Bible Encyclopedia: Lust

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

LUST

(5 Hebrew and 5 Greek words are so rendered, namely:

(1) nephesh,

(2) sheriruth,

(3) ta'awah,

(4) chamadh,

(5) 'awah;

(1) epithumia,

(2) hedone,

(3) epipotheo,

(4) orexis,

(5) pathos):

The word both as verb and as substantive has a good and a bad meaning. It probably meant at first a strong desire, a craving, abnormal appetite, not only for physical but for spiritual satisfaction. It has come, however, to be confined in its use almost entirely to the bad sense. Some old translations are not accepted now, the word being used in connections which at present seem almost irreverent. Shades of meaning are learned from an examination of the Hebrew and Greek originals.

1. The Old Testament Use:

The substantive and verbs are:

(1) Nephesh, in Exodus 15:9 and Psalm 78:18 translated "desire"; "My desire shall be satisfied"; "by asking food according to their desire." A strong but not sensual sense.

(2) Sheriruth, meaning "obstinacy," evil imagination. Yahweh said (Psalm 81:12), "I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart," a willful self-satisfaction.

(3) Ta'awah, "a delight" "a longing satisfaction," and so it came to mean "sinful pleasure." Translated in Psalm 78:30, "that which they desired," intensely longed for, referring to Yahweh's provision of food in the wilderness. Also in Numbers 11:4 concerning "flesh to eat" it is said the multitude "lusted exceedingly" i.e. "craved eagerly.

(4) Chamadh, the verb meaning "to delight in," "greatly belove," "covet," probably for evil purposes. The young man is warned against the evil woman (Proverbs 6:25): "Lust not after her beauty." Here the bad sense is evident, for in the same connection are used such expressions as "harlot," "adulteress," "evil woman."

(5) 'Awah, meaning "greatly to desire," long after, with undue emphasis, with evil spirit though not perhaps with impure thought. In Numbers 11:34 reference is made to a place called qibhroth ha-ta'wah, "the graves of lust, where "they buried the people that lusted." Psalm 106:14 also refers to the Israelites who "lusted exceedingly." Translated in Deuteronomy 12:15, 21 "desire of thy soul"; 12:20; 14:26, "thy soul desireth." These Deuteronomy passages evidently mean lust only in the good sense.

2. The New Testament Use:

As in the Old Testament, so in the New Testament we find both meanings of the word.

(1) Epithumia is used most frequently, and means a longing for the unlawful, hence, concupiscence, desire, lust. The following references hold the idea, not only of sinful desire known as "fleshly," "worldly," as opposed to "spiritual" "heavenly," "the will of man" as opposed to "the will of God," but also the sensual desire connected with adultery, fornication; verb in Matthew 5:28 Mark 4:19 John 8:44 Romans 1:24 1 Corinthians 10:6; Galatians 5:16, 17, 24 Titus 2:12 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 1 John 2:16; Jude 1:16, 18 Revelation 18:14.

(2) Hedone, delight in sensuality, hence, wicked pleasures; translated in James 4:1, 3 "pleasures": "Your pleasures that war in your members"; "Ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures" (the King James Version "lust").

(3) Epipotheo means to crave intensely the wrong possession; translated in James 4:5 "long (the King James Version "lusteth") unto envying."

(4) Orexis, used in Romans 1:27, from context evidently meaning "lust" in the worst sense; translated "lust."

(5) Pathos, meaning "passion" inordinate affection, with the idea in it of suffering; translated in 1 Thessalonians 4:5 "passion of lust."

