11. To Desire, Will, Purpose

Both βούλομαι and θέλω, which latter word is of much more frequent use, are translated ‘to will' and the latter ‘to desire,' with other variations of both in the A. V.
The distinction of the two words seems to be justly designated (at least as to their N. T. use) thus: θέλω, expresses in general ‘to exercise the will’ ― the will which proceeds from inclination or desire. βούλομαι is the will which follows from deliberation, and involves a carefully-weighed purpose.
They occur together in Matt. 1:1919Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. (Matthew 1:19): Joseph not desiring (θέ.) to expose Mary publicly, purposed (βο) to have put her away secretly. In 1 Tim. 5:1111But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; (1 Timothy 5:11), as to the younger widows not being put on the list, they will (θέ.), their desire is, to marry: in verse 14 Paul's deliberate judgment and will is that they should; "I will (βο.) therefore."
In Philem. 1:1313Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: (Philemon 13) the apostle "would have" (βο.), was desirous of, keeping Onesimus with him, but without Philemon's mind "willed (θέ.) to do nothing." Also in 1 Tim. 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4), as to "God our Savior, who desires that all men should be saved," it is θέλω: see Eze. 18:2323Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? (Ezekiel 18:23) (LXX, Vat.) "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" (with which may he compared 1 Cor. 12:1818But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. (1 Corinthians 12:18) "as it hath pleased [θέ.] him," and 15:38): in 1 Tim. 2:88I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1 Timothy 2:8) it is βούλομαι as in chap. 5:14 "I will therefore," the active wish being implied.
For θέλω see more fully John 6:6767Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (John 6:67), "Will ye also go away?" not simply the act, but the will to do it: ‘is it your will or disposition?’ ‘are ye also disposed to go away?' Luke 15:2828And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. (Luke 15:28): "he was angry, and ‘would' not go in." Mark 6:1919Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: (Mark 6:19): "would have killed him." 1 Cor. 10:2727If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (1 Corinthians 10:27): "and ye be ‘disposed' to go." Matt. 17:1212But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. (Matthew 17:12): "whatsoever they listed." Compare the use of θέλω, for ‘I would' and ‘would not' in Rom. 7:15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 2115For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (Romans 7:15‑16)
18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (Romans 7:18‑21), in opposition to ‘I hate,' ‘I do.' Also 1 Cor. 7:77For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Corinthians 7:7): "I would that all men were even as myself." Rom. 9:1616So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. (Romans 9:16): "it is not of him that willeth." Mark 9:35; 12:3835And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9:35)
38And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, (Mark 12:38), may be added where it is ‘desire' and ‘love.'
For βούλομαι, see Matt. 11:2727All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27): "he to whomsoever the Son will (or ‘wills to') reveal him." Heb. 6:1717Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: (Hebrews 6:17): "wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel." (The word ‘counsel' is the substantive βουλή: it occurs ten times so rendered in the A. V.) So 1 Cor. 12:1111But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:11) of the "Spirit, dividing to every one severally as he will." Jas. 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18): "of his own will" — ‘having so purposed or willed:' it was the fruit of His own mind, and so a free gift (ver. 17). 2 Pet. 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9): "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," thus becomes clear as the expression of His purpose. Verse 5 may be referred to for the force of θέλω: "this they are willingly ignorant of," or "this is hidden from them through their own willfulness."
Eph. 1:1111In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11) brings together the substantives formed from the two words: "after the counsel (βουλή) of his own will (θέλημα)." The latter is used in chap. 2:3: "the ‘desires' of the flesh and of the mind;" and the consistent distinction of the former is maintained in 1 Cor. 4:55Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5), "and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts."
πρόθεσις is another word connected with ‘purpose,' which is its fitting translation: it is, according to the verb προτίθημι, what I set before myself, and so propose and determine. See for the verb Rom. 1:1313Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. (Romans 1:13) and Eph. 1:99Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Ephesians 1:9). The substantive, πρίθεσις, is found in connection with the ‘shewbread' in its physical force of setting forth, or placing a thing in view, Heb. 9:22For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. (Hebrews 9:2) ― the O. T. expression for the rite of the "setting forth of the loaves"; but, following the verb, it is "purpose of heart" in Acts 11:2323Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. (Acts 11:23) (comp. 2 Tim. 3:1010But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (2 Timothy 3:10)), and in five other passages applied to the purposes of God's heart, Rom. 8:28; 9:1128And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (Romans 9:11); Eph. 1:1111In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11) (where it is closely associated with βουλή) and θέλημα); 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:99Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9).