Quick Definition
βούλομαι v. I will, intend, desire
Strong's Definition
middle voice of a primary verb; to "will," i.e. (reflexively) be willing
KJV Usage: be disposed, minded, intend, list, (be, of own) will (-ing). Compare 2309
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. ἐβουλήθην | βουλεύομαι · βουλευτής · βουλή · βούλημα · ἐπιβουλή · παραβολεύομαι · παραβολή · συμβουλεύω · συμβούλιον · σύμβουλος
25.3 · Attitudes and Emotions · Desire, Want, Wish
to desire, to want, to will to desire to have or experience something, with the implication of some reasoned planning or will to accomplish the goal
MRK 15:15 · JHN 18:39 · ACT 17:20 · ACT 18:27 · ACT 22:30 · ACT 23:28 · ACT 25:20 · ACT 25:22 · PHP 1:12 · 1TI 2:8 · 1TI 5:14 · 1TI 6:9 · TIT 3:8 · PHM 1:13 · HEB 6:17 · JAS 3:4 · JAS 4:4 · 2PE 3:9 · 2JN 1:12 · JUD 1:5
30.56 · Think · To Intend, To Purpose, To Plan
to purpose, to plan, to intend to think, with the purpose of planning or deciding on a course of action In a number of languages there are two quite distinct sets of terms for planning depending upon the purpose involved in such planning. If the planning is constructive, either for oneself or someone else, one set of terms is likely to be used, while if the planning is harmful (usually against someone else), another set of terms would be used.
MAT 1:19 · MAT 11:27 · LUK 10:22 · LUK 22:42 · ACT 5:28 · ACT 5:33 · ACT 12:4 · ACT 15:37 · ACT 18:15 · ACT 19:30 · ACT 27:43 · ACT 28:18 · 1CO 12:11 · 2CO 1:15 · 2CO 1:17 · HEB 6:17 · JAS 1:18 · JAS 4:4 · 3JN 1:10
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
βούλομαι, 2 pers. sing. βούλει Lk. xxii. 42 (Attic for βούλῃ, cf. W. 8 18, 2 a.; B. 42 (37)); impf. ἐβουλόμην (Attic [(cf. Veitch), yet commonly] ἠβουλύμην) ; 1 aor. ἐβυυλήθην (Mt. i. 19) and ἠβουλήθην (2 Jn. 12 RG; but al. ἐβουλήθ. cf. [WH. App. p. 162]; W.§ 12,1 ο.; B.33 (29)) ; Sept. for τιν, yan; [fr. Hom. down]; to will, wish; and 1. commonly, to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded : foll. by an inf., Mk. xv. 15; Acts v. 28, 33 (L WH Tr txt. for RG T ἐβουλεύοντο) ; xii. 4; xv. 37 (L T Tr WH for R ἐβουλεύσατο) ; xviii. 27 ; xix. 30; Xxil. 30; xxiii. 28; xxvii. 43; xxviii. 18; 2 Co. i. 15; Heb. vi. 17; 2 Jn. 12; 3 Jn. 10 (τοὺς βουλομένους se. ἐπιδέχεσθαι τοὺς ἀδελφούς) ; Jude 5; Jas. i. 18 (βουληθεὶς ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς of his own free will he brought us forth, with which will it ill accords to say, as some do, that they are tempted to sin by God). with an acc. of the obj. τοῦτο, 2 Co. i. 17 (1, T,Tr WH for R βουλευόμενος) ; foll. by an ace. with inf. 2 Pet. iii. 9. of the will electing or choosing between two or more things, answering to the Lat. placet mihi: Mt. i. 19 (cf. ἐνθυμεῖσθαι. 20) ; xi. 27 [not L mrg.]; Lk. x. 22; xxii.42; Acts xxv. 20; [1 Co. xii. 11]; Jas. iii.4; iv.4; foll. by the subj. βούλεσθε, ὑμῖν ἀπολύσω; is it your will I should release unto you? (cf. W. § 41a. 4b.; B. § 139, 2), Jn. xviii. 39. of the will prescribing, foll. by an ace. with inf.: Phil. i. 12 (γινώσκειν ὑμᾶς βούλομαι I would have you know, know ye); 1 Tim. ii. 8; v. 14; Tit. iii. 8. 2. of willing as an affection, to desire: foll. by an inf., 1 Tim. vi. 9 (οἱ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν); Acts xvii. 20; xviii. 15; ἐβουλόμην (on this use of the impf. see B. 217 (187) sq.; [cf. W. 283 (266); Bp. Lghtft. on Philem. 137), Acts xxv. 22; Philem. 13. On the difference between βούλομαι and θέλω, see θέλω, fin.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βούλομαι boulomai 37x
to be willing, disposed, Mk. 15:15; Acts 25:20; 28:18; to intend, Mt. 1:19; Acts 5:28; 12:4; 2 Cor. 1:15; to desire, 1 Tim. 6:9; to choose, be pleased, Jn. 18:39; Acts 18:15; Jas. 3:4; to will, decree, appoint, Lk. 22:42; Jas. 1:18; 1 Cor. 12:11; 1 Tim. 2:8; 5:14; ἐβουλόμην, I could wish, Acts 25:22
