2309. theló
Strong's Concordance
theló: to will, wish
Original Word: θέλω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: theló
Phonetic Spelling: ( eth-el'-o,)
Short Definition: I will, wish, desire
Definition: I will, wish, desire, am willing, intend, design.
HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2309 thélō (a primitive verb, NAS dictionary) – to desire (wish, will), wanting what is best (optimal) because someone is ready and willing to act.

2309 /thélō ("to desire, wish") is commonly used of the Lord extending His "best-offer" to the believer – wanting (desiring) to birth His persuasion (faith) in them which also empowers, manifests His presence etc. See 2307 (thelēma).

[Note the close connection between faith (4102 /pístis, "God's inbirthed persuasion") and this root (thel-, 2307 /thélēma); cf. 2 Cor 8:5-7 and Heb 10:36-39).]

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2309: ἐθέλω

ἐθέλω, see θέλω.

STRONGS NT 2309: θέλωθέλω (only in this form in the N. T.; in Greek authors also ἐθέλω (Veitch, under the word; Lob. ad Phryn., p. 7; Buttmann, 57 (49))); imperfect ἤθελον; (future 3 person singular θελήσει, Revelation 11:5 WH marginal reading); 1 aorist ἠθέλησα; (derived apparently from ἑλεῖν with a fuller aspiration, so that it means properly, to seize with the mind; but Curtius, p. 726, edition 5, regards its root as uncertain (he inclines, however, to the view of Pott, Fick, Vanicek, and others, which connects it with a root meaning to hold to)); the Sept. for אָבָה and חָפֵץ; to will (have in mind) intend; i. e.:

1. to be resolved or determined, to purpose: absolutely, θέλων, Romans 9:16; τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλοντος if God will, Acts 18:21; ἐάν κύριος θελήσῃ. (in Attic ἐάν θεός θέλῃ, ἦν οἱ Θεοί θέλωσιν (cf. Lob. as above)), 1 Corinthians 4:19; James 4:15; καθώς ἠθέλησε, 1 Corinthians 12:18; 1 Corinthians 15:38; τί, Romans 7:15f, 19; 1 Corinthians 7:36; Galatians 5:17; with the aorist infinitive, Matthew 20:14; Matthew 26:15; John 6:21 (where the meaning is, they were willing to receive him into the ship, but that was unnecessary, because unexpectedly the ship was nearing the land; cf. Lücke, B-Crusius, Ewald (Godet), others at the passage; Winers Grammar, § 54, 4; (Buttmann, 375 (321))); John 12:44; Acts 25:9; Colossians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Revelation 11:5, etc.; with the present infinitive, Luke 10:29 R G; John 6:67; John 12:17; John 8:44; Acts 24:6 (Rec.); Romans 7:21; Galatians 4:9 (here T Tr text WH text 1 aorist infinitive); with an infinitive suggested by the context, John 5:21 (οὕς θέλει, namely, ζοωποιησαι); Matthew 8:2; Mark 3:13; Mark 6:22; Romans 9:18; Revelation 11:6, etc. οὐ θέλω to be unwilling: with the aorist infinitive, Matthew 2:18; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 22:3; Mark 6:26; Luke 15:28; John 5:40; Acts 7:39; 1 Corinthians 16:7; Revelation 2:21 (not Rec.), etc.; with the present infinitive, John 7:1; Acts 14:13; Acts 17:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:10, etc.; with the infinitive omitted and to be gathered from the context, Matthew 18:30; Matthew 21:29; Luke 18:4, etc.; θέλω and οὐ θέλω followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Luke 1:62; 1 Corinthians 10:20; on the Pauline phrase οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, see ἀγνοέω, a.; corresponding to θέλω ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι, 1 Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 2:1. θέλειν, used of a purpose or resolution, is contrasted with the carrying out of the purpose into act: opposed to ποιεῖν, πράσσειν, Romans 7:15, 19; 2 Corinthians 8:10f (on which latter passage cf. DeWette and Meyer; Winer's Grammar, § 61, 7b.); to ἐνεργεῖν, Philippians 2:13, cf. Mark 6:19; John 7:44. One is said also θέλειν that which he is on the point of doing: Mark 6:48; John 1:43 (44); and it is used thus also of things that tend or point to some conclusion (cf. Winers Grammar, § 42, 1 b.; Buttmann, 254 (219)): Acts 2:12; Acts 17:20. λανθάνει αὐτούς τοῦτο θέλοντας this (viz., what follows, ὅτι etc.) escapes them of their own will, i. e. they are purposely, wilfully, ignorant, 2 Peter 3:5, where others interpret as follows: this (viz. what has been said previously) desiring (i. e. holding as their opinion (for examples of this sense see Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 4)), they are ignorant etc.; but cf. DeWette at the passage and Winers Grammar, § 54, 4 note; (Buttmann, § 150, 8 Rem.). τάς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρός ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν it is your purpose to fulfil the lusts of your father, i. e. ye are actuated by him of your own free knowledge and choice, John 8:44 (Winers Grammar, as above; Buttmann, 375 (321)).

