Greek word · G2237

ἡδονή

hēdonē

pleasure

Pleasure, enjoyment; and, especially in moral writing, the desire or craving for pleasure as a driving force in a person.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

ἡδονή, -ῆς, ἡ

(ἥδομαι, to be glad) [in LXX: Numbers 11:8 (טַעַם), Proverbs 17:1, Wisdom of Solomon 7:2 16:20, and frequently in 4Mac ;]

pleasure: 2 Peter 2:13; pl., Luke 8:14, Titus 3:3, James 4:1, †

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Range of meaning: Pleasure, enjoyment; and, especially in moral writing, the desire or craving for pleasure as a driving force in a person. In the New Testament it is always negative: "pleasures of life" choking the word (Luke 8:14), being "slaves to various passions and pleasures" (Titus 3:3), reveling in pleasure (2 Pet 2:13), and "pleasures that wage war in your members" (James 4:1).
Against the English: KJV "lusts" (following Tyndale, and behind him the Latin Vulgate's concupiscentiis, "desires") now sounds sexual. ESV "passions" catches the sense of a driving appetite. BSB/WEB/NIV/NASB "pleasures" is literal, but modern "pleasures" can sound like harmless hobbies.
How it drifted: In 1611 "lust" meant any strong desire or craving. Over later centuries English narrowed "lust" to sexual desire, so the KJV now points readers toward a much narrower sin than James named.
Used elsewhere in the period: A key term in Greek moral philosophy. The Stoics counted pleasure (hēdonē) as one of the four basic passions, alongside desire, fear and grief. Plato (Phaedo 66c) traces wars and factions to the body and its desires, a close parallel to James 4:1. Jewish writers took the theme over: 4 Maccabees 1 discusses reason ruling over pleasure, and Philo repeatedly treats pleasure as the root of vice.

Range of meaning: Pleasure, enjoyment, delight. In moral writing especially, it means the drive for self-gratification: the appetite for whatever pleases. It can mean food, comfort, wealth, honour, or sex, depending on context. Greek moral philosophers, especially the Stoics, counted it among the four basic 'passions' (desire, pleasure, fear, grief) that drag reason off course.
Against the English: KJV "lusts" in 1611 meant desires of any kind, but today it suggests sexual appetite. "Pleasures" (WEB, NASB) is closest to the word itself. "Passions" (BSB, ESV) and "desires" (NIV) capture the driving force but lose the note of self-gratification. NLT's "evil desires" adds a moral label the Greek leaves implicit.
How it drifted: "Lust" narrowed to mainly sexual desire in modern English, so the KJV reading now points readers to the wrong vice.
Used elsewhere in the period: In the NT it appears in Luke 8:14 (the "pleasures of life" choking the seed), Titus 3:3 ("enslaved to various passions and pleasures"), 2 Peter 2:13, and James 4:3 ("so that you may spend it on your pleasures"). In Greek moral philosophy hēdonē is a classic source of disorder. 4 Maccabees treats it as a passion reason must master (1:20–28). Philo often presents pleasure as the root of vice.

Range of meaning: Pleasure, enjoyment, delight; also what gives pleasure and the appetite for it. In ordinary Greek it can be neutral. In moral writing it is usually something that needs controlling.
Against the English: 'Pleasures' is a correct gloss. But some modern readers hear only 'sinful indulgences' (sex, drink), while others hear harmless fun. The Greek covers the whole range of life's enjoyments that absorb a person, ordinary ones included.
How it drifted: Popular preaching tends to narrow 'pleasures' to scandalous vices, so the comfortable, respectable enjoyments the word also includes drop out of view.
Used elsewhere in the period: A key term in Greek ethics: Epicureans made pleasure the goal of life, and Stoics counted hēdonē among the four basic passions (with distress, fear and desire). Hellenistic Jewish writing takes it up: 4 Maccabees has reason mastering pleasures (1:20-28), and Philo often treats hēdonē as the enemy of virtue. NT: Titus 3:3 'enslaved to various passions and pleasures'; Jas 4:1, 3; 2 Pet 2:13. Mark 4:19 has instead 'desires for other things'.

Luke · 1

Luke 8:14 ἡδονῶν pleasures

The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.

Here: The enjoyments of life. In Greek moral thought, 'pleasure' was a classic rival to the good life. Only Luke uses this word in the Gospels.

Titus · 1

Titus 3:3 ἡδοναῖς pleasures

For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

Here: The enjoyment of what is wanted. Moral philosophers of the day paired it with desire as a passion that rules a person who lacks self-mastery.

James · 2

James 4:1 ἡδονῶν passions

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Here: Cravings for pleasure and personal gratification. Verses 2 and 3 show that here this means wanting to have and get things, status, and advantage. It is not specifically sexual.
James 4:3 ἡδοναῖς pleasures

And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

Here: "Pleasures": in Greek moral writing, the appetite for self-gratification, ranked among the passions that rule a person. In 4:1 these same pleasures are said to wage war inside them and cause their quarrels.

2 Peter · 1

2 Peter 2:13 ἡδονὴν [as] pleasure

The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you.

Here: Sensual pleasure. It stands first for emphasis and is the thing they count as good. Every NT use of the word is negative. It also sounds like the next word (hēdonēn hēgoumenoi).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.