Greek · G700 · unreviewed

ἀρέσκω

To be agreeable (or by implication, to seek to be so)

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ἀρέσκω G700

Pronunciation aréskō

What does ἀρέσκω (aréskō) mean in the Bible?

ἀρέσκω (aréskō) is a Greek word meaning "to be agreeable (or by implication, to seek to be so)". ἀρέσκω [in LXX chiefly for טוֹב ;] __1.

Full entry for ἀρέσκω (G700) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to be agreeable (or by implication, to seek to be so)

Extended definition

Seeking to please others; in NT often implies accommodating their wishes rather than serving God's will.

1to please (Hom., Hdt., al.): with dative of person(s), Mat.14:6, Mrk.6:22, Rom.8:8 15:2, 1Th.2:15 4:1, 1Co.7:32-34 Gal.1:10, 2Ti.2:4; before ἐνώπισν (= Heb. בּעֵנֵי, Bl., § 37, 1; 40, 7), Ac 65.

2In late Gk., esp. in Inscr., to render service to (see M, Th., ICC, 1 Co., ll with; Cremer, 640 f.); Rom.15:1, 3, 1Co.10:33, 1Th.2:4.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Aorist Present Imperfect

Voices

Active

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×

Aorist Active 1 Cor 7:32 · 1 Cor 7:33 · 1 Cor 7:34 · 2 Tim 2:4 4×

Indicative states a fact or reality 5×

Aorist Active Matt 14:6 · Acts 6:5 · Rom 15:3 3×

Present Active 1 Cor 10:33 1×

Imperfect Active Gal 1:10 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×

Present Active Rom 15:1 · Gal 1:10 · 1 Thess 4:1 3×

Aorist Active Rom 8:8 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×

Present Active 1 Thess 2:4 · 1 Thess 2:15 2×

Aorist Active Mark 6:22 1×

Imperative command or strong request 1×

Present Active Rom 15:2 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 17 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 3 ongoing 1 imperative 1 background 1 subjunctive 4 infinitive 4 participle 3

Tense

aorist 9 present 7 imperfect 1

Voice

active 17

Mood

indicative 5 subjunctive 4 infinitive 4 participle 3 imperative 1

NT Occurrences

Matthew 14:6 ἤρεσεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 6:22 ἀρεσάσης aorist active participle participle Acts 6:5 ἤρεσεν aorist active indicative completed Romans 8:8 ἀρέσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Romans 15:1 ἀρέσκειν present active infinitive infinitive Romans 15:2 ἀρεσκέτω present active imperative imperative Romans 15:3 ἤρεσεν aorist active indicative completed 1 Corinthians 7:32 ἀρέσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 7:33 ἀρέσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 7:34 ἀρέσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Corinthians 10:33 ἀρέσκω present active indicative ongoing Galatians 1:10 ἀρέσκειν present active infinitive infinitive Galatians 1:10 ἤρεσκον imperfect active indicative background 1 Thessalonians 2:15 ἀρεσκόντων present active participle participle 1 Thessalonians 2:4 ἀρέσκοντες present active participle participle 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ἀρέσκειν present active infinitive infinitive 2 Timothy 2:4 ἀρέσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 please aréskō Subjunctive · Aorist Active

seeking to be pleasing or agreeable to another person

Proverbs 16:7 please aréskō

being agreeable or acceptable in the sight of God and others

Proverbs 16:13 please aréskō

rendering service or being agreeable to those in authority

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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