2. equivalent to to desire, to wish: τί, Matthew 20:21; Mark 14:36; Luke 5:39 (but WH in brackets); John 15:7; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 11:12; followed by the aorist infinitive, Matthew 5:40; Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:25; Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:43; Luke 8:20; Luke 13:8; John 5:6, 35 (ye were desirous of rejoicing); ; Galatians 3:2; James 2:20; 1 Peter 3:10; followed by the present infinitive, John 9:27; Galatians 4:20 (ἤθελον I could wish, on which imperfect see εὔχομαι, 2); the infinitive is lacking and to be supplied from the neighboring verb, Matthew 17:12; Matthew 27:15; Mark 9:13; John 21:18; followed by the accusative and infinitive, Mark 7:24; Luke 1:62; John 21:22; Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 7:7, 32; 1 Corinthians 14:5; Galatians 6:13; οὐ θέλω to be unwilling (desire not): followed by the aorist infinitive, Matthew 23:4; Luke 19:14, 27; 1 Corinthians 10:20; followed by ἵνα, Matthew 7:12; Mark 6:25; Mark 9:30; Mark 10:35; Luke 6:31; John 17:24; cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 8 b.; (Buttmann, § 139, 46); followed by the deliberative subjunctive (aorist): θέλεις συλλέξωμεν αὐτά (cf. the German willstdu,sollenwirzusammenlesen? (Goodwin § 88)), Matthew 13:28; add, Matthew 20:32 (where L brackets adds ἵνα); ; Mark 10:51; Mark 14:12; Mark 15:9, 12 (Tr brackets θέλεις); Luke 9:54; Luke 18:41; Luke 22:9 (cf. Winers Grammar, § 41 a. 4 b.; Buttmann, § 139, 2); followed by εἰ, Luke 12:49 (see εἰ, I. 4); followed by , to prefer, 1 Corinthians 14:19 (see , 3 d.).

3. equivalent to to love; followed by an infinitive, to like to do a thing, be fond of doing: Mark 12:38; Luke 20:46; cf. Winers Grammar, § 54, 4; (Buttmann, § 150, 8).

