Bible Encyclopedias
Dear; Dearly

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dēr , dēr´li ("held at a great price," "highly valued"): In Acts 20:24 , Paul does not hold his life "dear" (τίμιος , tı́mios , "at a price"); compare 1 Corinthians 3:12 , "costly stones"; 1 Peter 1:19 , "precious blood." Luke 7:2 , the servant was "dear" to the centurion (ἔντιμος , éntimos , "highly prized"; compare Philippians 2:29; 1 Peter 2:6 ). 1 Thessalonians 2:8 , "very dear to us" (ἀγαπητός , agapētós , "beloved"). In the Revised Version (British and American), agapētos is generally translated "beloved." "Dearly" before "beloved" of the King James Version is omitted in all passages in the Revised Version (British and American). The word "dear" occurs but once in the Old Testament, namely, Jeremiah 31:20 . the Revised Version (British and American) correctly changes "dear Son" of the King James Version (Colossians 1:13 ) into "the Son of his love."