Topical Encyclopedia
The word "for" is a preposition and conjunction frequently used in the Bible to indicate purpose, reason, or cause. It serves as a connective word that links clauses and phrases, providing explanations or justifications for actions, commands, or beliefs. In the context of Scripture, "for" often introduces divine reasoning, human motivations, or theological truths.
Usage in Scripture1.
Divine Purpose and Commands:
· "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (
Jeremiah 29:11)
· Here, "for" introduces God's assurance of His benevolent intentions towards His people, emphasizing His sovereignty and care.
2.
Human Motivation and Actions:
· "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (
Matthew 6:21)
· In this passage, "for" explains the relationship between one's values and affections, highlighting the connection between material priorities and spiritual focus.
3.
Theological Explanations:
· "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (
John 3:16)
· This verse uses "for" to introduce the foundational Christian belief in God's love as the reason for the incarnation and sacrificial mission of Jesus Christ.
4.
Moral and Ethical Instructions:
· "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality." (
1 Thessalonians 4:3)
· "For" is used to present God's will as the basis for ethical living, underscoring the call to holiness and purity.
Theological SignificanceThe use of "for" in the Bible often signifies a deeper theological truth or principle. It serves as a bridge between divine revelation and human understanding, providing insight into God's character, His expectations for humanity, and the reasons behind His commands and promises. In many instances, "for" introduces a rationale that encourages faith, obedience, and trust in God's overarching plan.
Examples in Biblical Narratives·
Covenant Promises:
· "For I will be with you, and I will bless you." (
Genesis 26:3)
· God's promise to Isaac is introduced with "for," indicating His presence and blessing as the reason for Isaac's obedience and faith.
·
Prophetic Declarations:
· "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders." (
Isaiah 9:6)
· The prophetic announcement of the Messiah's birth uses "for" to connect the promise of a Savior with the hope of Israel.
ConclusionThe word "for" is a small yet significant term in biblical literature, serving as a key to unlocking the motivations and purposes behind divine and human actions. Its frequent use underscores the interconnectedness of God's will, human response, and the unfolding of redemptive history.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
prep.) In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done or takes place.
2. (prep.) Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done.
3. (prep.) Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the end or final cause with reference to which anything is, acts, serves, or is done.
4. (prep.) Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which, anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of; on the side of; -- opposed to against.
5. (prep.) Indicating that toward which the action of anything is directed, or the point toward which motion is made; /intending to go to.
6. (prep.) Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of.
7. (prep.) Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.
8. (prep.) Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to notwithstanding, in spite of; -- generally followed by all, aught, anything, etc.
9. (prep.) Indicating the space or time through which an action or state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or time of.
10. (prep.) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
11. (conj.) Because; by reason that; for that; indicating, in Old English, the reason of anything.
12. (conj.) Since; because; introducing a reason of something before advanced, a cause, motive, explanation, justification, or the like, of an action related or a statement made. It is logically nearly equivalent to since, or because, but connects less closely, and is sometimes used as a very general introduction to something suggested by what has gone before.
13. (n.) One who takes, or that which is said on, the affirmative side; that which is said in favor of some one or something; -- the antithesis of against, and commonly used in connection with it.
Greek
1971. epipotheo -- to longfor... to long
for. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epipotheo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-poth-eh'-o) Short Definition: I long
for, strain after, desire greatly
...1967. epiousios --for the coming day,for subsistence
...for the coming day,for subsistence. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration:
epiousios Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-oo'-see-os) Short Definition:for the morrow...
5241. huperentugchano -- to intercede, to make petitionfor
... to intercede, to make petitionfor. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
huperentugchano Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-en-toong-khan'-o) Short Definition:...
2178. ephapax -- oncefor all
... oncefor all. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: ephapax Phonetic Spelling:
(ef-ap'-ax) Short Definition: once, oncefor all Definition: once, oncefor all...
5228. huper -- over, beyond, fig. on behalf of,for the sake of...
... on behalf of,for the sake of, concerning. Part of Speech: Preposition Transliteration:
huper Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er') Short Definition: in behalf of...
1779. entaphiazo -- to preparefor burial
... to preparefor burial. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: entaphiazo Phonetic
Spelling: (en-taf-ee-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I embalm, preparefor burial...
1934. epizeteo -- to inquirefor
... to inquirefor. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epizeteo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-eed-zay-teh'-o) Short Definition: I seek after, desire, searchfor...
4037. perimeno -- to waitfor
... to waitfor. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: perimeno Phonetic Spelling:
(per-ee-men'-o) Short Definition: I waitfor Definition: I waitfor, await....
1748. enedreuo -- to lie in waitfor, to plot
... to lie in waitfor, to plot. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: enedreuo Phonetic
Spelling: (en-ed-ryoo'-o) Short Definition: I lie in waitfor, seek to...
3713. orego -- to stretch out, to reach after, to yearnfor
... to stretch out, to reach after, to yearnfor. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
orego Phonetic Spelling: (or-eg'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I stretch forth...
Strong's Hebrew
7768. shava -- to cry out (for help)... 7767, 7768. shava. 7769 . to cry out (
for help). Transliteration: shava Phonetic
Spelling: (shaw-vah') Short Definition: cry. Word Origin a prim.
...3072. Yhvh Tsidqenu -- "the LORD is our righteousness," a symbolic...
