43 Bible Verses about desires

But refuse [to put] younger widows [on the list. See verse 9], because when they become restless for sensual pleasure, contrary to [their commitment to] Christ, they want to get married [again].

But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with an improper sexual desire for her [body], has already been sexually unfaithful to his mate in his heart.

For this reason God allowed [or, abandoned] them to [practice] degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function [i.e., of sex] for what is against nature [i.e., lesbianism].

For it is God's will that you should be dedicated to Him, [that is], you should avoid sexual immorality. Each of you should know how to control his own body in a dedicated and honorable way,

For the time you have [already] spent in the past [i.e., as Gentile unbelievers] was long enough to have practiced unrestrained, indecent conduct, improper sexual cravings, riotous living, wild parties, drunken orgies and disgusting idol worship.

So, God allowed [or, abandoned] them to have the impure desires of their hearts, and to [practice] degrading behavior with their bodies among themselves.

[Although] their talk is big, what they say is worthless, and by [offering people] fleshly desires [i.e., sexual gratification], they lead people astray, who are barely escaping from the error of the world.

Pray for us [continually]. We are convinced that we [i.e., the writer of Hebrews] have a clear conscience [i.e., regarding our relationship to you] and we want to behave properly in every way.

So, through that commandment, sin found an opportunity to produce in my heart all kinds of improper desires for what belonged to others. For until there was the law, sin was dead [i.e., it did not stimulate excitement and activity as much].

If you had [fully] understood what this means: 'I desire mercy and not [only] sacrifice,' you would not have condemned someone who was not guilty [of wrongdoing].

But those people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and [spiritual] destruction. For, loving money is a source of all kinds of evil, [and] some people who crave it have been led astray from the faith, and have stabbed themselves [in the heart] with many sorrows.

No one should say when he is tempted, "God is tempting me," because God cannot be tempted by evil and He does not tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own evil desire. Then, when the evil desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And when sin is fully grown, it produces [spiritual] death.

Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not [only] sacrifice.' For I did not come to call righteous people [to be my followers] but sinners."

First of all, you should understand that, in the final days, mockers with evil desires will come [to you] saying, mockingly,

But if any one of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who gives to everyone generously and does not begrudge [the person who asks], and it will be given to him.

All of us [Jews] also once lived among such people, fulfilling the improper cravings of our physical being and doing what our bodies and minds desired. In this natural [unconverted] state we were deserving of [God's] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind].

You should make loving [others] your aim, yet eagerly desire [to possess] spiritual gifts, and especially [the gift of] prophecy. For the person who speaks in a language [supernaturally] does not speak to people, but to God, for no one can understand him [i.e., unless there is an interpreter or it is the person's native language]; he speaks [previously] unrevealed truths under the influence of the Holy Spirit [or "in his spirit"]. [Note: For a correct understanding of this chapter, it must be kept in mind that Paul is addressing a misuse ofthe gift of speaking in languages supernaturally. The Corinthians were doing this in the wrong way and for the wrong purpose]. But the person who prophesies speaks [God's message] to people to build them up [spiritually], encourage them and comfort them.read more.
The person who speaks in a language [supernaturally], builds up [only] himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I would like all of you to speak in languages [supernaturally], but I would rather have you prophecy. For the person who prophesies is more important [i.e., to the church] than those who speak in languages [supernaturally], unless that person interprets [the languages], so the church can be built up [spiritually].

[This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels],

Now you people are the [spiritual] body of Christ and each one of you is an individual part of it. Now God has placed some [ministries] in the church [as follows]: First apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then [those able to perform] miracles, then gifts [enabling people] to perform [supernatural] healings, [those able] to help the needy, [wise] administrators, [and] those able to speak in different languages. Are all [ministers in the church] apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all perform miracles?read more.
Do all have gifts [enabling them] to perform [supernatural] healings? Do all speak in languages? Do all interpret [those languages]? [Obviously not], but you should eagerly desire the more important gifts. And now I will show you a much better way [i.e., a better way to serve one another in the church than using supernatural gifts]:

Jesus replied to her, "[My dear] woman, believe me [when I tell you], the time will come when you people will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You [Samaritans] do not [really] know what you worship; we [Jews] know what we worship because salvation is from the Jews [i.e., through Jewish prophets, Jewish Scriptures and a Jewish Messiah]. But the time will come, and is now [actually] here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [i.e., from the heart] and truth [i.e., according to God's revealed will], for these are the people whom the Father seeks to be His worshipers.read more.
God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said [to God], [Psa. 40:6-8 LXX], "You did not want an [animal] sacrifice and an offering, but you prepared a body for me [to sacrifice]. You were not pleased with whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do what you want, O God, [just as] it is written in the scroll of the book [about me].'"read more.
[After] saying the above, "You did not want, nor were you pleased, with [peace] sacrifices and [meal] offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings," [although] these are offered according to the law of Moses, He then said, "Look, I have come to do what you want." [So], Christ takes away the first [i.e., the animal and grain sacrifices] in order to establish the second [i.e., the sacrifice of Himself]. By [Christ doing] what God wanted, we have been set aside for God through Jesus Christ offering His body once for all time. For every priest stands and performs his service day after day, offering over and over the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when this Priest [i.e., Christ] had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, He sat down at the right side of God. From that time onward He will wait until His enemies are placed [in full subjection] under His feet. For by one offering [i.e., the sacrifice of Himself], Christ has made perfect forever those people who are being set apart for God.

