εὐδοκέω

Matthew 3:17 εὐδόκησα.¶ I was well pleased.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

Here: “I have taken delight / I delight.” This is the verb of God's settled favour and gladly chosen goodwill, echoing Isaiah 42:1, “my chosen one, in whom my soul delights”. It is in a past tense, but it does not mean “I was pleased with what he did”.

Matthew 12:18 εὐδόκησεν has found delight

“Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Here: 'Took delight / was well pleased'. The word joins warm pleasure with deliberate approval, a favour that has made a decision. It echoes 'in whom I am well pleased' (εὐδόκησα) at the baptism.

Matthew 17:5 εὐδόκησα· I am well pleased;

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Here: A past-tense form used for a settled attitude: 'I have taken delight in / chosen him'. It echoes Isa 42:1, the chosen servant 'in whom my soul delights'.

Mark 1:11 εὐδόκησα.¶ I am well pleased.

And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Here: Aorist (a simple 'did' tense), first person: 'I delighted, I took pleasure, I chose.' It echoes Isaiah 42:1, 'my chosen, in whom my soul delights.' It is the language of choosing someone and taking pleasure in them. It is not approval of work done.

Luke 3:22 εὐδόκησα.¶ I am well pleased.

and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Here: A simple past tense: “I took delight / I have chosen with delight.” It points to God's settled favor and choice, not to a verdict on work done. It echoes Isaiah 42:1, where God's chosen servant is the one “in whom my soul delights.”

Luke 12:32 εὐδόκησεν took delight

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Here: A past-tense verb marking a completed act (the Greek aorist), with an infinitive after it: the Father "was pleased" or "gladly decided" to give. It joins delight and decision. This is a settled, willing choice, not just a passing feeling.

Romans 15:26 εὐδόκησαν Were pleased

For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

Romans 15:27 εὐδόκησαν They were pleased

They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to minister to them with material blessings.

Here: Picks up the same verb from verse 26: Macedonia and Achaia freely and gladly decided to give. The past tense describes a decision already made. Paul stresses that the gift was their own choice before he calls it a debt.

1 Corinthians 1:21 εὐδόκησεν was pleased

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Here: God freely decided, saw fit, chose. It is the language of a sovereign's good pleasure, a deliberate choice of method, rather than a statement of how God felt.

1 Corinthians 10:5 εὐδόκησεν was well pleased

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

Here: God's settled approval and favour. The past tense views the whole wilderness period as a single verdict. Saying God was 'not pleased' is understatement for rejection, and the next clause shows what that rejection looked like.

2 Corinthians 5:8 εὐδοκοῦμεν we are pleased

We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Here: 'We are well pleased', 'we think it better'. This is a settled preference or choice, not a grudging willingness. With 'rather' it means 'we would much prefer'.

2 Corinthians 12:10 εὐδοκῶ I take pleasure

That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Here: "I am content with / I gladly accept / I count it good." It describes a settled, willing approval, not enjoyment of pain. Present tense: this is Paul's ongoing posture.

Galatians 1:15 εὐδόκησεν was pleased

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased

Here: God 'saw fit' or 'resolved'. It is a deliberate decision, not just a feeling of pleasure. Grammatically it governs the infinitive 'to reveal' in v. 16: 'when God saw fit to reveal his Son in me'.

Colossians 1:19 εὐδόκησεν was pleased

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,

Here: A single past action of willing: '[God] decided, with good pleasure'. The subject is not stated in the Greek; it is either God (understood) or 'all the fullness' itself (see debates). It is the language of God's sovereign, glad choice, not just approval after the fact.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 εὐδοκοῦμεν we were pleased

We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

Here: The imperfect tense looks back on a settled attitude during their stay: "we were glad to / we gladly chose to". The word holds both delight and a willing decision, so the giving was not grudging.

1 Thessalonians 3:1 εὐδοκήσαμεν we thought it best

So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 εὐδοκήσαντες having delighted

in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.

Here: 'Having taken pleasure in'. They did not just slip into wrongdoing. They approved of it, enjoyed it and willingly chose it. Elsewhere this is the verb for God's own 'good pleasure', so it describes deliberate liking and choosing.

Hebrews 10:6 εὐδόκησας· You have delighted in;

In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.

Hebrews 10:8 εὐδόκησας, You delighted in,

In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law).

Hebrews 10:38 εὐδοκεῖ takes pleasure

But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”

Here: Present tense: God does not approve of or delight in such a person. It is the same verb as “in whom I am well pleased” at Jesus' baptism. To say God's favour is withheld is a serious understatement, and v. 39 calls the outcome “destruction.”

2 Peter 1:17 εὐδόκησα. found delight.

For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Here: An aorist (simple past) form: 'I took delight' or 'I have set my favor'. It echoes Isaiah 42:1, where God delights in his chosen servant, and includes the ideas of choosing and approving, not only feeling pleased.