Bless, Blessed, Blessedness, Blessing
Bless, Blessed, Blessedness, Blessing
lit., “to speak well of” (eu, “well,” logos, “a word”), signifies, (a) “to praise, to celebrate with praises,” of that which is addressed to God, acknowledging His goodness, with desire for His glory, Luk 1:64; Luk 2:28; Luk 24:51, Luk 24:53; Jam 3:9; (b) “to invoke blessings upon a person,” e.g., Luk 6:28; Rom 12:14. The present participle Passive, “blessed, praised,” is especially used of Christ in Mat 21:9; Mat 23:39, and the parallel passages; also in Joh 12:13; (c) “to consecrate a thing with solemn prayers, to ask God’s blessing on a thing,” e.g., Luk 9:16; 1Co 10:16; (d) “to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on,” said of God, e.g., in Act 3:26; Gal 3:9; Eph 1:3. Cp. the synonym aineo, “to praise.” See PRAISE.
“to bless,” is used in the Passive Voice, Act 3:25; Gal 3:8. The prefix en apparently indicates the person on whom the blessing is conferred.
from a root mak—, meaning “large, lengthy,” found also in makros, “long,” mekos, “length,” hence denotes “to pronounce happy, blessed,” Luk 1:48; Jam 5:11. See HAPPY.
akin to A, 1, means “blessed, praised;” it is applied only to God, Mar 14:61; Luk 1:68; Rom 1:25; Rom 9:5; 2Co 1:3; 2Co 11:31; Eph 1:3; 1Pe 1:3. In the Sept. it is also applied to man, e.g., in Gen 24:31; Gen 26:29; Deu 7:14; Jdg 17:2; Rth 2:20; 1Sa 15:13.
akin to A, No. 3, is used in the beatitudes in Matt. 5 and Luke 6, is especially frequent in the Gospel of Luke, and is found seven times in Revelation, Rev 1:3; Rev 14:13; Rev 16:15; Rev 19:9; Rev 20:6; Rev 22:7, Rev 22:14. It is said of God twice, 1Ti 1:11; 1Ti 6:15. In the beatitudes the Lord indicates not only the characters that are “blessed,” but the nature of that which is the highest good.
akin to A, 1, lit., “good speaking, praise,” is used of (a) God and Christ, Rev 5:12-13; Rev 7:12; (b) the invocation of blessings, benediction, Heb 12:17; Jam 3:10; (c) the giving of thanks, 1Co 10:16; (d) a blessing, a benefit bestowed, Rom 15:29; Gal 3:14; Eph 1:3; Heb 6:7; of a monetary gift sent to needy believers, 2Co 9:5-6; (e) in a bad sense, of fair speech, Rom 16:18, RV, where it is joined with chrestologia, “smooth speech,” the latter relating to the substance, eulogia to the expression. See BOUNTY.
akin to A, 3, “blessedness,” indicates an ascription of blessing rather than a state; hence in Rom 4:6, where the AV renders it as a noun, “(describeth) the blessedness;” the RV rightly puts “(pronounceth) blessing.” So Rom 4:9. In Gal 4:15 the AV has “blessedness,” RV, “gratulation.” The Galatian believers had counted themselves happy when they heard and received the Gospel. Had they lost that opinion? See GRATULATION.
Note: In Act 13:34, hosia, lit., “holy things,” is translated “mercies” (AV), “blessings” (RV).