4. in imitation of the Hebrew חָפֵץ, to take delight, have pleasure (opposite by Buttmann, § 150, 8 Rem.; cf. Winer's Grammar, § 33, a.; but see examples below): ἐν τίνι, in a thing, Colossians 2:18 (ἐν καλῷ, to delight in goodness, Test xii. Patr., p. 688 (test. Ash. 1; (cf. εἰς ζωήν, p. 635, test. Zeb. 3); Psalm 111:1 (); Psalm 146:10 ()); ἐν τίνι, the dative of the person, 1 Samuel 18:22; 2 Samuel 15:26; (1 Kings 10:9); 2 Chronicles 9:8; for בְּ רָצָה, 1 Chronicles 28:4). τινα, to love one: Matthew 27:43 (Psalm 21:9 (); (Psalm 17:20 (); Psalm 40:12 (); Ezekiel 18:32, cf. Ezekiel 18:23; Tobit 13:6; epp. to μισεῖν, Ignatius ad Rom. 8, 3 [ET]; θεληθῆναι is used of those who find favor, ibid. 8, 1). τί, Matthew 9:13 and Matthew 12:7 (from Hosea 6:6); Hebrews 10:5, 8 (fr. Psalm 39:7 ()). As respects the distinction between βούλομαι and θέλω, the former seems to designate the will which follows deliberation, the latter the will which proceeds from inclination. This appears not only from Matthew 1:19, but also from the fact that the Sept. express the idea of pleasure, delight, by the verb θέλειν (see just above). The reverse of this distinction is laid down by Alexander Buttmann (1873) Lexil. i., p. 26 (English translation, p. 194); Delitzsch on Hebrews 6:17. According to Tittmann (Syn., i., p. 124) θέλειν denotes mere volition, βούλεσθαι inclination; (cf. Whiston on Demosthenes 9, 5; 124, 13). (Philip Buttmanns statement of the distinction between the two words is quoted with approval by Schmidt (Syn., iii., chapter 146), who adduces in confirmation (besides many examples) the assumed relationship between βούλομαι and Φελπις, ἐλπίς; the use of θέλω in the sense of 'resolve' in such passages as Thucydides 5, 9; of θέλων equivalent to ἡδέως in the poets; of βούλομαι as parallel to ἐπιθυμέω in Demosthenes 29, 45, etc.; and passages in which the two words occur together and βούλομαι is apparently equivalent to 'wish' while θέλω stands for 'will' as Xenophon, an. 4, 4, 5; Euripides, Alc. 281, etc., etc. At the same time it must be confessed that scholars are far from harmonious on the subject. Many agree with Prof. Grimm that θέλω gives prominence to the emotive element, βούλομαι emphasizes the rational and volitive; that θέλω signifies the choice, while βούλομαι marks the choice as deliberate and intelligent; yet they acknowledge that the words are sometimes used indiscriminately, and especially that θέλω as the less sharply-defined term is put where βούλομαι would be proper; see Ellendt, Lex. Sophocles; Pape, Handwörterb.; Seiler, Wörterb. d. Homer, under the word βούλομαι; Suhle und Schneidewin, Handwörterb.; Crosby, Lex. to Xenophon, an., under the word ἐθέλω; (Arnold's) Pillon, Greek Syn. § 129; Webster, Synt. and Syn. of the Greek Testament, p. 197; Wilke, Clavis N. T., edition 2, 2:603; Schleusner, N. T. Lex. see under the word, βούλομαι; Munthe, Observations, phil. in N. T. ex Diodorus Siculus, etc., p. 