William Edward Raffety

Greek

1937. epithumeo -- desire, lust after
... desire, lust after. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epithumeo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-thoo-meh'-o) Short Definition: I long for, covet, lust after ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1937.htm - 8k

1939. epithumia -- desire, passionate longing, lust
... desire, passionate longing, lust. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration:
epithumia Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah) Short Definition: desire ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1939.htm - 7k

3715. orexis -- desire, longing
... desire, longing. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: orexis Phonetic
Spelling: (or'-ex-is) Short Definition: strong desire, lust Definition: strong ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3715.htm - 6k

3806. pathos -- that which befalls one, a passion, a suffering
... of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: pathos Phonetic Spelling: (path'-os) Short
Definition: suffering, emotion, depraved passion, lust Definition: suffering ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3806.htm - 7k

2237. hedone -- pleasure
... pleasure. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hedone Phonetic Spelling:
(hay-don-ay') Short Definition: pleasure, lust, strong desire Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2237.htm - 7k

1511. einai -- am, was, come, is, there is, to be, was.
... Present infinitive from eimi; to exist -- am, was. Come, is, X lust after, X please
well, there is, to be, was. see GREEK eimi. (einai) -- 124 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1511.htm - 6k

1387. dolioo -- to deceive
... 1387 (from 1388 , "bait") -- properly, to lure, using to pull someone in; to deceive,
preying on people who are blinded by their own bitterness, greed or lust. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1387.htm - 6k

4448. puroo -- to set on fire, ie to burn (pass.)
... kindle, ie (passively) to be ignited, glow (literally), be refined (by implication),
or (figuratively) to be inflamed (with anger, grief, lust) -- burn, fiery ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4448.htm - 7k

4203. porneuo -- to commit fornication
... From porne; to act the harlot, ie (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex),
or (figuratively) practise idolatry -- commit (fornication). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4203.htm - 7k

1572. ekkaio -- to kindle, to be inflamed
... to kindle, to be inflamed. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekkaio Phonetic
Spelling: (ek-kah'-yo) Short Definition: I burn with lust Definition: I blaze ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1572.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

5689. agab -- to have inordinate affection, lust
... 5688, 5689. agab. 5690 . to have inordinate affection, lust. Transliteration:
agab Phonetic Spelling: (aw-gab') Short Definition: lusted. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/5689.htm - 6k

5179a. nechosheth -- perhaps lust, harlotry
... 5179, 5179a. nechosheth. 5179b . perhaps lust, harlotry. Transliteration:
nechosheth Short Definition: lewdness. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/5179a.htm - 5k

5179. Nchushta' -- perhaps lust, harlotry
... 5178, 5179. Nchushta'. 5179a . perhaps lust, harlotry. Transliteration: Nchushta'
Phonetic Spelling: (nekh-oosh-taw') Short Definition: Nehushta. Nehushta ...
/hebrew/5179.htm - 5k

185. avvah -- desire
... desire, lust after, pleasure. From 'avah; longing -- desire, lust after, pleasure.
see HEBREW 'avah. 184, 185. avvah. 186 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/185.htm - 6k

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

8307. sheriruth -- firmness, stubbornness
... imagination, lust. From sharar in the sense of twisted, ie Firm; obstinacy --
imagination, lust. see HEBREW sharar. 8306, 8307. sheriruth. 8308 . ...
/hebrew/8307.htm - 6k

5691. agabah -- lustfulness
... 5690, 5691. agabah. 5692 . lustfulness. Transliteration: agabah Phonetic
Spelling: (ag-aw-baw') Short Definition: lust. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/5691.htm - 6k

2530. chamad -- to desire, take pleasure in
... beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, great delight, desire,
lust,. A primitive root; to delight in -- beauty, greatly ...
/hebrew/2530.htm - 6k

7904. shakah -- perhaps to roam
... roam. A primitive root; to roam (through lust) -- in the morning (by mistake for
shakam). see HEBREW shakam. 7903, 7904. shakah. 7905 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7904.htm - 6k

8457. taznuth -- fornication
... Definition: harlotries. Word Origin from zanah Definition fornication NASB Word
Usage harlotries (14), harlotry (4), lust (1). cut down. Or ...
/hebrew/8457.htm - 6k

