Greek word · Strong's G1939

ἐπιθυμία

epithymía · word · “desire, lust, longing”

In a sentence

Epithymia means strong desire — sometimes a good longing, but more often the disordered desires Paul calls the works of the flesh.

Epithymia is the verb for what the heart reaches toward. It is morally neutral on its own — Jesus longs (epethymēsa) to eat the Passover with his disciples.

But in Paul it most often names disordered desire — the cravings of the flesh that war against the Spirit and must be put to death by the Spirit.

Strong's reference

Definition: a longing (especially for what is forbidden)

KJV usage: concupiscence, desire, lust (after)

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Luke 22:15 “And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.” Galatians 5:16 “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.