Definition and Meaning:
Temperance, in a biblical context, refers to self-control, moderation, and restraint in one's actions, desires, and habits. It is a virtue that is highly esteemed in Christian ethics, emphasizing the importance of controlling one's impulses and desires to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Biblical References:
Temperance is frequently mentioned in the New Testament as a fruit of the Spirit and a characteristic of a life transformed by faith in Christ. In Galatians 5:22-23 , the Apostle Paul lists temperance as one of the fruits of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

In 2 Peter 1:5-6 , believers are encouraged to add temperance to their faith: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness."

Theological Significance:
Temperance is seen as an essential aspect of Christian discipleship. It is not merely about abstaining from excess but involves a holistic approach to living a disciplined life. This virtue is integral to spiritual growth and maturity, as it helps believers resist temptation and live in a manner that reflects the character of Christ.

Practical Application:
In practical terms, temperance can be applied to various areas of life, including eating, drinking, speech, and behavior. Christians are called to exercise self-control in their daily lives, avoiding excess and indulgence that can lead to sin. Proverbs 25:28 warns, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."

Historical Context:
In the early church, temperance was a key virtue that distinguished Christians from the surrounding pagan culture, which often celebrated excess and indulgence. The emphasis on self-control was a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life.

Role in Christian Ethics:
Temperance is foundational to Christian ethics, as it underpins the believer's ability to live a life that honors God. It is closely related to other virtues such as humility, patience, and love, and is essential for maintaining healthy relationships and a strong witness to the world.

Challenges and Encouragement:
While temperance can be challenging in a world that often promotes self-indulgence, Christians are encouraged to rely on the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance. Philippians 4:13 offers encouragement: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Believers are reminded that through Christ, they have the power to overcome the desires of the flesh and live a life marked by self-control and discipline.Galatians 5:23
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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2 Peter 1:6
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
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Titus 2:2
That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
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1 Timothy 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
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Titus 1:7
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
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Titus 1:8
But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
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Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
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Titus 2:12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
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1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
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1. (v. t.) Habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence; moderation; as, temperance in eating and drinking; temperance in the indulgence of joy or mirth; specifically, moderation, and sometimes abstinence, in respect to using intoxicating liquors.

2. (v. t.) Moderation of passion; patience; calmness; sedateness.

3. (v. t.) State with regard to heat or cold; temperature.

TEMPERANCE; TEMPERATE

tem'-per-ans; tem'-per-at (egkrateia), (egkrates, nephalios, sophron): the American Standard Revised Version departs from the King James Version and the English Revised Version by translating egkrateia "self-control" (Acts 24:25 Galatians 5:23 2 Peter 1:6 1 Corinthians 9:25), following the English Revised Version margin in several of these passages. This meaning is in accordance with classical usage, Plato applying it to "mastery" not only of self, but of any object denoted by a genitive following. Septuagint applies it to the possession "of strongholds" (2 Maccabees 8:30; 10:15), "of a position" (2 Maccabees 10:17), "of the city" (2 Maccabees 13:13), "of wisdom" (Sirach 6:27). The reflexive meaning of "self-mastery," "self-restraint," is equally well established in the classics and Septuagint. Thus, in the verbal form, it is found in Genesis 43:31, for the self-restraint exercised by Joseph in the presence of his brethren, when they appeared before him as suppliants, and in 1 Samuel 13:12, where Saul professes that he "forced" himself to do what was contrary to his desire. For patristic use of the term, see illustrations in Suicer's Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus, I, 1000;. Clement of Alexandria: "Not abstaining from all things, but using continently such things as one has judged should be used"; "such things as do not seem beyond right reason." Basil: "To avoid excess on both sides, so as neither by luxury to be confused, nor, by becoming sickly, to be disabled from doing what has been commanded." Chrysostom (on 1 Timothy 1:8) applies it to "one mastering passion of tongue, hand and unbridled eyes." Ellicott and Eadie (on Galatians 5:23) quote Diogenes Laertius to the effect that the word refers to "control over the stronger passions." In 1 Corinthians 9:25, Paul illustrates it by the training of an athlete, whose regimen is not only described in the Ars Poetica of Horace (412;), and in Epictetus (quoted in Alford on this passage), but can be learned of the many devotees and admirers of similar pursuits today.

