Bible Dictionary
PLEASURE
Pleasure may mean delight, desire, good will, or purpose. Scripture commends delight in God’s will but warns against self-indulgent and sinful pleasures.
Definition
Pleasure may mean delight, inclination, desire, good will, acceptance, or purpose. It can describe what a person desires, what is pleasing to God, or a chosen purpose. The word may also refer to lower or self-indulgent pleasures.
Biblical Usage
Scripture speaks of God’s will and good pleasure, delight in His purposes, and the pleasure of sinful or luxurious living. Believers are directed toward what is good, while pleasure detached from righteousness is treated negatively.
Historical Background
Several Hebrew and Greek terms lie behind the English word, including words for inclination, delight, good will, desire, sweetness, favor, and luxurious living. Translation choices therefore vary with context.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>plezh'-ur (chephets, ratson; eudokia, hedone: "Pleasure" is the translation of various Hebrew words, chiefly of chephets, "inclination," hence, "pleasure," "delight" (Job 21:21, "What pleasure hath he in his house?" the American Standard Revised Version "what careth he for"; Job 22:3, "Is it any pleasure to the Almighty?"; Ps 111:2; Ec 5:4; 12:1; in Isa 44:28; 46:10; 48:14; 53:10, it has the sense of will or purpose, "He shall perform all my pleasure," etc.); of ratson, "delight," "acceptance," "good will" (Ezr 10:11; Ne 9:37; Es 1:8; Ps 51:18; 103:21, etc.); nephesh, "soul," "desire" is translated "pleasure" (De 23:24; Ps 105:22; Jer 34:16).</p><p>In the New Testament "pleasure" is the translation of eudokia, "good thought or will," "good pleasure" (Lu 2:14 the Revised Version margin; Eph 1:5,9; Php 2:13; 2Th 1:11 the Revised Version (British and American) "every desire of goodness," margin "Greek: `good pleasure of goodness.' Compare Ro 10:1").</p><p>"To take pleasure or to have pleasure" is eudokeo (2Co 12:10; 2Th 2:12; Heb 10:6,8,38); eudokeo is once translated "good pleasure" (Lu 12:32, "It is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom"); the neuter participle of dokeo, "to think," etc.--meaning "it seems good to me"--to dokoun, is translated "pleasure" (Heb 12:10, "after their pleasure," the Revised Version (British and American) "as seemed good to them"); hedone, "sweetness," "pleasure," occurs in Lu 8:14; Tit 3:3; 2Pe 2:13 (referring to the lower pleasures of life); thelema, "wish," "will" (Re 4:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "because of thy will"); charis, "favor" (Ac 24:27; 25:9, the Revised Version (British and American) "favor"); spatalao "to live voluptuously" (1Ti 5:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "she that giveth herself to pleasure"); suneudokeo, "to think well with," "to take pleasure with others" (Ro 1:32, the Revised Version (British and American) "consent with"); truphao, "to live luxuriously" (Jas 5:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "lived delicately").</p><p>The verb "to pleasure" occurs in 2 Macc 2:27 as the translation of eucharistia, the Revised Version (British and American) "gratitude"; 12:11, ophelesein, the Revised Version (British and American) "to help."</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>