God.  In Acts 10:10 Peter is revealed to us as being very hungry, and

"would have eaten", where the word thelo is employed.

`How shall we describe his natural reactions?  We might do so in different

desired to taste food.

wished to taste food.

willed (that is, determined) to taste food.

was willing (that is, agreeable) to taste food.

wanted to taste food.

`Peter did not need to "make up his mind" regarding his needs.  There was

more than mere desire present with him.  He was more than willing to eat.

It was more than a wish that he experienced.  Peter wanted to taste food.

There can be no doubt that is the best translation.  Any child in the same

situation would cry, "I want something to eat", and would not use the

other terms.  The English word want expresses well the need and the

`Let us, then, examine the Greek word thelo, which occurs over 200 times

in the New Testament, and its noun thelema, which is found about 60 times.

In the Authorized Version (King James) the verb is rendered 98 times by

will, 70 times by would, 12 times by desire, 10 times by will have, or

would have, and three times by list.  The noun is rendered 62 times by

will, once by desire and once by pleasure.  Other versions render the verb

occasionally by wish, desire, choose, and even determine.  In the

Concordant Version, the noun is always rendered by will, but, strange to

say, the verb is in no fewer than 120 cases rendered by want, and only in

96 cases by will or would.  The definition given is, "form a decision,

choice or purpose".  While the standard is will, the "idiomatic" rendering

is want.  Now that the idiomatic meaning is want is very evident.  I

should say it is the best English equivalent.  But the definition can

hardly be correct.  That of Webster, in his Syntax and Synonyms of the

Greek Testament, seems superior:  "`Thelo' denotes a natural impulse or

desire, the ground of which is generally obvious, or for which it is

unnecessary to assign a reason".  Dr. E.W. Bullinger is substantially

`It will be seen at once that the whole question of what is God's "will"

requires reconsideration when it is seen that the real idiomatic meaning

of the verb is "want".  It is both misleading and inconsistent to render

John 7:17 by "If anyone should be wanting (thele) to be doing His will

(thelema)".  The sense must either be, if anyone may will to be doing His

will, or if anyone may want to do what He wants.  Unfortunately, idiom

forbids us to say, if anyone may want to be doing His want (or wants).

`Here I shall ask you some very pointed questions.  Can you, as a disciple

of the Lord, will, or purpose, or determine, to be doing His will?  Does

your freewill extend so far?  Can you will to follow behind the Lord?

(Matt. 16:24).  Can you will to save your soul? (Matt. 16:25).  Can you

will to enter into the life? (Matt. 19:17).  Can you will to be perfect?

(Matt. 19:21).  Did the Canaanitish woman of Matthew 15:28 obtain her

extraordinarily bold request through willing or will power?  "O woman,

great of-such-as-you the faith.  Let it be done to you as you are

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`I shall cite another case which shows how we might be misled.  "How many

times do I want (ethelesa) to assemble your children ... and you will not