3; Valckenaer, Scholia etc. ii. 23; Westermann on Demosthenes 20, 111; the commentators generally on Matt. as above; Lightfoot on Philemon 1:13, 14; Riddle in Schaff's Lange on Eph., p. 42; this seems to be roughly intended by Ammonius also: βούλεσθαι μέν ἐπί μόνου λεκτεον τοῦ λογικου. τό δέ θέλειν καί ἐπί ἀλογου ζοωυ; (and Eustathius on Iliad 1, 112, p. 61, 2, says ὀυχ' ἁπλῶς θέλω, ἀλλά βούλομαι, ὅπερ ἐπίτασις τοῦ θέλειν ἐστιν). On the other hand, Liddell and Scott (under the word ἐθέλω); Passow, edition 5; Rost, Wörterb. edition 4; Schenkl, Schulwörterb.; Donaldson, Crat. § 463f; Wahl; Clay. Apocrypha, under the word βούλομαι; Cremer, under the words, βούλομαι and θέλω; especially Stallb. on Platos de repub. 4, 13, p. 437 b. (cf. too Cope on Aristotle, rhet. 2, 19, 19); Franke on Demosthenes 1, 1, substantially reverse the distinction, as does Ellicott on 1 Timothy 5:14; Wordsworth on 1 Thessalonians 2:18. Although the latter opinion may seem to be favored by that view of the derivation of the words which allies βούλομαι with voluptas (Curtius, § 659, compare p. 726), and makes θέλω signify 'to hold to something,' 'form a fixed resolve' (see above, at the beginning), yet the predominant usage of the N. T. will be evident to one who looks up the passages referred to above (Fritzsche's explanation of Matthew 1:19 is hardly natural); to which may be added such as Matthew 2:18; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:38; Matthew 15:28; Matthew 17:4 (); (cf. Luke 22:42); Mark 6:19; Mark 7:24; Mark 9:30; Mark 10:35; Mark 12:38; Mark 15:9 (cf. John 18:39), Mark 15:15 (where R. V. wishing is questionable; cf. Luke 23:20); Luke 10:24; Luke 15:28; Luke 16:26; John 5:6; John 6:11; John 12:21; Acts 10:10; Acts 18:15; Romans 7:19 (cf. Romans 7:15, its opposed to μισῶ, and indeed the use of θέλω throughout this chapter); 1 Corinthians 7:36, 39; 1 Corinthians 14:35; Ephesians 1:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:10, etc. Such passages as 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9 will be ranged now on one side, now on the other; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:11, 18. θέλω occurs in the N. T. about five times as often as βούλομαι (on the relative use of the words in classic writers see Tycho Mommsen in Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 415f). The usage of the Sept. (beyond the particular specified by Prof. Grimm) seems to afford little light; see e. g. Genesis 24:5, 8; Deuteronomy 25:7; Psalm 39:7, 9 (), etc. In modern Greek θέλω seems to have nearly driven βούλομαι out of use; on θέλω as an auxiliary cf. Jebb in Vincent and Dickson's Handbook, Appendix §§ 60, 64. For examples of the associated use of the words in classic Greek, see Stephanus' Thesaurus under the word βούλομαι, p. 366 d.; Lightfoot, Cremer, and especially Schmidt, as above.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
desire, be disposed toward, intend