This is a trustworthy saying: If any man eagerly desires to be an overseer [i.e., an elder], he desires a noble task.

And those persons who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified [i.e., put out of their lives, Col. 3:4ff] the sinful cravings of the body, along with their passionate desires.

For those people who are [controlled] by the flesh think about [i.e., desire] what the flesh wants; but those who are [controlled] by the Holy Spirit [desire] what the Holy Spirit wants. For the one whose mind is [controlled] by the flesh will suffer [spiritual] death; but the one whose mind is [controlled] by the Holy Spirit will enjoy [never ending] life and peace. This is because the one whose mind is [controlled] by the flesh is an enemy of God; for he is not obedient to God's law, and in fact, cannot obey it.read more.
And those people who are living according to the flesh cannot please God. But if the Spirit of God [truly] lives in your heart, you are not [being controlled] by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit. But if any person does not have the Spirit of Christ [living in him], he does not belong to Christ. And if Christ lives in your hearts, even though the body is [doomed to] death because of [Adam's ?] sin; yet the spirit is [destined to] live [forever] because of being [made] right with God. [Note: Some take "spirit" here to be "Spirit" and make it "The Holy Spirit gives you life." See next verse]. But if the Spirit of God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, lives in your hearts, [then] that One [i.e., God] who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead, will restore life to your mortal bodies also, through [the power of] God's Spirit who lives in your hearts. So then, brothers, we are under obligation, but not to live under [the control of] the flesh, for if you people live under [the control of] the flesh, you must die [spiritually]; but if you put to death [i.e., stop practicing] the [sinful] habits of the body by [the power of] the Holy Spirit, you will live [spiritually]. For all of those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Now this [is another reason for observing the law of love]: You should know that it is about time to wake up out of your [spiritual] sleep, because [the day of our final] salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed [in Christ]. The night is almost over and the day is near. So, we should stop doing the deeds of darkness [i.e., sinful things] and we should arm ourselves with the weapons of light [i.e., virtues for right living]. We should be living properly, as in the daytime [i.e., when people normally behave themselves], not engaging in orgies and drunkenness; not practicing sexual immorality and indecent vices; not quarrelsome and jealous.read more.
But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make any plans for satisfying the strong desires of your flesh [i.e., your appetites for sinful pleasures].

You people [already] know this [or, "you should know this"], my dearly loved brothers. However, every person should be quick to listen, slow to talk and slow in becoming angry. For the anger of people does not produce what God considers to be right.

You were [taught] to put away [the conduct of] your former lifestyle, your old person who is being corrupted by deceitful desires, and to be renewed in your inner person. And you should put on the new person who has been [re-] created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So, put to death [i.e., stop practicing the desires of] your physical bodies [such as] sexual immorality, [moral] impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is [in reality] idolatry.

But run from the evil desires of youth and pursue [the practice of] right living, faith, love and peace, along with those people who call on the Lord [i.e., in prayer] from a pure heart.

As obedient children, do not pattern your lives after the evil desires you formerly had when you were ignorant, but according to the Holy One, who called you [i.e., God], you people also should become holy [i.e., separated for God's service] in all your conduct,

My dearly loved ones, I urge you, as a people who are foreigners and strangers [in this world], do not give in to sinful desires, which wage war against the soul.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered physically, you people should fortify yourselves with the same attitude He had. For the person who has suffered physically [i.e., in standing for Christ] has quit sinning. So then, you should no longer live the rest of your lives [to satisfy] the sinful desires of your body, but to do what God wants. For the time you have [already] spent in the past [i.e., as Gentile unbelievers] was long enough to have practiced unrestrained, indecent conduct, improper sexual cravings, riotous living, wild parties, drunken orgies and disgusting idol worship.read more.
Now, those people you used to run around with cannot understand why you have stopped living such wasteful lives, so they just "badmouth" you. But, they will have to answer to God, who will judge both those who are now alive and those who have already died, [for the way they have lived].

But, I am saying to you, live in harmony with the Holy Spirit's [desire for you] and [then] you will not [always] be giving in to the wrong desires of your body. For what your body wants is in conflict with what the Holy Spirit wants [for you], and what the Holy Spirit wants conflicts with what your body wants, for these [two desires] are contrary to one another, so that you do not [always] do what you [really] want to.

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh, for the desire to do good is present in my heart, but the ability to carry it out [consistently] is not.

Where do conflicts and fights among you come from? Do they not come from your [desire for] pleasures which produces inner conflict?