Purpose

Across the canon

In the King James text (100 verses)

Every verse where Scripture speaks of purpose, gathered by word. Quoted below: a spread across the whole canon, Old Testament and New — never more than two from any one book. The complete list is one click beneath them.

1. Numbers 28:6

   It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

   Verse page →Original language →

2. 2 Kings 23:5

   And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

   ›Commentary on 2 Kings 23:51 voice

   “The idolatrous priests - הכמרים hakkemarim. Who these were is not well known. The Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, call them the priests simply, which the kings of Judah had ordained. Probably they were an order made by the idolatrous kings of Judah, and called kemarim, from כמר camar, which signifies to be scorched, shriveled together, made dark, or black, because their business was constantly to attend sacrificial fires, and probably they were black garments; hence the Jews in derision call Christian ministers kemarim, because of their black clothes and garments.

   Everything gathered on 2 Kings 23:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Ezra 4:5

   And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

   ›Commentary on Ezra 4:51 voice

   “Hired counselors - Rather, “bribed” officials at the Persian court to interpose delays and create difficulties, in order to hinder the work. Darius - i. e., Darius, the son of Hystaspes

   Everything gathered on Ezra 4:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Job 17:11

   My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Proverbs 15:22

   Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 15:221 voice

   “But in the multitude of counsellors - See note on Pro 11:13 (note). But רב יועצים rob yoatsim might be translated, chief or master of the council, the prime minister.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 15:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Jeremiah 1:5

   Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

   ›Commentary on Jeremiah 1:52 voices

   “(Vers. 4, 5.) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you: I have made you a prophet to the nations. Not that Jeremiah existed before his conception, as some heresy suspects, but that the Lord foresaw him to be. To whom things not yet made already exist, according to what the Apostle spoke: Who calls those things that are not, as those that are (Rom. IV, 17).

   “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,.... Not merely by his omniscience, so he knows all men before their conception and birth; but with such a knowledge as had special love and affection joined with it; in which sense the Lord knows them that are his, as he does not others, and predestinates them unto eternal life; and which is not only before their formation in the womb, but before the foundation of the world, even from all eternity.

   Everything gathered on Jeremiah 1:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Habakkuk 1:12

   Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

   ›Commentary on Habakkuk 1:122 voices

   “(Verse 12.) Surely you are from the beginning, O Lord my God, my holy one? And shall we not die? O Lord, you have appointed him for judgment; you have established him as a strong one to correct him. LXX: Are you not from the beginning, O Lord my God, my holy one? And shall we not die? O Lord, you have appointed him for judgment: and he has formed me, so that I may chastise in his discipline.

   “Art thou not frown everlasting - The idols change, and their worshippers change and fail: but thou, Jehovah, art eternal; thou canst not change, and they who trust in thee are safe. Thou art infinite in thy mercy; therefore, “we shall not die,” shall not be totally exterminated. Thou hast ordained them for judgment - Thou hast raised up the Chaldeans to correct and punish us; but thou hast not given them a commission to destroy us totally.

   Everything gathered on Habakkuk 1:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Matthew 26:8

   But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

   ›Commentary on Matthew 26:82 voices

   “(Ver. 8, 9.) But when the disciples saw this, they were indignant and said, "Why this waste? This could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." I know that some criticize this passage, questioning why only one evangelist, Judas, is mentioned as being upset, when it is said that all the apostles were indignant. They do not understand the figure of speech known as synecdoche, by which one person can be used to represent all, or one can be used to represent many.

   “But when his disciples saw it,.... What the woman did, what a costly box of ointment it was, and with what profusion she used it, they had indignation: Mark says, "within themselves", Mar 14:4; either among themselves, or their indignation was secret in their breasts; their resentment was private, though it might be betrayed by their looks, and afterwards showed itself in words.

   Everything gathered on Matthew 26:8→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Romans 1:13

   Now 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.

   ›Commentary on Romans 1:131 voice

   “There is indeed a hyperbaton in this passage; there is also a defect of expression. But the hyperbaton we may render in this way: "But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come to you, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the other nations, Greeks and barbarians, wise and unwise, and have been hindered until now." The defect of expression, however, will be supplied in this manner.

