For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Titus 3:3 NASB Lusts and pleasures – What’s the difference between lusts and pleasures? Paul seems to think we need to know both words. Why? The Greek roots are epithymía and hēdonḗ. Epithymía is desire, especially…
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. James 1:14-15 NASB Tempted – The Greek peirao needs some explanation. Today we often think that “tempted” is virtually the…
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 1 Peter 1:14 Lusts – OK, so let’s tone this down a bit. The Greek word is epithymia. Yes, it can mean “lust” but if we read it like this, we are likely to dismiss Peter’s comment as…
Now flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NASB Youthful lusts – Movies of passion, speed and (most of the time) illegal behavior. Perhaps that’s why the Vin Diesel classics appeal. We would all like to think that…
And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:17 NASB Will – By now we all realize that John did not use the words “born again” in his report of the conversation between Yeshua and Nicodemus (John 3). He used…
Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NASB Flee – When to run, when to stand and fight? That’s a moral question most of us will face at one time or another. Paul instructs Timothy that…
As is often the case, I find that the Greeks had a much deeper grasp of the essential elements of the concepts behind words that we now employ without much inner reflection. We have become anaesthetized to the profound and often revealing connections lying hidden inside our language simply because we have been removed from…
