Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "intend" in the Bible often relates to the purpose, plan, or determination behind actions, both divine and human. The term is not always explicitly used in the text, but the idea is woven throughout Scripture, reflecting the intentionality behind God's actions and the decisions of individuals.
Divine IntentionGod's intentions are central to the biblical narrative, revealing His sovereign will and purpose for creation and humanity. In
Isaiah 46:10, God declares, "I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’" This verse underscores the certainty and fulfillment of God's intentions, emphasizing His omniscience and omnipotence.
In the New Testament, the intention of God is further revealed in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:9-10 states, "And He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ." Here, God's intention is to unite all things under Christ, highlighting the ultimate purpose of His divine plan.
Human IntentionHuman intention in the Bible is often contrasted with divine intention, as human plans can be flawed or misguided.
Proverbs 19:21 notes, "Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail." This verse illustrates the tension between human intentions and God's sovereign will, reminding believers that while humans may devise plans, it is ultimately God's purpose that will be accomplished.
The account of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis provides a profound example of human intention versus divine intention. Joseph's brothers intended harm by selling him into slavery, but God used their actions for a greater purpose. In
Genesis 50:20, Joseph tells his brothers, "As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." This narrative demonstrates how God's intentions can transform human actions, even those meant for harm, into opportunities for His greater plan.
Moral and Ethical IntentionsThe Bible also addresses the moral and ethical dimensions of human intention. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizes the importance of the heart's intention behind actions. In
Matthew 5:28, He teaches, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Here, Jesus highlights that sinful intentions, even if not acted upon, are significant in the eyes of God.
The Apostle Paul also speaks to the intentions of the heart in
1 Corinthians 4:5, saying, "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts." This passage underscores the belief that God discerns the true intentions behind human actions and will ultimately judge them.
ConclusionIn summary, the concept of "intend" in the Bible encompasses both divine and human intentions, revealing the purposeful nature of God's actions and the moral implications of human decisions. While human intentions can be flawed, God's intentions are perfect and ultimately prevail, guiding the course of history and the lives of individuals according to His divine will.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To stretch' to extend; to distend.
2. (v. t.) To strain; to make tense.
3. (v. t.) To intensify; to strengthen.
4. (v. t.) To apply with energy.
5. (v. t.) To bend or turn; to direct, as one's course or journey.
6. (v. t.) To fix the mind on; to attend to; to take care of; to superintend; to regard.
7. (v. t.) To fix the mind upon (something to be accomplished); to be intent upon; to mean; to design; to plan; to purpose; -- often followed by an infinitely with to, or a dependent clause with that; as, he intends to go; he intends that she shall remain.
8. (v. t.) To design mechanically or artistically; to fashion; to mold.
9. (v. t.) To pretend; to counterfeit; to simulate.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
INTEND; INTENTin-tend', in-tent': Early English words derived from Latin and used in the King James Version, sometimes in the Revised Version (British and American), to translate a number of different expressions of the original.
Intend is sometimes used in English in the literal sense of Latin intendere, "to stretch," but in the English Bible it is used only of the direction of the mind toward an object. Sometimes it is used of mere design (mello),Acts 5:35 the King James Version;Acts 20:13; or of desired action (thelo),Luke 14:28 the King James Version; again of a fixed purpose (boulomai),Acts 5:28;Acts 12:4; or, finally, of a declared intention ('amar),Joshua 22:33 the King James Version;2 Chronicles 28:13 the King James Version.
Intent is used only of purpose, and is the translation sometimes of a conjunction (lebha`abhur),2 Samuel 17:14; (lema`an),2 Kings 10:19; (hina),Ephesians 3:10; sometimes of an infinitive of purpose,1 Corinthians 10:6; or of a preposition with pronoun (eis touto),Acts 9:21, and sometimes of a substantive (logo),Acts 10:29. This variety of original expressions represented in the English by single terms is an interesting illustration of the extent of interpretation embodied in our English Bible.
Russell Benjamin Miller
Greek
1014. boulomai -- to will... to will. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: boulomai Phonetic Spelling:
(boo'-lom-ahee) Short Definition: I will,
intend, desire Definition: I will,
intend...3195. mello -- to be about to
... to be about to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: mello Phonetic Spelling:
(mel'-lo) Short Definition: I am about to Definition: Iintend, am about to; I...
2309. thelo -- to will, wish
... Verb Transliteration: thelo Phonetic Spelling: ( eth-el'-o,) Short Definition: I
will, wish, desire Definition: I will, wish, desire, am willing,intend, design...
