Greek word · G619

ἀπόλαυσις

apolausis

enjoyment

Enjoyment, the benefit or pleasure gained from something. It is neutral in itself: its moral colour depends on the object. In Heb 11:25 it is the 'enjoyment' of sin for a time. Here it is enjoyment of God's gifts.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

ἀπόλαυσις, -εως, ἡ

(ἀπολαύω, to take of, enjoy a thing) [in LXX: 3Ma.7:16 * ;]

enjoyment: 1 Timothy 6:17, Hebrews 11:26 (for late exx., see MM, see word).†

(AS)

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

In depth

From the study of 1 Timothy 6:17

Range of meaning: Enjoyment, the benefit or pleasure gained from something. It is neutral in itself: its moral colour depends on the object. In Heb 11:25 it is the 'enjoyment' of sin for a time. Here it is enjoyment of God's gifts.
Against the English: Most versions render it 'to enjoy'. YLT's 'for enjoyment' keeps the purpose structure. The English is accurate. The only risk is reading 'enjoy' as permission for luxury, which the context (6:6–10, 18) rules out.
Used elsewhere in the period: Common in Hellenistic Greek for enjoying goods and pleasures. Jewish texts such as 3 and 4 Maccabees use the word group, and in 4 Macc 5 the pagan king argues that refusing nature's good gifts is foolish, an argument the Jewish martyr rejects for the sake of the Law. In 1 Timothy, the closer parallel is 4:3–4: God created foods 'to be received with thanksgiving', and 'everything created by God is good'.

From the study of Hebrews 11:25

Range of meaning: "Enjoyment, the benefit or advantage you get from something." It can be neutral or positive (enjoying God's gifts) or negative (self-indulgence), depending on context.
Against the English: The Greek is singular, "enjoyment". KJV, WEB, NIV, ESV, NASB and NLT all say "pleasures" (plural). "Pleasures" tends to suggest a list of sensual delights. BSB's "enjoyment" is closer: Moses' advantage was a whole way of life that sin would let him keep.
Used elsewhere in the period: 1 Timothy 6:17 is positive: God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (eis apolausin)". In Hellenistic Jewish writing, including Philo and 3–4 Maccabees, the word family describes enjoying food, wealth and comforts. In 4 Maccabees 5 the tyrant urges Eleazar to enjoy the good things nature offers and eat pork.

Where it appears

1 Timothy · 1

1 Timothy 6:17 ἀπόλαυσιν, enjoyment,

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

Here: God's gifts are meant to be enjoyed and benefited from. This affirms that created things are good, against teachers who forbade foods and marriage (4:3–4), while the context forbids trusting in them.

Hebrews · 1

Hebrews 11:25 ἀπόλαυσιν· enjoyment;

He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.

Here: Singular: "enjoyment, the benefit you get out of something." A broad word for enjoying what you have: wealth, comfort, status, food. It does not point specifically to sensual vice.

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