Library

Whether Lust is a Capital vice?
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether lust is a capital vice? Objection 1: It seems
that lust is not a capital vice. For lust is apparently ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether lust is a capital.htm

Of Lust (Five Articles)
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES). We must next consider the vice of lust which is
opposed to chastity: (1) Lust in general; (2) its species. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/of lust five articles .htm

Whether the Lust that is About Venereal Acts Can be a Sin?
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether the lust that is about venereal acts can be a sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that lust about venereal acts cannot be a sin. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the lust that is.htm

Whether Sacrilege Can be a Species of Lust?
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether sacrilege can be a species of lust?
Objection 1: It would seem that sacrilege cannot be a species of lust. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether sacrilege can be a.htm

Whether Folly is a Daughter of Lust?
... OF FOLLY WHICH IS OPPOSED TO WISDOM (THREE ARTICLES) Whether folly is a daughter
of lust? Objection 1: It would seem that folly is not a daughter of lust. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether folly is a daughter.htm

Whether the Matter of Lust is Only Venereal Desires and Pleasures?
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether the matter of lust is only venereal desires
and pleasures? Objection 1: It would seem that the matter ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the matter of lust.htm

Whether Incest is a Determinate Species of Lust?
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether incest is a determinate species
of lust? ... But all kinds of lust are opposed to chastity. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether incest is a determinate.htm

Whether Rape is a Species of Lust, Distinct from Seduction?
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether rape is a species of lust,
distinct from seduction? Objection 1: It would seem that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether rape is a species.htm

Of the Evil of Lust, --A Word Which, Though Applicable to Many ...
... Book XIV. Chapter 16."Of the Evil of Lust,"A Word Which, Though Applicable to
Many Vices, is Specially Appropriated to Sexual Uncleanness. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 16 of the evil of.htm

Whether the Daughters of Lust are Fittingly Described?
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether the daughters of lust are fittingly described? ... Therefore
they should not be reckoned especially as daughters of lust. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the daughters of lust.htm

ATS Bible Dictionary

Lust

Originally meant any longing desire, however innocent, De 12:15 14:26. But, in tacit acknowledgment of the depravity of man's passions, general usage soon attached the idea of guilt to the word; and now it usually denotes carnal, lascivious desire. In Galatians 5:17, we see that the aspirations of the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit, oppose and will subdue the native evil desires, 1 1 Corinthians 15:57; but in the unrenewed heart these reign uncontrolled, lead to greater and greater outwards sin, and secure eternal death, James 1:14,15.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sinful longing; the inward sin which leads to the falling away from God (Romans 1:21). "Lust, the origin of sin, has its place in the heart, not of necessity, but because it is the centre of all moral forces and impulses and of spiritual activity." In Mark 4:19 "lusts" are objects of desire.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) Pleasure.

2. (n.) Inclination; desire.

3. (n.) Longing desire; eagerness to possess or enjoy; -- in a had sense; as, the lust of gain.

4. (n.) Licentious craving; sexual appetite.

5. (n.) Hence: Virility; vigor; active power.

6. (n.) To list; to like.

7. (n.) To have an eager, passionate, and especially an inordinate or sinful desire, as for the gratification of the sexual appetite or of covetousness; -- often with after.

Thesaurus

Lust (42 Occurrences)
... "Lust, the ... 1. (n.) Pleasure. 2. (n.) Inclination; desire. 3. (n.) Longing desire;
eagerness to possess or enjoy; -- in a had sense; as, the lust of gain. ...
/l/lust.htm - 24k

Concupiscence (3 Occurrences)
... The "lust of concupiscence" (1 Thessalonians 4:5; RV, "passion of lust") denotes
evil desire, indwelling sin. ... (n.) Sexual lust; morbid carnal passion. Int. ...
/c/concupiscence.htm - 8k

