/section 63 and now being.htm

After This, Celsus, Desirous of Maintaining that Providence ...
... Chapter LXXVI. After this, Celsus, desirous of maintaining that Providence
created the products of the earth? After this, Celsus ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxvi after this celsus.htm

After This, Being Desirous to Show that it is Nothing Either ...
... Chapter XI. After this, being desirous to show that it is nothing either
wonderful or new which? After this, being desirous to ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xi after this being.htm

The Love of the Studious Mind, that Is, of one Desirous to Know ...
... Book X. Chapter 1."The Love of the Studious Mind, that Is, of One Desirous
to Know, is Not the Love of a Thing Which It Does Not Know. ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 1 the love of the.htm

Argument: the Arrival of Octavius at Rome During the Time of the ...
... Both of Them Were Desirous of Going to the Marine Baths of Ostia, with
C??cilius Associated with Them as a Companion of Minucius. ...
/.../felix/the octavius of minucius felix/chapter ii argument the arrival of.htm

Christ's Message to Herod
... to suggest a trick. These men came to Christ desirous of posing as
counterworking Herod's intention to slay Him. Our Lord's answer ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/christs message to herod.htm

It is not Correctly Said in the Catechism, that "God is Angry with ...
... Nearly two months ago, a certain minister of God's word, came to me, desirous, as
he declared, to confer with me about the opinion which I held concerning the ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article xxxi xi it is.htm

The Third Continental Journey.
... Isaac Lowndes of the London Missionary Society received us with much affection and
kindness, and his wife and daughter are very desirous to promote our comfort ...
/.../chapter xii the third continental.htm

After the Whole People had Been Freed from all Distress...
... thus with thyself, that God does not deliver us into the hands of our enemies either
because He hates or abandons us, but because He is desirous to make us ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily xiv after the whole.htm

Concerning Bernice's Petition to Florus, to Spare the Jews, but in ...
... one of the eminent men by name, and the multitude in common, that they would not
for a small offense betray their country to those that were desirous to have ...
/.../chapter 15 concerning bernices petition.htm

Thesaurus

Desirous (31 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Feeling desire; eagerly wishing; solicitous; eager
to obtain; covetous. Multi-Version Concordance Desirous (31 Occurrences). ...
/d/desirous.htm - 15k

Ambitious (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Greatly desirous of superiority, power,
honor, office, or distinction. 2. (a.) Strongly desirous...
/a/ambitious.htm - 9k

Ignore (13 Occurrences)
... Mark 8:34 Then calling to Him the crowd and also His disciples, He said to them,
"If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his ...
/i/ignore.htm - 10k

Favour (171 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:27 But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus
as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their ...
/f/favour.htm - 37k

Follower (8 Occurrences)
... Mark 8:34 Then calling to Him the crowd and also His disciples, He said to them,
"If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his ...
/f/follower.htm - 10k

Emulous (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Ambitiously desirous to equal or even to excel another; eager to emulate
or vie with another; desirous of like excellence with another; -- with of; as ...
/e/emulous.htm - 7k

Dainties (14 Occurrences)
... dainties" (Psalm 141:4). The man who sitteth "to eat with a ruler" (Proverbs
23:1-3) is counseled, "If thou be a man given to appetite, be not desirous of his ...
/d/dainties.htm - 12k

Covetous (11 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) Very desirous; eager to obtain; -- used in a good sense. 2. (vt) Inordinately
desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess (esp. ...
/c/covetous.htm - 9k

Acquire (18 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:27 But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus
as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their ...
/a/acquire.htm - 11k

Desist (12 Occurrences)

/d/desist.htm - 9k

Resources

What is a prayer circle? | GotQuestions.org

Is God man-made? Did man create the idea of God? | GotQuestions.org

Does God love me? | GotQuestions.org

Desirous: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Desirous (31 Occurrences)

Mark 8:34
Then calling to Him the crowd and also His disciples, He said to them, "If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his cross, and so be my follower.
(WEY)

Mark 15:15
And Pilate, desirous of contenting the crowd, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, that he might be crucified.
(DBY)

Luke 9:23
And He said to all, "If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his cross day by day, and so be my follower.
(WEY)

Luke 10:29
But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
(DBY)

Luke 13:31
The same hour certain Pharisees came up, saying to him, Get out, and go hence, for Herod is desirous to kill thee.
(DBY)

Luke 14:28
For which of you, desirous of building a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, if he have what is needed to complete it;
(DBY)

Luke 15:16
and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.
(YLT)

Luke 23:8
And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Luke 23:20
Pilate therefore, desirous to release Jesus, again addressed them.
(DBY)

John 16:19
Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
(KJV ASV WBS)

Acts 20:16
For Paul's plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend much time in the province of Asia; since he was very desirous of being in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of the Harvest Festival.
(WEY)

Acts 22:30
And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty of the matter why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.
(DBY)

Acts 24:27
But after the lapse of fully two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and being desirous of gratifying the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.
(WEY DBY)

Acts 25:9
But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?
(DBY)

Acts 27:43
But the centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim, casting themselves first into the sea, to get out on land;
(DBY)

1 Corinthians 14:12
Thus ye also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.
(DBY YLT)

2 Corinthians 11:32
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
(KJV WBS)

Galatians 4:21
Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?
(DBY)

Galatians 5:26
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
(KJV WBS)

1 Thessalonians 2:8
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
(KJV ASV WBS YLT RSV)

Philemon 1:13
whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;
(DBY)

Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us: for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desirous to walk rightly.
(DBY)

Genesis 31:30
And now, thou hast certainly gone, because thou hast been very desirous for the house of thy father; why hast thou stolen my gods?'
(YLT)

Joshua 17:12
And the sons of Manasseh have not been able to occupy these cities, and the Canaanite is desirous to dwell in this land,
(YLT)

Judges 1:27
And Manasseh hath not occupied Beth-Shean and its towns, and Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Iblaim and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, and the Canaanite is desirous to dwell in that land;
(YLT)

Judges 1:35
and the Amorite is desirous to dwell in mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, and the hand of the house of Joseph is heavy, and they become tributary;
(YLT)

Judges 13:23
And his wife saith to him, 'If Jehovah were desirous to put us to death, He had not received from our hands burnt-offering and present, nor shewed us all these things, nor as 'at this' time caused us to hear 'anything' like this.'
(YLT)

2 Samuel 24:3
And Joab saith unto the king, 'Yea, Jehovah thy God doth add unto the people, as they are, a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing; and my lord the king, why is he desirous of this thing?'
(YLT)

1 Kings 13:33
After this thing Jeroboam hath not turned from his evil way, and turneth back, and maketh of the extremities of the people priests of high places; he who is desirous he consecrateth his hand, and he is of the priests of the high places.
(YLT)

Psalms 17:12
His likeness as a lion desirous to tear, As a young lion dwelling in secret places.
(YLT)

Proverbs 23:3
Don't be desirous of his dainties, seeing they are deceitful food.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Desirous

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