Thel'-o or thel'-o or in certain tenses theleo thel-eh'-o, and etheleo eth-el-eh'-o, which are otherwise obsolete; apparently strengthened from the alternate form of haireomai; to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas boulomai properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. Choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. Be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in -- desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have, -ling, - ling(-ly)).

see GREEK haireomai

see GREEK boulomai

Forms and Transliterations
έλω ήθελε ηθελεν ήθελεν ἤθελεν ηθελες ήθελες ἤθελες ηθέληκα ηθελησα ηθέλησα ἠθέλησα ηθελησαμεν ηθελήσαμεν ἠθελήσαμεν ηθελησαν ηθέλησαν ἠθέλησαν ηθελησας ηθέλησας ἠθέλησας ηθελησατε ηθελήσατε ἠθελήσατε ηθέλησε ηθέλησέ ήθελησε ηθελησεν ηθέλησεν ἠθέλησεν ηθελον ήθελον ἤθελον θελει θέλει θελειν θέλειν Θελεις Θέλεις θελετε θέλετε θέλετέ θελη θέλη θέλῃ θελης θέλης θέλῃς θελησαντας θελήσαντάς θελήσει θεληση θελήση θελήσῃ θελήσης θελήσουσιν θελησω θελήσω θελησωσιν θελήσωσιν θελητε θέλητε θελοι θέλοι θελομεν θέλομεν θελοντα θέλοντα θελοντας θέλοντας θελοντες θέλοντες θέλοντές θελοντι θέλοντι θέλοντί θελοντος θέλοντος θελοντων θελόντων θελούση θέλουσι θελουσιν θέλουσιν Θελω Θέλω θελων θέλων θελωσι θέλωσι θέμα θέματα θέματι κύριε τεθέληκάς ethelen ēthelen ḗthelen etheles ētheles ḗtheles ethelesa ethélesa ēthelēsa ēthélēsa ethelesamen ethelḗsamen ēthelēsamen ēthelḗsamen ethelesan ethélesan ēthelēsan ēthélēsan ethelesas ethélesas ēthelēsas ēthélēsas ethelesate ethelḗsate ēthelēsate ēthelḗsate ethelesen ethélesen ēthelēsen ēthélēsen ethelon ēthelon ḗthelon kurie kyrie kýrie thele thelē thelei thélei thélēi thelein thélein Theleis Théleis thélēis theles thelēs thelesantas thelēsantas thelḗsantás thelese thelēsē thelḗsei thelḗsēi theleso thelēsō thelḗso thelḗsō thelesosin thelēsōsin thelḗsosin thelḗsōsin thelete thelēte thélete théleté thélēte Thelo Thelō Thélo Thélō theloi théloi thelomen thélomen thelon thelōn thélon thélōn thelonta thélonta thelontas thélontas thelontes thélontes thélontés thelonti thélonti thélontí thelonton thelontōn thelónton thelóntōn thelontos thélontos thelosi thelōsi thélosi thélōsi thelousin thélousin
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Englishman's Concordance
Strong's Greek 2309
209 Occurrences


ἠθέλησα — 3 Occ.
ἠθελήσαμεν — 2 Occ.
ἠθέλησαν — 3 Occ.
ἠθέλησας — 2 Occ.
ἠθελήσατε — 3 Occ.
ἠθέλησεν — 8 Occ.
ἤθελεν — 14 Occ.
ἤθελες — 1 Occ.
ἤθελον — 8 Occ.
θέλῃ — 8 Occ.
θέλῃς — 4 Occ.
θελήσαντάς — 1 Occ.
θελήσῃ — 3 Occ.
θελήσω — 1 Occ.
θελήσωσιν — 1 Occ.
θέλητε — 4 Occ.
θέλει — 19 Occ.
θέλειν — 4 Occ.
Θέλεις — 18 Occ.
θέλετε — 18 Occ.
Θέλω — 38 Occ.
θέλων — 13 Occ.
θέλωσι — 1 Occ.
θέλοι — 3 Occ.
θέλομεν — 7 Occ.
θέλοντα — 1 Occ.
θέλοντας — 1 Occ.
θέλοντές — 7 Occ.
θέλοντί — 2 Occ.
θελόντων — 3 Occ.
θέλοντος — 2 Occ.
θέλουσιν — 6 Occ.

Matthew 1:19 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν δειγματίσαι
NAS: a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace
KJV: [man], and not willing to make her
INT: and not willing her to expose publicly

Matthew 2:18 V-IIA-3S
GRK: καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι ὅτι
KJV: children, and would not be comforted,
INT: and not would be comforted because

Matthew 5:40 V-PPA-DMS
GRK: καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι
NAS: If anyone wants to sue you and take
KJV: And if any man will sue thee
INT: and to him who would from you sue you

Matthew 5:42 V-PPA-AMS
GRK: καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ
NAS: of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow
KJV: and from him that would borrow
INT: and him that wishes from you

Matthew 7:12 V-PSA-2P
GRK: ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν
NAS: the same way you want them to treat
KJV: whatsoever ye would that
INT: as many as if you desire that should do

Matthew 8:2 V-PSA-2S
GRK: Κύριε ἐὰν θέλῃς δύνασαί με
NAS: if You are willing, You can
KJV: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make
INT: Lord if you are willing you are able me