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βούλομαι,
[in LXX for חפץ, אבה, יעץ, etc. ;]
to will, wish, desire, purpose, be minded, implying more strongly than θέλω (q.v.), the deliberate exercise of volition (v. Hort on Ja 1:18): c. inf. (M, Pr., 205; Bl., §69, 4), Mk 15:15, Ac 5:28, 33 12:4 15:37 17:20 18:15, 27 19:30 22:30 23:28 27:43 28:18, II Co 1:15, I Ti 6:9, He 6:17, II Jo 12, III Jo 10, Ju 5; c. acc., II Co 1:17; c. acc. et inf., Phl 1:12, I Ti 2:8 5:14, Tit 3:8, II Pe 3:9; of the will making choice between alternatives, Mt 1:19 11:27, Lk 10:22, Ac 25:20, I Co 12:11, Ja 3:4 4:4; εἰ βούλει (cl., a courteous phrase = θέλεις, colloq.; Bl., §21, 8; LS, s.v.), Lk 22:42; c. subjc., adding force to a question of deliberation (Bl., §64, 6), Jo 18:39; βουληθείς, of set purpose (v. Hort, in l.), Ja 1:18; impf., ἐβουλόμην (= cl. βουλοίμην ἄν; Bl., §63, 5; Lft., Phm. 13), Ac 25:22, Phm 13 (v. also Cremer, 143).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
βούλομαι. The Ptolemaic papyri show this word as freely as the late papyri, and Blass’s opinion that the word was ‘‘ adopted from the literary language” (Gr. p. 38, repeated in BlassDebrunner, p. 40) becomes more and more difficult to support. If the word was literary, the NT writers were not the first to popularize it. recurring phrases as γινώσκειν σε βούλομαι, βούλομαι μισθώσασθαι. The thought of ‘‘ purpose, intention, not mere will, but will with premeditation” (Hort on Jas 44), which frequently underlies its usage, comes out P Oxy NX. 1263" (A.D. 128-9) βούλομαι πρώτως... χρήσασθαι τῇ τῶν ἐργατῶν] ποταμοῦ τέχνῃ, “1 wish to begin . . . to practise the trade of a river-worker” (Edd.): cf. εὖ. 126719 (A.D. 209). See also the important official decree, P Lond 904°° (A.D. 104) (= III. p. 125) as revised Chest. I. p. 236, BovAop[at] πάνταϊς τ]οὺς εὔζ[λ]ογον δο[κοῦν]τα[ς] ἔχειν τοῦ ἐνθάδε ἐπιμένιν [αἰτίαν ἀπογράφεσίθ]αι κτλ., and BGU I. 248" (ii./A.p.) θεῶν δὲ βουλομένων. In P Oxy il. 244% (A.D. 23) a slave named Cerinthus begins a petition with βουλόμενος μεταγαγεῖν. Other instances of βούλομαι, in phraseology not influenced by formulae, are P Lille I. 165 (iii/B.c.) ἔφη . . . σοί τε οὐ βούλεσθαι διαφέρεσθαι περὶ τούτου, ““εἰ quil ne voulait pas entrer en désaccord Ἰὰdessus avec toi’ (Edd.) ; P Flor I. 67 (a.p. 210) ἐβουλόμην μὲν οὖν εἰ οἷόν τε iv εὐθέως ἐξορμῆσαι, followed by ἀλλὰ with clause explaining the hindrance—similarly in 2d. IL. 156? (iii/a.p.) ; 2b. II. 1265 (A.D. 254) ἐπεὶ αὔριον αὐτοὺς βούλομαι ἀποστεῖλαι cis Βερνεικίδα, and PSI III. 236% (iii/iv A.D.) ἀντίγραψόν por περὶ οὗ βούλει ἡδέως ἔχοντι. In BGU IL. 6467 (A.D. 193) βούλομαι replaces the normal εὔχομαι in the opening greeting, ἐρρῶσθε (= -at) ὑμᾶς βούλομαι. Two instances of the form βούλει may be cited, The word is common in such
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
βούλομαι (boulomai) — to plan. βούλομαι (Epic dialect also βόλομαι, which see), Doric dialect βώλ- (which see), Aeolic dialect βόλλ- (see. βόλομαι), Thess. βέλλ- [Refs], Boeotian dialect βείλ- [Refs]βήλ- [Refs 3rd c.BC+], Locrian dialectand Delph. δείλ- [Refs], Coan, etc. δήλ- (which see), Ionic dialect 2nd pers. singular βούλεαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: imperfect ἐβουλόμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect 3rd.pers. plural ἐβουλέατο codices in [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future βουλήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later future βουληθήσομαι variant in [Refs 2nd c.AD+] 13.636: aorist ἐβουλήθην, also ἠβ- (see. below), βουληθείς [Refs 5th c.BC+]., but Epic dialect aorist subjunctive 3rd.pers. singular