εὐδοκέω
eudokéō · G2106 · Greek · 21 occurrences
Meanings
-
to be pleased with, to take pleasure in
To be pleased with something or someone, with the implication of resulting pleasure
ExamplesMatthew 3:17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 12:18 “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTS; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE WILL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.
Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!”
-
to enjoy
To take pleasure in something in that it fulfills one’s desires
Examples1 Thessalonians 2:8 in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
2 Thessalonians 2:12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
-
to choose as better, to prefer, to seem good to
To think of something as being good, better, or preferable
ExamplesRomans 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
Romans 15:27 For they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to do them a service also in material things.
1 Corinthians 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
How it’s used In 7 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
20 occurrences in 14 groups
- Not stated: I 5
- Not stated: we 3
- Other words · 12 groups that occur once or twice (14) 14
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
12 occurrences in 13 groups
- εἰμίto be 3
- Other words · 12 groups that occur once or twice (12) 12
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
10 occurrences in 7 groups
- εἰςto+ ὅςwho, which, that 2
- ἐνin+ ὅςwho, which, that 2
- ἐνin+ σύyou 2
- διάthrough+ μωρίαfoolishness 1
- ἐνin+ πλείωνmore, greater 1
- ἐνin+ αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 1
With adverbsAdverbs
4 occurrences in 2 groups
- οὐnot 3
- μᾶλλονmore, more than, to a greater degree 1
Named alongside itApposition
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- ἀγαπητόςbeloved, dear 1
What it doesIt is the subject
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- κρίνωto judge 1
What is done to itIt is the object
3 occurrences in 2 groups
- λέγωto say 2
- οὐnot 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 3 words
- רָצָה râtsâh · H7521 · to be acceptable, to accept, to take pleasure
- רָצָה (râtsâh, H7521) רָצָה denotes favor, acceptance, or delight from a position of evaluation (often divine approval), while εὐδοκέω (eudokéō, G2106) εὐδοκέω emphasizes the cognitive act of thinking well of or approving something; both share the core semantic domain of positive evaluation/approval, with the Hebrew term carrying stronger connotations of pleasure and favor.
- אָבָה ʼâbâh · H14 · to be willing to, to accept, to want to have something to do with
- אָבָה (ʼâbâh, H14) emphasizes willingness or consent as an internal disposition, while εὐδοκέω (eudokéō, G2106) emphasizes approval or taking pleasure in something, often with evaluative satisfaction; both share the semantic domain of favorable volition, with אָבָה (ʼâbâh, H14) focused on readiness to act and εὐδοκέω (eudokéō, G2106) on positive evaluation.
- חָפֵץ châphêts · H2654 · to like, to be pleased, to desire
- Both denote approval or taking pleasure in something, with εὐδοκέω (eudokéō, G2106) emphasizing the cognitive dimension of thinking well of or approving, while חָפֵץ (châphêts, H2654) encompasses a broader range from mere preference to strong delight or desire.
Semantic domains 3 entries
- To enjoy25.113
- In Matthew 12:18, quoting Isaiah of the Servant, it is written, “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTS,” the sense of taking deep enjoyment in someone.
- To be pleased with, to take pleasure in25.87
- In Matthew 3:17, at Jesus' baptism, a voice from heaven says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” expressing approval and pleasure.
- To choose as better, to prefer, to seem good to30.97
- In 1 Thessalonians 3:1, Paul writes, “when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at Athens,” using this verb for deciding on the preferable course of action.
Word family 19 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon εὐδοκῶ; imperfect 1 person plural εὐδοκοῦμεν (1 Thess 2:8 (where WH after Vat.…
1. as in secular authors, followed by an infinitive, it seems good to one, is one's good pleasure; to think it good, choose, determine, decide: Lk 12:32; 1 Cor 1:21; Gal 1:15; once followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Col 1:19 (cf. Lightfoot; Winers Grammar, § 64, 3 b.; Buttmann, § 129, 16); with the included idea of kindness accompanying the decision, Rom 15:26f; to do willingly what is signified by the infinitive, to be ready to, 1 Thess 2:8; to prefer, choose rather (A. V. we thought it good), 1 Thess 3:1; Sir. 25:16; more fully μᾶλλον εὐδοκῶ, 2 Cor 5:8.
2. by a usage peculiar to Biblical writers, followed by ἐν τίνι, to be well pleased with, take pleasure in, a person or thing (cf. Winers Grammar, 38, 232 (218); Buttmann, 185 (160)): Mt 3:17; Mt 12:18 Tr; ; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22 (on the tense in the preceding passage cf. Winers Grammar, 278 (261); Buttmann, 198 (171)); 1 Cor 10:5; 2 Cor 12:10; 2 Thess 2:12 R G L brackets; Heb 10:38 (בְּ חָפֵץ, 2 Sam 22:20; Mal 2:17; בְּ רָצָה, Ps 149:4). followed by εἰς τινα (i. e. when directing the mind, turning the thoughts, unto), to be favorably inclined toward one (cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 5; Buttmann, § 133, 23): Mt 12:18 R G; 2 Pet 1:17; with a simple accusative of person to be favorable to, take pleasure in (cf. Winer's Grammar, 222 (209)): Mt 12:18 L T WH; with the accusative of the thing: Heb 10:6, Heb 10:8 (Ps 50:18, Ps 50:21 (Ps 51:18, Ps 51:21); Ps 84:2; Gen 33:10; Lev 26:34, Lev 26:41); as in Greek writings also, with the dative of the person or thing with which one is well pleased: 2 Thess 2:12 T Tr WH (see above); 1 Macc. 1:43; 1 Esdr. 4:39. (Compare: συνευδοκέω.)
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889), public domain
Topical studies with this word 3 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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