Matthew 8:3 V-PIA-1S
GRK: αὐτοῦ λέγων Θέλω καθαρίσθητι καὶ
NAS: him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed.
KJV: saying, I will; be thou clean.
INT: him saying I am willing be you cleansed And

Matthew 9:13 V-PIA-1S
GRK: ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ
NAS: this means: I DESIRE COMPASSION,
KJV: [that] meaneth, I will have mercy,
INT: is Mercy I desire and not

Matthew 11:14 V-PIA-2P
GRK: καὶ εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι αὐτός
NAS: And if you are willing to accept
KJV: And if ye will receive [it], this
INT: And if you are willing to receive [it] he

Matthew 12:7 V-PIA-1S
GRK: ἐστιν Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ
NAS: this means, I DESIRE COMPASSION,
KJV: [this] meaneth, I will have mercy,
INT: is Mercy I desire and not

Matthew 12:38 V-PIA-1P
GRK: λέγοντες Διδάσκαλε θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ
NAS: to Him, Teacher, we want to see
KJV: saying, Master, we would see a sign
INT: saying Teacher we wish from you

Matthew 13:28 V-PIA-2S
GRK: αὐτῷ λέγουσιν Θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες
NAS: said to him, 'Do you want us, then,
KJV: unto him, Wilt thou then
INT: to him said do you want then [that] having gone forth

Matthew 14:5 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: καὶ θέλων αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι
NAS: Although Herod wanted to put him to death,
KJV: And when he would have put him
INT: And wishing him to kill

Matthew 15:28 V-PIA-2S
GRK: σοι ὡς θέλεις καὶ ἰάθη
NAS: it shall be done for you as you wish. And her daughter
KJV: unto thee even as thou wilt. And her
INT: to you as you desire And was healed

Matthew 15:32 V-PIA-1S
GRK: νήστεις οὐ θέλω μή ποτε
NAS: to eat; and I do not want to send them away
KJV: to eat: and I will not send
INT: hungry not I am willing not lesst

Matthew 16:24 V-PIA-3S
GRK: Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου
NAS: If anyone wishes to come after
KJV: If any [man] will come
INT: If any one desires after me

Matthew 16:25 V-PSA-3S
GRK: γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν
NAS: For whoever wishes to save his life
KJV: For whosoever will save his
INT: indeed if might desire the life

Matthew 17:4 V-PIA-2S
GRK: εἶναι εἰ θέλεις ποιήσω ὧδε
NAS: if You wish, I will make
KJV: here: if thou wilt, let us make here
INT: to be If you wish let us make here

Matthew 17:12 V-AIA-3P
GRK: αὐτῷ ὅσα ἠθέλησαν οὕτως καὶ
NAS: to him whatever they wished. So
KJV: whatsoever they listed. Likewise
INT: him whatever they desired Thus also

Matthew 18:23 V-AIA-3S
GRK: βασιλεῖ ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον
NAS: who wished to settle
KJV: king, which would take account
INT: a king who would settle accounts accounts

Matthew 18:30 V-IIA-3S
GRK: δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἀλλὰ ἀπελθὼν
KJV: And he would not: but
INT: moreover not he would but having gone

Matthew 19:17 V-PIA-2S
GRK: εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν
NAS: but if you wish to enter
KJV: but if thou wilt enter into
INT: if moreover you desire into

Matthew 19:21 V-PIA-2S
GRK: Ἰησοῦς Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι
NAS: to him, If you wish to be complete,
KJV: unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,
INT: Jesus If you desire perfect to be

Matthew 20:14 V-PIA-1S
GRK: καὶ ὕπαγε θέλω δὲ τούτῳ
NAS: and go, but I wish to give
KJV: go thy way: I will give unto this
INT: and go I will moreover to this

Matthew 20:15 V-PIA-1S
GRK: μοι ὃ θέλω ποιῆσαι ἐν
NAS: what I wish with what
KJV: to do what I will with mine own?
INT: for me what I will to do with

209 Occurrences

2308
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