ἀρέσκω (areskō)
areskō
to please
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb areskō means to please or to seek to satisfy someone’s desires. In the New Testament, it appears sixteen times, with significant usage in Paul’s letters such as Romans and First Corinthians. The word describes an active effort to accommodate another person’s opinions or interests, often implying a deliberate choice of behavior to gain favor.
A key distinction lies in who is being pleased. Paul contrasts pleasing people with pleasing God in Galatians 1:10, noting that seeking human approval can conflict with serving Christ. This tension appears clearly in Romans 15:1-3, where believers are urged to please their neighbors for their good, following the example of Christ who did not please Himself. The word carries a sense of service or accommodation, as seen in First Thessalonians 2:4, where Paul states he speaks not to please men but God.
Its root likely connects to exciting emotion or stirring feelings, suggesting that pleasing involves more than mere agreement—it engages the heart’s desires. Translators sometimes render it as "serve" when the context emphasizes accommodation, highlighting its practical outworking in relationships. The term underscores the moral weight of our choices, whether we aim for human applause or divine approval.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word areskō describes the active effort to satisfy another person’s desires or gain their favor. In Scripture, this concept carries significant moral weight because it forces a choice between seeking human approval and pleasing God. Paul often contrasts these two aims, reminding us that while we are called to serve our neighbors, our ultimate loyalty belongs to Christ. This tension is not about ignoring others, but about ordering our priorities correctly.
Consider how this plays out in daily life. We might feel pressure to conform to cultural expectations or avoid difficult truths to keep the peace. Yet, the New Testament invites us to a higher standard. Even when it costs us social standing, we are encouraged to walk in a way that honors God first. This does not mean we become harsh or unloving; rather, it means our deepest desire is to reflect His character, trusting that He values faithfulness over applause.
Ultimately, this word points us toward freedom. When we stop striving for the approval of people, we find rest in God’s acceptance. We can serve others with genuine love, not out of fear or a need for validation, but from a heart secured by grace. This shift allows us to live with integrity, knowing that our worth is defined by who created us, not by who watches us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pleased3×
- to please2×
- pleasing2×
- he may please2×
- to please?1×
- to please;1×
- should please1×
- she pleased1×
- she may please1×
- please1×
- he may please.1×
- I were pleasing,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἤρεσεν4×
- ἀρέσῃ3×
- ἤρεσκον,1×
- ἀρέσῃ.1×
- ἀρέσκω1×
- ἀρέσκοντες1×
- ἀρέσκειν·1×
- ἀρέσκειν;1×
- ἀρέσκειν1×
- ἀρέσαι1×
- ἀρεσκόντων1×
- ἀρεσκέτω1×
Key Verses
-
Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.
Paul explicitly contrasts pleasing men with being a servant of Christ, establishing the primary spiritual conflict of this word.
-
Romans 15:3
For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
Christ’s refusal to please Himself serves as the ultimate model for selfless accommodation and service to others.
-
I Thessalonians 2:4
But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.
Paul clarifies that his message comes from God who tests hearts, not from a desire to win human favor.
-
Romans 8:8
Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
This verse highlights the spiritual impossibility of pleasing God when one remains entirely in the flesh.