... 3071, 3072. Yhvh Tsidqenu. 3073 . "the LORD is our righteousness," a symbolic
namefor Jer. andfor Messiah.... andfor Messiah. the Lord our righteousness...
6416. pelili --for a judge, callingfor judgment
... 6415, 6416. pelili. 6417 .for a judge, callingfor judgment. Transliteration:
pelili Phonetic Spelling: (pel-ee-lee') Short Definition: judgment....
5771. avon -- iniquity, guilt, punishmentfor iniquity
... avon or avon. 5772 . iniquity, guilt, punishmentfor iniquity. Transliteration:
avon or avon Phonetic Spelling: (aw-vone') Short Definition: iniquity....
172. Oholibah -- "tent in her," a symbolic namefor Jer.
... 171, 172. Oholibah. 173 . "tent in her," a symbolic namefor Jer.... Word Origin
from the same as ohel Definition "tent in her," a symbolic namefor Jer....
170. Oholah -- "she who has a tent," a symbolic namefor Samaria
... "she who has a tent," a symbolic namefor Samaria. Transliteration: Oholah Phonetic
Spelling: (o-hol-aw') Short Definition: Oholah.... Namefor Samaria -- Aholah....
5668. abur --for the sake of, on account of, so that
... abur or abur. 5669 .for the sake of, on account of, so that. Transliteration:
abur or abur Phonetic Spelling: (aw-boor') Short Definition: sake.... because of,for...
6960. qavah -- to waitfor
... to waitfor. Transliteration: qavah Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-vaw') Short Definition:
wait. gather together, look, patiently, tarry, waitfor, on, upon...
6960a. qavah -- to waitfor
... 6960, 6960a. qavah. 6960b . to waitfor. Transliteration: qavah Short
Definition: wait. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to wait...
4618. maanah -- a fieldfor plowing
... 4617, 4618. maanah. 4619 . a fieldfor plowing. Transliteration: maanah
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-an-aw') Short Definition: furrow....
Library
Divine SongsFor Children
Divine SongsFor Children. <. Divine SongsFor Children Isaac Watts.
Produced by Lewis Jones Table of Contents. Title Page....
Book of Hymnsfor Public and Private Devotion
Book of Hymnsfor Public and Private Devotion. <. Book of Hymns
for Public and Private Devotion Various. Produced by...
Hymnsfor Christian Devotion
Hymnsfor Christian Devotion. <. Hymnsfor Christian Devotion JG
Adams. JG Adams and EH Chapin; Produced by Ryan Wheeler...
My Daily Meditationfor the Circling Year
My Daily Meditationfor the Circling Year. <. My Daily Meditation
for the Circling Year John Henry Jowett. E-text prepared...
Holy Wisdom: or, Directionsfor the Prayer of Contemplation
Holy Wisdom: or, Directionsfor the Prayer of Contemplation. <. Holy
Wisdom: or, Directionsfor the Prayer of Contemplation Ven....
Foodfor the Lambs; or, Helpsfor Young Christians
Foodfor the Lambs; or, Helpsfor Young Christians. <. Foodfor the
Lambs; or, Helpsfor Young Christians Charles Ebert Orr....
WorkingFor God!
WorkingFor God! . WorkingFor God! Andrew Murray. Table of Contents.
Title Page. INTRODUCTION. I Waiting and Working....
A Pleafor the Christians
A Pleafor the Christians. <. A Pleafor the Christians Athenagoras. Table
of Contents. Title Page. Introductory Note to Clement of Alexandria....
Theses Theologicae and An Apologyfor the True Christian Divinity
Theses Theologicae and An Apologyfor the True Christian Divinity.... Theses Theologicae
and An Apologyfor the True Christian Divinity Robert Barclay....
Sermonsfor the Times
Sermonsfor the Times. <. Sermonsfor the Times Charles Kingsley. Transcribed
by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk Table of Contents....
Thesaurus
Uncared-for (2 Occurrences)Uncared-
for. Uncared, Uncared-
for. Unceasing . Multi-Version
Concordance Uncared-
for (2 Occurrences). Leviticus 25:5
...For (102061 Occurrences)
... 11. (conj.) Because; by reason that;for that; indicating, in Old English, the reason
of anything. 12.... Multi-Version ConcordanceFor (102061 Occurrences)....
Good-for-nothing (22 Occurrences)
Good-for-nothing. Good-day, Good-for-nothing. Goodlier .
Multi-Version Concordance Good-for-nothing (22 Occurrences)....
Sin-offerings (8 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 5:1For every High Priest is chosen from among men, and is appointed to
act on behalf of men in matters relating to God, in order to offer both gifts...
Yields (21 Occurrences)
... hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred
for one, another sixty, another thirty.") (See RSV). Mark 4...
Kin (18 Occurrences)
... Matthew 22:24 saying, "Teacher, Moses said,'If a man dies, having no children, his
brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seedfor his brother.' (See NAS)....
Quantities (13 Occurrences)
... Quantities (13 Occurrences). Genesis 41:49 Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the
sea, very much, until he stopped counting,for it was without number....
Simply (27 Occurrences)
... John 4:42 and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe in Him simply because
of your statements;for we have now heardfor ourselves, and we know that...
Sighing (22 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 13:17 Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject,for these do watch
for your souls, as about to give account, that with joy they may do this...
Kids (12 Occurrences)
... Genesis 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the
goats; and I will make them savory meatfor thy father, such as he loveth: (KJV...
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