ἀρεσκεία
areskeía
G699 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Disposition or aim to please; the act or attitude of seeking to please others. In usage, refers primarily to the practice of accommodating oneself, or showing eagerness to win favor, often with implications of undue or excessive efforts to gain approval. May also refer to an ingratiating manner, or flattery, particularly when motivated by self-interest rather than genuine goodwill.
Semantic Range
a disposition to please, eagerness to please, ingratiating behavior, flattery, complaisance, men-pleasing, self-interested compliance
Root / Etymology
From the verb ἀρέσκω (“to please, to be pleasing to”), with the abstract nominal suffix -εία forming a noun of quality or state. The derivation indicates the quality or state of seeking to please or accommodate.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The noun ἀρεσκεία is rare in classical and Koine Greek, first attested in late Hellenistic and early Imperial literature. In the New Testament (specifically Colossians 3:22), ἀρεσκεία conveys a negative nuance, describing the behavior of 'eye-service,' that is, an insincere desire to please superiors (such as human masters) for selfish advantage. While secular Greek authors could use related words with neutral or positive senses (pleasing, agreeableness), in Jewish and early Christian contexts 'areskeia' is colored by suspicion of over-eagerness to please, especially as a form of hypocrisy or lack of integrity. Traditional translations often use 'eye-service' or 'men-pleasing,' but these can obscure the sense of excessive, superficial, or self-serving compliance. ἀρεσκεία is distinct from εὐαρέσκεια (“goodwill, genuine willingness to please”), and is more negative than the simple verb ἀρέσκω.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a derivative of ἀρέσκω; complaisance:--pleasing.
Root Family
ἀρεσκεία (areskeia) — to please, to be pleasing, to accommodate
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G699-01 |
ἀρεσκείαν | areskeian | N ACC F SG |
pleasing | self-interested pleasing | pleasing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G699-01 |
Colossians 1:10 | ἀρεσκείαν | areskeian | N ACC F SG |
pleasing | self-interested pleasing | pleasing |