Dictionaries :: Dear

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Dear:

from time, "honor, price," signifies

(a), primarily, "accounted as of great price, precious, costly," 1Cr 3:12; Rev 17:4; 18:12, 16; 21:19, and in the superlative degree, Rev 18:12; 21:11; the comparative degree is found in 1Pe 1:7 (polutimoteros, in the most authentic mss., "much more precious");

(b) in the metaphorical sense, "held in honor, esteemed, very dear," Act 5:34, "had in honor," RV (AV, "had in reputation"); so in Hbr 13:4, RV, "let marriage be had in honor;" AV, "is honorable;" Act 20:24, "dear," negatively of Paul's estimate of his life; Jam 5:7, "precious" (of fruit); 1Pe 1:19, "precious" (of the blood of Christ); 2Pe 1:4 (of God's promises).
See COSTLY, HONORABLE, REPUTATION, PRECIOUS. Cp. timiotes, preciousness, Rev 18:19.

Dear:

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

Dear:

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

Note: In Col 1:13, agape is translated "dear" in the AV; the RV, adhering to the noun, has "the Son of His love."