Lust

denotes "strong desire" of any kind, the various kinds being frequently specified by some adjective (see below). The word is used of a good desire only in Luke 22:15; Philippians 1:23; 1—Thessalonians 2:17 . Everywhere else it has a bad sense. In Romans 6:12 the injunction against letting sin reign in our mortal body to obey the "lust" thereof, refers to those evil desires which are ready to express themselves in bodily activity. They are equally the "lusts" of the flesh, Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16,24; Ephesians 2:3; 2—Peter 2:18; 1—John 2:16 , a phrase which describes the emotions of the soul, the natural tendency towards things evil. Such "lusts" are not necessarily base and immoral, they may be refined in character, but are evil if inconsistent with the will of God.

lit., "a reaching" or "stretching after" (akin to oregomai, "to stretch oneself out, reach after"), a general term for every kind of desire, is used in Romans 1:27 , "lust."

"pleasure," is translated "lusts," in the AV of James 4:1,3 (RV, "pleasure"). See PLEASURE.

akin to A, No. 1, has the same twofold meaning as the noun, namely (a) "to desire," used of the Holy Spirit against the flesh, Galatians 5:17 (see below); of the Lord Jesus, Luke 22:15 , "I have desired;" of the holy angels, 1—Peter 1:12; of good men, for good things, Matthew 13:17; 1—Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 6:11; of men, for things without moral quality, Luke 15:16; 16:21; 17:22; Revelation 9:6; (b) of "evil desires," in respect of which it is translated "to lust" in Matthew 5:28; 1—Corinthians 10:6; Galatians 5:17 (1st part; see below); James 4:2; to covet, Acts 20:23; Romans 7:7; 13:9 . See COVET , DESIRE , B, No. 2.