Well-Being
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Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Scope:
Well-being, in a biblical context, encompasses the holistic health and prosperity of an individual, including physical, emotional, spiritual, and social dimensions. It is often associated with peace, contentment, and the favor of God. The concept of well-being is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, reflecting God's desire for His creation to thrive in harmony with His will.

Old Testament Insights:
The Hebrew word "shalom" is frequently used to describe well-being, signifying peace, completeness, and welfare. In Numbers 6:24-26 , the priestly blessing encapsulates this idea: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace." Here, peace is synonymous with well-being, indicating a state of divine favor and protection.

The Psalms often reflect a longing for well-being, as seen in Psalm 128:1-2 : "Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways. For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours." This passage links well-being to obedience and reverence for God, suggesting that true prosperity is found in alignment with His commandments.

New Testament Perspectives:
In the New Testament, well-being is closely tied to the teachings of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' ministry emphasized healing and restoration, both physically and spiritually. In John 10:10 , Jesus declares, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness." This fullness of life is indicative of comprehensive well-being, encompassing eternal life and present-day peace.

The Apostle Paul frequently addresses well-being in his epistles. In Philippians 4:6-7 , he writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Here, well-being is associated with the peace that comes from trusting in God, transcending circumstances and providing inner tranquility.

Spiritual Well-being:
Spiritual well-being is foundational in the biblical worldview, as it pertains to one's relationship with God. The pursuit of righteousness and holiness is central to achieving spiritual well-being. In Matthew 6:33 , Jesus instructs, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." This verse underscores the priority of spiritual pursuits over material concerns, promising that God will provide for those who prioritize His kingdom.

Community and Social Well-being:
The Bible also emphasizes the importance of community and social relationships in achieving well-being. The early church, as described in Acts 2:44-47 , exemplifies a model of communal well-being: "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." This passage highlights the role of mutual support and generosity in fostering a thriving community.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not promise a life free from trials, it offers a framework for understanding and pursuing well-being through faith, obedience, and community. True well-being is found in a life aligned with God's purposes, characterized by peace, contentment, and the assurance of His presence.
Topical Bible Verses
Ephesians 6:4
And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Topicalbible.org

Deuteronomy 15:7-11
If there be among you a poor man of one of your brothers within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother:
Topicalbible.org

James 2:8
If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well:
Topicalbible.org

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) The state or condition of being well; welfare; happiness; prosperity; as, virtue is essential to the well-being of men or of society.
Greek
4166. poimen -- a shepherd
... 4166 -- properly, a ("pastor" in ); (figuratively) someone who the Lord raises up
to for the total well-being of His flock (the people of the Lord). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4166.htm - 7k

4100. pisteuo -- to believe, entrust
... pistis; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), ie Credit;
by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4100.htm - 12k

Strong's Hebrew
7965. shalom -- completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
... perfect peace (1), prosperity (3), rose (1), safe (2), safely (7), safety (6), secure
(1), state (1), trusted (1), welfare (14), well (17), well-being (5), who ...
/hebrew/7965.htm - 6k
Library

The Secret of Well-Being
... THE PROVERBS THE SECRET OF WELL-BEING. 'My son, forget not ... or not. 'Peace'
is a wide word, including all well-being. Ease-loving ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the secret of well-being.htm

To what Profit the Romans Carried on Wars, and How Much they ...
... Book V. Chapter 17."To What Profit the Romans Carried on Wars, and How Much They
Contributed to the Well-Being of Those Whom They Conquered. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 17 to what profit the.htm

The Mission of the Christian Home.
... It is two-fold,"the temporal and eternal well-being of its members. It is the mission
of home to provide for the temporal well-being of its members. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter ii the mission of.htm

"So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
... please God.". It is a kind of happiness to men, to please them upon whom they
depend, and upon whose favour their well-being hangs. It ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxii so then they.htm

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and ...
... Now the enjoyment of this "kingdom of God" mentioned in the text, holds forth
man's own insufficiency for well being within himself. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xvii but seek ye.htm

Of the Pure Delight of the Heart and the Sensible Powers
... From this sweetness there springs a well-being of the heart and of all the bodily
powers, so that a man thinks himself to be inwardly enfolded in the divine ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xviii of the pure.htm

Whether the Sixteen Conditions Usually Assigned are Necessary for ...
... the above. I answer that, Some of the above conditions are essential to
confession, and some are requisite for its well-being. Now ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the sixteen conditions usually.htm

