Dear

from time, "honor, price," signifies (a), primarily, "accounted as of great price, precious, costly," 1—Corinthians 3:12; Revelation 17:4; 18:12,16; 21:19 , and in the superlative degree, Revelation 18:12; 21:11; the comparative degree is found in 1—Peter 1:7 (polutimoteros, in the most authentic mss., "much more precious"); (b) in the metaphorical sense, "held in honor, esteemed, very dear," Acts 5:34 , "had in honor," RV (AV, "had in reputation"); so in Hebrews 13:4 , RV, "let marriage be had in honor;" AV, "is honorable;" Acts 20:24 , "dear," negatively of Paul's estimate of his life; James 5:7 , "precious" (of fruit); 1—Peter 1:19 , "precious" (of the blood of Christ); 2—Peter 1:4 (of God's promises). See COSTLY , HONORABLE , REPUTATION , PRECIOUS. Cp. timiotes, preciousness, Revelation 18:19 .

"held in honor" (time, see above), "precious, dear," is found in Luke 7:2 , of the centurion's servant; 14:8, "more honorable;" Philippians 2:29 , "honor" (AV, "reputation"), of devoted servants of Christ; in 1—Peter 2:4,6 , "precious," of stones, metaphorically. See HONORABLE , REPUTATION , PRECIOUS.

from agape, "love," signifies "beloved;" it is rendered "very dear" in 1—Thessalonians 2:8 (AV, "dear"), of the affection of Paul and his fellow workers for the saints at Thessalonica; in Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 1:7 , AV, "dear;" RV, "beloved." See BELOVED.