θέλω

greekNew TestamentVerb208 occurrences22 books199 verses

Definition

θέλω (the strengthened form ἐθέλω is found in Hom., and is the more frequently in Attic; see Rutherford, NPhr., 415f.),

[in LXX for חפץ ,אבה; with neg., מאן pi., etc. ;]

to will, be willing, wish, desire (more frequently than βούλομαι, which see, in vernac. and late Gk., also in MGr.; for various views as to its relation to β., see Thayer, 286; but see also BL, §24, see word): absol., Romans 9:16, 1 Corinthians 4:19; 12:18, James 4:15; τ. θεοῦ θέλοντος, Acts 18:21; with accusative of thing(s), Matthew 20:21, Mark 14:36, John 15:7, Romans 7:15, 16, 1 Corinthians 4:21; 7:36, Galatians 5:17; with inf., Matthew 5:40, Mark 10:43, John 6:21, 67, Romans 7:21, Galatians 4:9; with accusative and inf., Mark 7:24, Luke 1:62, John 21:22, 23, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 14:5, Galatians 6:13; οὐ θέλω, Matthew 18:30, al.; id. with inf., Matthew 2:18, Mark 6:26, John 5:40, 1 Corinthians 16:7; before ἵνα, Matthew 7:12, Mark 6:25, John 17:24; opposite to ποιέω, πράσσω, ἐνεργέω, Romans 7:15, 19, 2 Corinthians 8:10, 11, Philippians 2:13; before ἤ (ICG, in l.; Deiss., LAE, 179:24), 1 Corinthians 14:19; θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσυνῄ (of his own mere will, by humility, R, mg), Colossians 2:18; in OT quotations, for Heb. חפץ, with accusative of person(s), Matthew 27:43; with accusative of thing(s), Matthew 9:13; 12:7, Hebrews 10:5, 8; with inf., 1 Peter 3:10; for אמר, with inf., Acts 7:28 (see Cremer, 726ff.).

θέλω (the strengthened form ἐθέλω is found in Hom., and is the more frequently in Attic; see Rutherford, NPhr., 415f.),

[in LXX for חפץ ,אבה; with neg., מאן pi., etc. ;]

Hebrew words it translates

The Hebrew words that the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders as θέλω:

חָפֵץcha.phets“to delight in”29%
אָבָהa.vah“be willing”29%
מָאֵןma.en“to refuse”19%
חָפֵץcha.phets“delighting”7%
מָאֵןma.en“refusing”2%
צְבָאtse.va“to will”2%
הָלַךְha.lakh“to go: went”1%
אָוָהa.vah“to desire”1%

Usage patterns

LawHistoryPoetryProphetsGospelsEpistles

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

208 total

Matthew 1:19θέλων · was unwilling
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
Matthew 2:18ἤθελεν · refusing
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 5:40θέλοντί · wants
…if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well;
Matthew 5:42θέλοντα · who wants
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew 7:12θέλητε · you would have
In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 8:2θέλῃς · You are willing
Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Matthew 8:3Θέλω · I am willing
Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 9:13θέλω · I desire
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 11:14θέλετε · you are willing
And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
Matthew 12:7θέλω · I desire
If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
Matthew 12:38θέλομεν · we want
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
Matthew 13:28Θέλεις · Do you want
‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
Matthew 14:5θέλων · [Herod] wanted
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
Matthew 15:28θέλεις · you desire
“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:32θέλω · I do not want
Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”
Matthew 16:24θέλει · wants
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:25θέλῃ · wants
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 17:4θέλεις · You wish
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Matthew 17:12ἠθέλησαν · they wished
But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
Matthew 18:23ἠθέλησεν · wanted
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Matthew 18:30ἤθελεν · he refused
But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.
Matthew 19:17θέλεις · you want
“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Matthew 19:21θέλεις · you want
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Matthew 20:14θέλω · I want
Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.
Matthew 20:15θέλω · I please
Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
Matthew 20:21θέλεις · do you want
“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
Matthew 20:26θέλῃ · wants
It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
Matthew 20:27θέλῃ · wants
…and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
Matthew 20:32θέλετε · do you want
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.
Matthew 21:29θέλω · I will not
‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.
Matthew 22:3ἤθελον · they refused
He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.
Matthew 23:4θέλουσιν · are not willing
They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
Matthew 23:37ἠθέλησα · I have longed; ἠθελήσατε · you were unwilling
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
Matthew 26:15θέλετέ · are you willing
…and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:17θέλεις · do You want
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
Matthew 26:39θέλω · will
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Matthew 27:15ἤθελον · their choosing
Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.
Matthew 27:17θέλετε · do you want
So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
Matthew 27:21θέλετε · do you want
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied.
Matthew 27:34ἠθέλησεν · He refused
…they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
Matthew 27:43θέλει · He wants Him
He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
Mark 1:40θέλῃς · You are willing
Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Mark 1:41Θέλω · I am willing
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”
Mark 3:13ἤθελεν · wanted
Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.
Mark 6:19ἤθελεν · wanted
So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,
Mark 6:22θέλῃς · you wish
When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”
Mark 6:25Θέλω · I want
At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”
Mark 6:26ἠθέλησεν · he did not want
The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.
Mark 6:48ἤθελεν · He intended
He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,