Bible Dictionary

FERVENT

Christian Life • Both
A Visit With Jesus
  Back to Dictionary Search
Fervent means burning, earnest, intense, or wholehearted. Scripture applies it to spiritual zeal, prayer, love, and devotion that are expressed with determined energy.

Definition

Fervent means burning, hot, intense, earnest, or wholehearted. The term may describe lips, spirit, love, zeal, prayer, or determined striving. Its underlying expressions include ideas of burning, boiling, being stretched out, and struggling with focused effort.

Biblical Usage

Scripture applies fervent language to love among believers, being fervent in spirit, earnest prayer, zeal, and persistent intercession. Fervent prayer is described as effective in its working, and Epaphras is portrayed as striving in prayer. Believers are urged to love one another fervently and from the heart.

Historical Background

The English word comes from a Latin expression meaning “to boil.” The supplied material distinguishes several biblical terms behind the translations, including words meaning to burn, to boil, to be stretched out, to strive, and to show zeal.

Related Figures

Epaphras

Historical Bible Dictionaries

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>fur'-vent (dalaq; ektenes, zeo):</p><p>"Fervent" (from Latin fervere, "to boil") does not occur in the King James Version of the Old Testament, but the Revised Version (British and American) gives it as the translation of dalaq, "to burn" (Pr 26:23), instead of "burning," "fervent lips and a wicked heart." In the New Testament it is the translation of ektenes, "stretched out," hence, intent, earnest (1Pe 4:8, "being fervent in your love among yourselves"); of zeo, "to boil," "to be hot" (Ro 12:11, "fervent in spirit," Ac 18:25); of zelos, "zeal," "fervor" (2Co 7:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "zeal"), in Jas 5:16 the King James Version has: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," where the Greek is: polu ischuei deesis dikaiou energoumene, which the Revised Version (British and American) renders, "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working."</p><p>"Fervently" is the translation of agonizomai, "to strive or struggle" (agonize), Col 4:12 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "Epaphras .... striving for you in his prayers"; of ektenos, literally, in an outstretched manner (1Pe 1:22, the Revised Version (British and American) "Love one another from the heart fervently"; compare 1Pe 4:8, "fervent in your love among yourselves"). Christian love too often lacks this fervency, but Christ's love for us was "stretched out" to the uttermost.</p><p>The Revised Version (British and American) has "fervently" for "earnestly" (Jas 5:17, margin "with prayer").</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>
  Back to Dictionary Search