βούλεται (from *βόλσ-ε-ται) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect βεβούλημαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also βέβουλα (προ-) [Refs 8th c.BC+] uncertain in epigram in [Refs] — forms with augment ἠ- are found in Attic dialect Inscrr. from [Refs 5th c.BC+]; said to be Ionic in [Refs] — An active βούλητε (={βούλησθε}) Mitteis [Refs 4th c.AD+]:—will, wish, be willing, [Refs 8th c.BC+] 'consent', εἰ βούλει, ἐγὼ ἐθέλω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ἐθέλω is also used = 'wish', λέξαι θέλω σοι, πρὶν θανεῖν, ἃ βούλομαι, [Refs 8th c.BC+] in the case of the gods, for with them wish is will: ἐθέλω is more general, and is sometimes used where βούλομαι might have stood, e.g. [Refs 8th c.BC+]—Construct.: mostly with infinitive, Τρώεσσιν ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι [Refs]; sometimes with infinitive future, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; with accusative et infinitive, [Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive may generally be supplied, as καί κε τὸ βουλοίμην (i.e. γενέσθαι) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔτυχεν ὧν ἐβούλετο (i.e. τυχεῖν) [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πλακοῦντα β. (i.e. σε λέγειν) [Refs]; καὶ εἰ μάλα βούλεται ἄλλῃ [Ποσειδάων] (i.e. τοῦτο γενέσθαι) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so εἰς τὸ βαλανεῖον βούλομαι (i.e. ἰέναι) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βουλοίμην ἄν (i.e. τόδε γενέσθαι) [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. in [Refs 8th c.BC+] he willed victory to the Trojans, [Refs 8th c.BC+] that supports the constitution, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. Attic dialect usages:
II.1. βούλει or βούλεσθε followed by Verb in subjunctive, βούλει λάβωμα; would you have me take hold? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βούλει φράσ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ποῦ δὴ βούλει ἀναγνῶμε; [Refs]
II.2. εἰ βούλει if you please, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also εἰ δὲ βούλει, ἐὰν δὲ βούλῃ, to express a concession, or if you like, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. ὁ βουλόμενος any one who likes, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ β. the 'common in former', [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅστις βούλει who or which ever you like, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. βουλομένῳ μοί ἐστι, with infinitive, it is according to my wish that.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ κεἰνου βουλόμενον his wish, [Refs]; but with passive sense, τὸ β. the object of desire, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II.5. τί βουλόμενο; with what purpose? [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. mean, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί ἡμῖν βούλεται οὗτος ὁ μῦθος; (followed by β. λέγειν ὡς..) [Refs 1st c.BC+]; βούλεται εἶναι professes or pretends to be, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; tend to be, ἡ τοῦ ὕδατος φύσις β. εἶναι ἄχυμος [Refs]; β. ἤδη τότε εἶναι πόλις ὅταν.. [Refs]; ἡ φύσις β. μὲν τοῦτο ποιεῖν πολλάκις, οὐ μέντοι δύναται[Refs]
III.2. to be wont, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. followed by ἤ.., prefer, for βούλομαι μᾶλλον (which is more usually in Prose), βούλομ᾽ ἐγὼ λαὸν σόον ἔμμεναι ἢ ἀπολέσθαι I had rather.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; β. παρθενεύεσθαι πλέω χρόνον ἢ πατρὸς ἐστερῆσθαι (for πολὺν χρόνον, μᾶλλον ἤ[Refs 5th c.BC+]; less frequently without ἤ.., πολὺ βούλομαι αὐτὴν οἴκοι ἔχειν I much prefer.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]. (g[uglide]el-g[uglide]ol-, compare the dialectic forms.)