4255. proaireo -- to bring forth or forward
... purpose. From pro and haireomai; to choose for oneself before another thing (prefer),
ie (by implication) to propose (intend) -- purpose. see GREEK pro....
Strong's Hebrew
5452. sebar -- to think,intend... to think,
intend. Transliteration: sebar Phonetic Spelling: (seb-ar') Short Definition:
intend.
... root Definition to think,
intend NASB Word Usage
intend (1).
...559. amar -- to utter, say
... 1), designate (1), desired (1), follows (2), gave an order (2), gave the order
(2), gave orders (2), indeed say (1), informed (1),intend (2), intended (1...
2803. chashab -- to think, account
... 1), determined (1), devise (13), devised (8), devises (1), devising (1), esteem
(2), esteemed (2), execute (1), have (1), impute (1),intend (2), make (2...
1819. damah -- to be like, resemble
... root Definition to be like, resemble NASB Word Usage alike (1), compare (3), compared
(1), equal (1), gave parables (1), imagine (1),intend (1), intended (2...
5186. natah -- to stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
... of application (as follows) -- + afternoon, apply, bow (down, - ing), carry aside,
decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline,intend, lay, let down...
Library
Whether one CanIntend Two Things at the Same Time?
... OF INTENTION (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether one canintend two things at the same time?...
Therefore the will cannotintend several things at the same time....
If, Then, You ReallyIntend to do an Act of Repentance for those...
... If, then, you reallyintend to do an act of repentance for those evil speeches of
yours, if you are not merely mocking us by saying this, and if you are not in...
For they Say, "Though These Things be True, yet did not Moses...
... Book XII Chapter XVII For they say, "Though these things be true, yet did
not Mosesintend those two? For they say, "Though these...
Whether Intention is Within the Competency of Irrational Animals?
... Objection 1: It would seem that irrational animalsintend the end.... ii, 8.
Much more, therefore, do irrational animalsintend the end....
Adorable and Eternal God! Hast Thou Made Me a Free Agent! and...
... What other end couldst Thouintend by this. O Adorable and Eternal God!... What other
end couldst Thouintend by this, but that I might please Thee infinitely!...
Whether one who is Bound by a Vow to Enter Religion is under an...
... who binds himself to enter religion is under an obligation to enter religion according
as he intends to bind himself by his vow: so that if heintend to bind...
Foundation of Moral Obligation.
... Observe, he intends to do his duty. But to do his duty is to form and cherish an
ultimate intention. Tointend to do his duty is merely tointend tointend....
Whether the Marriage Act Can be Excused Without the Marriage Goods...
... For he who is moved by nature alone to the marriage act, apparently does notintend
any of the marriage goods, since the marriage goods pertain to grace or...
The Providence of God
... The Second act is the direction of sin to the end which God himself wills, whether
the creatureintend or do notintend that end, nay, though heintend another...
Faith
... They believe theyintend to go to chapel next Sunday; theyintend to join that class
of people; theyintend to be very violent in their singing and very...
Thesaurus
Intend (30 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
INTEND; INTENT. in
... Russell Benjamin Miller.
Multi-Version Concordance
Intend (30 Occurrences). John
...Intent (37 Occurrences)
... a purpose; intention; meaning; drift; aim. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
INTEND; INTENT. in-tend', in-tent': Early English words...
Propose (8 Occurrences)
... office. 3. (v.) To set before one's self or others as a purpose formed; hence,
to purpose; tointend. 4. (vi) To speak; to converse....
Intended (38 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) ofIntend. 2. (a.) Made tense;
stretched out; extended; forcible; violent. 3. (a.) Purposed...
Nazarene (19 Occurrences)
... It is not quite certain that Matthew did notintend, by the use of this word, to
refer to the picture of the Messiah, as drawn in Isaiah 53, on account of the...
Offended (26 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 28:13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither:
for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, yeintend to add more...
Lofty (44 Occurrences)
... See the height of the stars, how high they are! (See RSV NIV). Psalms 62:4 They
fullyintend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies....
Withheld (32 Occurrences)
... this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which
theyintend to do. (WEB). Genesis 20:6 God said to him...
Impression (2 Occurrences)
... therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations to the Tribune for him
to bring him down to you, under the impression that youintend to inquire...
Intemperance (1 Occurrence)
Resources
What should we learn from the account of Samson and Delilah? | GotQuestions.orgWhy is premarital counseling important? | GotQuestions.orgI am a Catholic. Why should I consider becoming a Christian? | GotQuestions.orgIntend: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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