   Everything gathered on Romans 1:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Ephesians 1:9

    Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

    ›Commentary on Ephesians 1:91 voice

    “Some attentive reader might object: "If Paul knows in part and prophesies in part and now sees as through a glass darkly, how is the mystery of God revealed either to him or to the Ephesians "in all wisdom and insight?" … It is not that they by themselves have learned this mystery "in all wisdom and insight," but God "in all wisdom and insight" has revealed the mystery to us, so far as we are able to grasp it.

    Everything gathered on Ephesians 1:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Titus 1:5

    For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

    ›Commentary on Titus 1:52 voices

    "For this reason, I left you in Crete, so that you would correct what was lacking." It is the dignity of the apostolic Church to lay the foundation, which no one can lay except the architect. And the foundation is none other than Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Those who are lesser artisans can build houses upon the foundation.

    “For this cause left I thee in Crete,.... Not in his voyage to Rome, Act 27:7 but rather when he came from Macedonia into Greece, Act 20:2. Crete is an island in the Mediterranean sea, now called Candy; See Gill on Act 2:

    Everything gathered on Titus 1:5→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Jude 1:4

    For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

    ›Commentary on Jude 1:42 voices

    “These words were written about those who, after attributing the glory of sonship only to the Word begotten of God the Father, say that another son of the seed of David and Jesse has been united with him and been given a share in the sonship and in the glory proper to God.

    “For there are certain men crept in unawares - Παρεισεδυσαν· They had got into the Church under specious pretences; and, when in, began to sow their bad seed. Before of old ordained - Οἱ παλαι προγεγραμμενοι Such as were long ago proscribed, and condemned in the most public manner; this is the import of the word προγραφειν in this place, and there are many examples of this use of it in the Greek writers. See Kypke. To this condemnation - To a similar punishment to that immediately about to be mentioned.

    Everything gathered on Jude 1:4→

    Verse page →Original language →

Words searched, at word start, across the King James text: purpose… · ordain… · foreordain…

Lives that met it (8)

Curated character profiles whose own account speaks of purpose.

• AbrahamFather of Faith · PatriarchalAbraham, originally Abram, was called by God to leave his homeland for an unknown land. His faith in God's impossible promises made him the father of all who believe, and through his seed all nations would be blessed.
• JacobIsrael, Prince with God · PatriarchalJacob was a supplanter transformed by grace into Israel, prince with God. His twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel, and despite his deceptions, God chose him to carry the covenant promises.
• AndrewThe Apostle Who Brought Others to Jesus · New TestamentAndrew, brother of Simon Peter, was among the first disciples called and is remembered throughout the Gospels for consistently bringing others to Jesus, from his own brother to a boy with loaves and fishes to Greek visitors seeking the Lord.
• BarnabasSon of Encouragement · New TestamentBarnabas, a Levite from Cyprus originally named Joseph, sold his property to support the early church, vouched for the newly converted Saul when others feared him, and became Paul's missionary partner before their eventual, sharp disagreement over John Mark.
• SarahMother of Nations · PatriarchalSarah was Abraham's wife and the mother of Isaac. Her barrenness tested the promise, but God gave her a son in her old age. She represents the covenant of promise and the free children of God.
• IsaacSon of Promise · PatriarchalIsaac was the miraculous child of Abraham and Sarah, the son of promise through whom God's covenant continued. His willing submission at the altar and his peaceful life demonstrated quiet faith.
• JosephVizier of Egypt · PatriarchalJoseph rose from pit to palace through God's providence. Sold by jealous brothers, he became Egypt's vizier and saved his family from famine. His life powerfully prefigures Christ's rejection and exaltation.
• AhijahAhijah the Shilonite · United-to-Divided MonarchyAhijah the Shilonite prophesied in the reigns of Solomon and Jeroboam I. He tore his new garment into twelve pieces and gave Jeroboam ten of them, the sign of the divided kingdom (1 Kings 11:29-39), and later pronounced judgment on Jeroboam's house (1 Kings 14).