Keraia
Lexicon

θέλω

thelōto will/desireHow to read Greek
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. ;]

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.).

Hebrew words it translates

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

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

208 total
  1. Mark 7:24ἤθελεν · Not wanting anyone
    Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.
  2. Mark 8:34θέλει · wants
    Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
  3. Mark 8:35θέλῃ · wants
    For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
  4. Mark 9:13ἤθελον · they wished
    But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”
  5. Mark 9:30ἤθελεν · [Jesus] did not want
    Going on from there, they passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know,
  6. Mark 9:35θέλει · wants
    Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”
  7. Mark 10:35θέλομεν · we want
    Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
  8. Mark 10:36θέλετε · do you want
    “What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.
  9. Mark 10:43θέλῃ · wants
    But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
  10. Mark 10:44θέλῃ · wants
    …and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
  11. Mark 10:51θέλεις · do you want
    “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”
  12. Mark 12:38θελόντων · They like
    In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
  13. Mark 14:7θέλητε · you want
    The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
  14. Mark 14:12θέλεις · do You want
    On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
  15. Mark 14:36θέλω · will
    “Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”
  16. Mark 15:9Θέλετε · Do you want
    “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
  17. Mark 15:12θέλετε · do you want
    So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
  18. Luke 1:62θέλοι · he wanted
    So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
  19. Luke 4:6θέλω · I wish
    “I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.
  20. Luke 5:12θέλῃς · You are willing
    While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
  21. Luke 5:13Θέλω · I am willing
    Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
  22. Luke 5:39θέλει · wants
    And no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
  23. Luke 6:31θέλετε · you would have
    Do to others as you would have them do to you.
  24. Luke 8:20θέλοντές · wanting
    He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”
  25. Luke 9:23θέλει · wants
    Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
  26. Luke 9:24θέλῃ · wants
    For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
  27. Luke 9:54θέλεις · do You want
    When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
  28. Luke 10:24ἠθέλησαν · desired
    For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
  29. Luke 10:29θέλων · wanting
    But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
  30. Luke 12:49θέλω · I wish
    I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
  31. Luke 13:31θέλει · wants
    At that very hour, some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him, “Leave this place and get away, because Herod wants to kill You.”
  32. Luke 13:34ἠθέλησα · 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!
  33. Luke 14:28θέλων · wishing
    Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?
  34. Luke 15:28ἤθελεν · refused
    The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
  35. Luke 16:26θέλοντες · wish
    And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
  36. Luke 18:4ἤθελεν · he refused
    For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,
  37. Luke 18:13ἤθελεν · unwilling even
    But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
  38. Luke 18:41θέλεις · do you want
    “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.”
  39. Luke 19:14θέλομεν · We do not want
    But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’
  40. Luke 19:27θελήσαντάς · were unwilling [for]
    And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”
  41. Luke 20:46θελόντων · They like
    “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
  42. Luke 22:9θέλεις · do You want
    “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.
  43. Luke 23:8θέλων · He had wanted
    When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
  44. Luke 23:20θέλων · Wanting
    Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
  45. John 1:43ἠθέλησεν · [Jesus] decided
    The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”
  46. John 3:8θέλει · it wishes
    The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
  47. John 5:6Θέλεις · Do you want
    When Jesus saw him lying there and realized that he had spent a long time in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
  48. John 5:21θέλει · He wishes
    For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
  49. John 5:35ἠθελήσατε · were willing
    John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.