ἐπιθυμία (epithumia)
epithumia
desire
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 37 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun epithumia denotes a strong desire or longing, ranging from neutral cravings to intense lust. In the New Testament it appears thirty-seven times, often carrying a negative sense when referring to forbidden or sinful impulses. This usage aligns with its frequent translation of Hebrew words like taavah in the Septuagint, which also describe covetousness or illicit yearning.
While the word can simply mean eager wanting—as seen in Luke 22:15 where Jesus expresses his desire to eat the Passover—it is most commonly paired with descriptors that highlight its destructive potential. Phrases like "lusts of the flesh" (1 John 2:16) or "evil desires" (Colossians 3:5) illustrate how this drive, when misdirected, leads to spiritual decay and separation from God’s will.
Etymologically, it stems from epithymeō, meaning "to desire earnestly." The term’s theological weight lies in its portrayal of human nature’s tendency toward self-centered craving. Paul contrasts these desires with the Spirit’s guidance in Galatians 5:16-17, showing that living by faith requires resisting the pull of epithumia to follow a higher purpose.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word epithumia captures the intensity of human longing. It describes a desire so strong it can feel like a pull on the soul. While we often associate it with sinful cravings or greed, the term itself is neutral. It simply names the energy of wanting something deeply. This makes it a powerful lens for examining our own hearts.
Consider Jesus in Luke 22:15. He used this same word to express his earnest desire to share the Passover meal with his disciples. Here, desire is holy and redemptive. It shows that the drive to connect, to love, and to be present is not inherently bad. The issue arises when that energy becomes disordered.
When our desires turn inward, they can choke the life out of our faith, as seen in Mark 4:19. But when aligned with God’s Spirit, that same intensity fuels righteousness. We are invited to bring our deepest longings before God, asking Him to shape them into something that honors Him and blesses others.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 37 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- desires9×
- desire9×
- lusts3×
- passions2×
- desires.2×
- desires,2×
- of lust1×
- in lusts,1×
- evil desires1×
- desire.1×
- covetousness;1×
- covetousness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπιθυμίας12×
- ἐπιθυμίαις6×
- ἐπιθυμίαν4×
- ἐπιθυμία4×
- ἐπιθυμίᾳ3×
- ἐπιθυμίαις,3×
- ἐπιθυμίᾳ.1×
- ἐπιθυμίας.¶1×
- ἐπιθυμίαν·1×
- ἐπιθυμίαις.1×
- ἐπιθυμίαι1×
- ἐπιθυμιῶν,1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 22:15
He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
This verse reveals the word's neutral capacity by showing Jesus using it for a holy, relational longing rather than a sinful craving.
-
Mark 4:19
and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Here the term illustrates how unchecked desires can suffocate spiritual growth, acting as a chokehold on the word of God.
-
Romans 7:8
But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
Paul uses this word to describe how sin exploits the commandment to generate illicit coveting within the human heart.
-
Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
This occurrence presents a clear choice between walking by the Spirit and fulfilling the destructive impulses of the flesh.