Work
... an estate, a parish, or even of the pettiest office in it, all is honourable, because
all is of use; all helping forward, more or less, the well-being of God's ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xii work.htm

What Nonsense is this Out of which they Fabricate a Charge against ...
... of serious interest to the church, where doctrinal truth is in question, and we
are seeking for the authority of our predecessors for the well-being of our ...
/.../20 what nonsense is this.htm

Defective Learning.
... Formerly theologians were used to speak of faith's being and well-being; but this
had reference to another distinction, which must not be confounded with the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxix defective learning.htm

Thesaurus
Well-being (19 Occurrences)
Well-being. Well-armed, Well-being. Wellbeloved . Noah Webster's Dictionary ...
Multi-Version Concordance Well-being (19 Occurrences). ...
/w/well-being.htm - 11k

Organ (6 Occurrences)
... part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action
(termed its function), which is essential to the life or well-being of the ...
/o/organ.htm - 9k

Wrongdoers (18 Occurrences)
... of evil; (BBE). Psalms 73:3 Because of my envy of the men of pride, when
I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers. (BBE). Isaiah 10:6 ...
/w/wrongdoers.htm - 11k

Wellbeloved (3 Occurrences)

/w/wellbeloved.htm - 7k

Welfare (32 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment
of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or ...
/w/welfare.htm - 16k

Well-armed (1 Occurrence)
Well-armed. Well-advised, Well-armed. Well-being . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(BBE). Well-advised, Well-armed. Well-being . Reference Bible.
/w/well-armed.htm - 6k

Fears (40 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Job 30:15 Fears have come on me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my
well-being like a cloud. (BBE). Psalms 25:12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? ...
/f/fears.htm - 18k

Reviving (4 Occurrences)
... to live," "cause to live," used of restoration to life (Genesis 45:27 Judges
15:19, etc.); of rebuilding (Nehemiah 4:2); of restoration to well-being (Psalm ...
/r/reviving.htm - 10k

Revive (31 Occurrences)
... to live," "cause to live," used of restoration to life (Genesis 45:27 Judges
15:19, etc.); of rebuilding (Nehemiah 4:2); of restoration to well-being (Psalm ...
/r/revive.htm - 18k

Ensure (3 Occurrences)
... who hear you. (See NAS). Psalms 119:122 Ensure your servant's well-being.
Don't let the proud oppress me. (WEB NIV). Ezekiel 33:15 ...
/e/ensure.htm - 7k

Resources
What is the problem of good? | GotQuestions.org

How can a Christian woman avoid being a diva? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about being self-centered? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Well-being (19 Occurrences)

Deuteronomy 23:6
Do nothing for their peace or well-being for ever.
(BBE)

Ezra 6:10
that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
(See NIV)

Ezra 9:12
So now do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well-being for ever; so that you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for ever.
(BBE)

Job 20:21
He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
(BBE)

Job 21:16
Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
(BBE)

Job 21:23
One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:
(BBE)

Job 30:15
Fears have come on me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my well-being like a cloud.
(BBE)

Psalms 35:27
Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"
(See NIV)

Psalms 73:3
Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
(BBE)

Psalms 106:5
So that I may see the well-being of the people of your selection, and have a part in the joy of your nation, and take pride in your heritage.
(BBE)

Psalms 119:122
Ensure your servant's well-being. Don't let the proud oppress me.
(WEB NIV)

Isaiah 45:7
I am the giver of light and the maker of the dark; causing blessing, and sending troubles; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 48:18
If only you had given ear to my orders, then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea:
(See NAS)

Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 54:13
And all your builders will be made wise by the Lord; and great will be the peace of your children.
(See NAS)

Jeremiah 8:15
We were looking for peace, but no good came; and for a time of well-being, but there is only a great fear.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 22:21
My word came to you in the time of your well-being; but you said, I will not give ear. This has been your way from your earliest years, you did not give attention to my voice.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 38:4
Then the rulers said to the king, Let this man be put to death, because he is putting fear into the hearts of the men of war who are still in the town, and into the hearts of the people, by saying such things to them: this man is not working for the well-being of the people, but for their damage.
(BBE NAS)

Daniel 4:27
For this cause, O King, let my suggestion be pleasing to you, and let your sins be covered by righteousness and your evil-doing by mercy to the poor, so that the time of your well-being may be longer.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Well-Being

Related Terms

Well-beloved (5 Occurrences)

Well-being (19 Occurrences)

Reverence (42 Occurrences)

Yet (1244 Occurrences)

Well-armed
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