The principle involved is that of the concentration of all man's powers and capabilities upon the one end of doing God's will, in and through whatever calling God appoints, and the renunciation of everything either wholly or to whatever degree necessary, however innocent or useful it may be in its proper place, that interferes with one's highest efficiency in this calling (1 Corinthians 10:31). Not limited to abstinence, it is rather the power and decision to abstain with reference to some fixed end, and the use of the impulses of physical, as servants for the moral, life. It does not refer to any one class of objects that meets us, but to all; to what concerns speech and judgment, as well as to what appeals to sense. It is properly an inner spiritual virtue, working into the outward life, incapable of being counterfeited or replaced by any abstinence limited to that which is external (Augsburg Confession, Articles XXVI, XXVII). When its absence, however, is referred to as sin, the negative is generally more prominent than the positive side of temperance. The reference in Acts 24:25 is to chastity, and in 1 Corinthians 7:9, as the context shows, to the inner side of chastity. In 1 Timothy 3:2, 11 Titus 2:2, the word nephalios has its original meaning as the opposite to "drunken" (see SOBRIETY; DRINK, STRONG). See also the treatises on ethics by Luthardt (both the Compendium and the History), Martensen, Koestlin and Haring on temperance, asceticism, continence.

H. E. Jacobs

1466. egkrateia -- mastery, self-control
... temperance. From egkrates; self-control (especially continence) -- temperance. see
GREEK egkrates. (enkrateia) -- 2 Occurrences. (enkrateian) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1466.htm - 7k

1468. egkrates -- strong, master of, self-controlled
... within" (used only in Tit 1:8); "originally, 'having power over; possessed of';
hence, 'controlling, keeping in hand,' . temperance' " (, 1074). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1468.htm - 7k

Temperance
... V. THE CHURCH Temperance. [1935]506 Father, who on man dost shower Also
the following: [1936]215 Jesus, my strength, my hope. ...
/.../various/the hymnal of the protestant episcopal church in the usa/temperance.htm

Whether Temperance is a virtue?
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether temperance is a virtue? Objection
1: It seems that temperance is not a virtue. For no virtue ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether temperance is a virtue.htm

Whether Temperance is a Special virtue?
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether temperance is a special virtue? Objection
1: It would seem that temperance is not a special virtue. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether temperance is a special.htm

Whether Temperance is the Greatest of the virtues?
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether temperance is the greatest of the virtues?
Objection 1: It would seem that temperance is the greatest of the virtues. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether temperance is the greatest.htm

Of Temperance (Eight Articles)
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES). In the next place we must consider temperance:
(1) Temperance itself; (2) its parts; (3) its precepts. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/of temperance eight articles .htm

Whether the Rule of Temperance Depends on the Need of the Present ...
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether the rule of temperance depends on
the need of the present life? Objection 1: It would seem ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the rule of temperance.htm

Whether Temperance is About the Pleasures Proper to the Taste?
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether temperance is about the pleasures proper
to the taste? Objection 1: It would seem that temperance ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether temperance is about the.htm

Whether Temperance is a Cardinal virtue?
... OF TEMPERANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether temperance is a cardinal virtue? Objection
1: It would seem that temperance is not a cardinal virtue. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether temperance is a cardinal.htm

Whether Studiousness is a Part of Temperance?
... OF STUDIOUSNESS (TWO ARTICLES) Whether studiousness is a part of temperance? Objection
1: It would seem that studiousness is not a part of temperance. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether studiousness is a part.htm

Whether Modesty is a Part of Temperance?
... OF MODESTY (TWO ARTICLES) Whether modesty is a part of temperance? Objection
1: It would seem that modesty is not a part of temperance. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether modesty is a part.htm

Temperance (3 Occurrences)
... Habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions;
restrained or moderate indulgence; moderation; as, temperance in eating ...
/t/temperance.htm - 12k

Temperate (6 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) Proceeding from temperance. 5. (vt) To render temperate; to moderate; to
soften; to temper. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TEMPERANCE; TEMPERATE. ...
/t/temperate.htm - 12k

Piety (21 Occurrences)
... YLT). 2 Peter 1:6 and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance
the endurance, and in the endurance the piety, (YLT). 2 ...
/p/piety.htm - 13k

Perseverance (27 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 2 Peter 1:6 and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance
the endurance, and in the endurance the piety, (See NAS NIV). ...
/p/perseverance.htm - 18k

Temper (14 Occurrences)

/t/temper.htm - 13k

Proverbs (11 Occurrences)
... perhaps attached to the court (compare 23:1-3), who, as they are to deal officially
with men and affairs, need the prudence, purity, and temperance which will ...
/p/proverbs.htm - 43k

Virtue (21 Occurrences)
... performance of duty. 6. (n.) A particular moral excellence; as, the virtue of
temperance, of charity, etc. 7. (n.) Specifically: Chastity ...
/v/virtue.htm - 16k

Felix (11 Occurrences)
... nor Drusilla, and made the frequent interviews which he had with them an opportunity
for preaching to them concerning righteousness and temperance and the ...
/f/felix.htm - 15k

That's (8 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:25 and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment
that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, 'For the ...
/t/that's.htm - 8k

Trembled (43 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,
Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a ...
/t/trembled.htm - 19k

What does the Bible say about temperance? | GotQuestions.org

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Temperance: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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