Lustful (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Full of lust; excited by lust. 2. (a.) Exciting
lust; characterized by lust or sensuality. 3. (a.) Strong; lusty. ...
/l/lustful.htm - 9k

Unbridled (4 Occurrences)
... Unbridled (4 Occurrences). Ephesians 5:3 But fornication and all uncleanness or
unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints; (DBY). ...
/u/unbridled.htm - 7k

Lusted (14 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Lust. ... 1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the
intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. ...
/l/lusted.htm - 10k

Passion (82 Occurrences)
... 1:26 (the King James Version "affection"); Colossians 3:5 (the King James Version
"inordinate affection"); 1 Thessalonians 4:5 (the King James Version "lust"). ...
/p/passion.htm - 37k

Sinful (61 Occurrences)
... another. (See NIV). Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you
won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. (See NIV). Galatians ...
/s/sinful.htm - 23k

Kibroth-hattaavah (5 Occurrences)
... avah . Easton's Bible Dictionary The graves of the longing or of lust,
one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness. It ...
/k/kibroth-hattaavah.htm - 10k

Kibrothhattaavah (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The graves of the longing or of lust, one of
the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness. It was ...
/k/kibrothhattaavah.htm - 10k

List (17 Occurrences)
... A variant of "lust" (see LUST), meaning "to wish," found in the King James Version
of Matthew 17:12 parallel Mark 9:13 John 3:8, as translation of thelo, and ...
/l/list.htm - 14k

Bible Concordance

Lust (42 Occurrences)

Matthew 5:28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NIV)

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Romans 7:8 but sin, getting a point of attack by the commandment, wrought in me every lust; for without law sin was dead.
(DBY)

Romans 13:9 For, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lust; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(DBY)

Romans 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
(Root in WEB WEY)

1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Ephesians 2:3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

Ephesians 4:19 who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
(WEB DBY NIV)

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints;
(DBY)

Ephesians 5:5 For this ye are well informed of, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or person of unbridled lust, who is an idolater, has inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.
(DBY)

Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile passions, evil lust, and unbridled desire, which is idolatry.
(DBY NIV)

1 Thessalonians 4:5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV)

James 1:14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

James 1:15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

James 4:2 You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

1 Peter 4:3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
(Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS NIV)

2 Peter 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

2 Peter 2:10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 John 2:17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.
(Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, having, in the same way as these, given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
(See RSV)

Revelation 18:14 The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all.
(Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
(KJV JPS WBS)

Numbers 11:34 The name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who lusted.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 68:30 Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
(See RSV)

Psalms 78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
(KJV DBY YLT)

Psalms 78:30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
(KJV DBY)

Psalms 81:12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
(KJV WBS)

Psalms 106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Proverbs 6:25 Don't lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NIV)

Proverbs 11:6 The righteousness of the upright will be their salvation, but the false will themselves be taken in their evil designs.
(See RSV)

Proverbs 19:22 That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar.
(See JPS)

Isaiah 57:5 You who are burning with evil desire among the oaks, under every green tree; putting children to death in the valleys, under the cracks of the rocks?
(See RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 2:24 a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
(See JPS RSV)

Ezekiel 20:30 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and do you play the prostitute after their abominations?
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 23:8 Neither hath she left her whoredoms since the days of Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they handled the bosom of her virginity; and they poured out their whoredom upon her.
(See JPS NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 23:11 Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet was she more corrupt in her doting than she, and in her prostitution which were more than the prostitution of her sister.
(See NAS NIV)

Ezekiel 23:17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
(See JPS RSV NIV)

Nahum 3:4 because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Lust

Lust: Evil Desire

Related Terms

Concupiscence (3 Occurrences)

Lustful (10 Occurrences)

Unbridled (4 Occurrences)

Lusted (14 Occurrences)

Passion (82 Occurrences)

Sinful (61 Occurrences)

Kibroth-hattaavah (5 Occurrences)

Kibrothhattaavah (5 Occurrences)