φῐλοτῑμ-έομαι G5389
to aspire, be ambitious, make it one's aim; to seek honor or set something as one's goal
This compound verb (philos "loving" + timē "honor") originally meant to love or seek honor, to be ambitious. It can be neutral (having ambition, pursuing a goal) or negative (seeking vainglory). The New Testament uses are entirely positive—ambitious determination to accomplish worthy spiritual goals. Paul uses it for his missionary aspirations and his aim to please the Lord. It describes holy ambition—channeling the drive for achievement toward God-honoring purposes rather than selfish glory. The Christian life involves passionate pursuit, not passive drift.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Romans 15:20 explains Paul's missionary strategy: he made it his "ambition" (philotimoúmenon) to preach where Christ was not named, pioneering new territory rather than building on others' foundations. Second Corinthians 5:9 declares Paul's controlling purpose: "we make it our aim" (philotimoumetha) to please Christ, whether at home in the body or away—life's driving ambition centered on divine approval. First Thessalonians 4:11 exhorts believers to "aspire" (philotimeisthai) to live quietly, mind their own affairs, and work with their hands—ambition directed toward humble, productive living. The Spanish nos esforzamos/tener como honor/teniendo por ambición, French rivaliser/s'efforcer, and German sich bemühen all convey the striving/ambitious effort sense. Paul redeems ambition by redirecting it from self-glory to God-glory, from worldly honor to Christ-honoring aims. 3×
AR["تَطْمَحوا", "مُجْتَهِدًا", "نَجتَهِدُ"]·ben["আমরা-উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষী,", "উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষা-করতে", "উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষায়"]·DE["sich-bemuehen"]·EN["being-ambitious", "to-aspire", "we-are-ambitious"]·FR["rivaliser", "s'efforcer"]·heb["לִשְׁאֹף", "שׁוֹאֲפִים", "שׁוֹאֵף"]·HI["उत्साही-रहते-हैं-हम", "उत्सुक-होकर", "लअलअयित-रेहन"]·ID["bercita-cita", "kami-berusaha"]·IT["essere-ambizioso", "philotimeisthai"]·jav["ambisi", "kawula-ngudi,", "ngudi"]·KO["열망하기를", "열망하며", "힘쓴다"]·PT["ambicionando", "ambicionar", "esforçamo-nos"]·RU["ревнуем", "старающимся", "стремиться"]·ES["nos-esforzamos", "tener-como-honor", "teniendo-por-ambición"]·SW["kujitahidi", "nikiazimia", "tunajitahidi,"]·TR["gayret ediyoruz", "çabalayarak", "şeref-saymak"]·urd["خواہش-رکھتے-ہوئے", "کوشش-کرتے-ہیں", "کوشش-کرنے-کو"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
φῐλοτῑμ-έομαι, future ήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+; later, -ηθήσομαιRefs 1st c.BC+ codices: aorist ἐφιλοτιμήθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect πεφιλοτίμημαι Refs 4th c.BC+:—perfect in passive sense, Refs 1st c.AD+: (φιλότιμος):—love or seek after honour, Refs 5th c.BC+: hence, to be ambitious, emulous, Refs 5th c.BC+; φ. ὅτι.. to be jealous because.., Refs 5th c.BC+; φ. πρὸς ἀλλήλους, πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους, vie…