Bible Dictionary
SELF-CONTROL
Self-control is the disciplined mastery of one’s desires and conduct. The New Testament presents it as an important Christian virtue and a fruit or quality associated with faithful living.
Definition
Self-control is disciplined mastery of one’s desires and conduct. It includes restraint in personal behavior and is presented as an important quality of faithful Christian living.
Biblical Usage
The New Testament places self-control among Christian virtues and associates it with the fruit of the Spirit, spiritual growth, responsible leadership, and disciplined conduct. It is also used of the athlete who exercises restraint and of the mastery required in matters of personal desire.
Historical Background
The Revised Version commonly uses “self-control” where the King James Version has “temperance.” The same word family includes the adjective “self-controlled” and related verbal expressions.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>self-kon-trol' (egkrateia): Rendered in the King James Version "temperance" (compare Latin temperario and continentia), but more accurately "self-control," as in the Revised Version (British and American) (Ac 24:25; Ga 5:23; 2Pe 1:6); adjective of same, egkrates, "self-controlled" (Tit 1:8 the Revised Version (British and American)); compare verb forms in 1Co 7:9, "have .... continency"; 9:25, the athlete "exerciseth self-control." Self-control is therefore repeatedly set forth in the New Testament as among the important Christian virtues.</p>