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Sunday, February 16th, 2025
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Pleasure
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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plezh´ū́r ( חפץ , ḥēphec , רצון , rācōn ; εὐδοκία , eudokı́a , ἡδονή , hēdonḗ : "Pleasure" is the translation of various Hebrew words, chiefly of ḥēphec , "inclination," hence, "pleasure," "delight" ( Job 21:21 , "What pleasure hath he in his house?" the American Standard Revised Version "what careth he for"; Job 22:3 , "Is it any pleasure to the Almighty?"; Psalm 111:2; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Ecclesiastes 12:1; in Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 48:14; Isaiah 53:10 , it has the sense of will or purpose, "He shall perform all my pleasure," etc.); of rācōn , "delight," "acceptance," "good will" (Ezra 10:11; Nehemiah 9:37; Esther 1:8; Psalm 51:18; Psalm 103:21 , etc.); nephesh , "soul," "desire" is translated "pleasure" (Deuteronomy 23:24; Psalm 105:22; Jeremiah 34:16 ).
In the New Testament "pleasure" is the translation of eudokia , "good thought or will," "good pleasure" ( Luke 2:14 the Revised Version margin; Ephesians 1:5 , Ephesians 1:9; Philippians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 the Revised Version (British and American) "every desire of goodness," margin "Greek: 'good pleasure of goodness.' Compare Romans 10:1 ").
"To take pleasure or to have pleasure" is eudokéō ( 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 10:6 , Hebrews 10:8 , Hebrews 10:38 ); eudokeō is once translated "good pleasure" (Luke 12:32 , "It is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom"); the neuter participle of dokéō , "to think," etc. - meaning "it seems good to me" - tó dokoún , is translated "pleasure" (Hebrews 12:10 , "after their pleasure," the Revised Version (British and American) "as seemed good to them"); hēdonē , "sweetness," "pleasure," occurs in Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3; 2 Peter 2:13 (referring to the lower pleasures of life); thélēma , "wish," "will" (Revelation 4:11 , the Revised Version (British and American) "because of thy will"); cháris , "favor" (Acts 24:27; Acts 25:9 , the Revised Version (British and American) "favor"); spataláō "to live voluptuously" (1 Timothy 5:6 , the Revised Version (British and American) "she that giveth herself to pleasure"); suneudokéō , "to think well with," "to take pleasure with others" (Romans 1:32 , the Revised Version (British and American) "consent with"); trupháō , "to live luxuriously" (James 5:5 , the Revised Version (British and American) "lived delicately").
The verb "to pleasure" occurs in 2 Maccabees 2:27 as the translation of eucharistı́a , the Revised Version (British and American) "gratitude"; 12:11, ōphelḗsein , the Revised Version (British and American) "to help."
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Pleasure'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/p/pleasure.html. 1915.