Joy
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and a hallmark of the Christian life. It does not depend on external circumstances but flows from fellowship with God. Even in difficult times, we can have a deep joy that the world cannot take away.
Rejoice in the Lord
Our deepest joy is found in God himself.
11You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃
17Though the fig tree does not blossom and the vines bear no fruit, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls—
כִּֽי־תְאֵנָ֣ה לֹֽא־תִפְרָ֗ח וְאֵ֤ין יְבוּל֙ בַּגְּפָנִ֔ים כִּחֵשׁ֙ מַעֲשֵׂה־זַ֔יִת וּשְׁדֵמ֖וֹת לֹא־עָ֣שָׂה אֹ֑כֶל גָּזַ֤ר מִמִּכְלָה֙ צֹ֔אן וְאֵ֥ין בָּקָ֖ר בָּרְפָתִֽים׃
18yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
וַאֲנִ֖י בַּיהוָ֣ה אֶעְל֑וֹזָה אָגִ֖ילָה בֵּאלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃
4Take your delight in the LORD, and he will give you what your heart asks.
וְהִתְעַנַּ֥ג עַל־יְהוָ֑ה וְיִֽתֶּן־לְ֝ךָ֗ מִשְׁאֲלֹ֥ת לִבֶּֽךָ׃
Rejoice always
Paul encourages a continual joy regardless of circumstances.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!
Χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ πάντοτε· πάλιν ἐρῶ, χαίρετε.
16Rejoice always,
πάντοτε χαίρετε,
17pray without ceasing,
ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε,
18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε· τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
Τὸ λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί μου, χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ. τὰ αὐτὰ γράφειν ὑμῖν ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ὀκνηρόν, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλές.
Joy in salvation
Salvation in Christ is the greatest reason for joy.
20Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
πλὴν ἐν τούτῳ μὴ χαίρετε ὅτι τὰ πνεύματα ὑμῖν ὑποτάσσεται, χαίρετε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ⸀ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with a joy that is beyond words and full of glory,
ὃν οὐκ ⸀ἰδόντες ἀγαπᾶτε, εἰς ὃν ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες πιστεύοντες δὲ ⸀ἀγαλλιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ,
9for you are receiving the outcome of your faith: the salvation of your souls.
κομιζόμενοι τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως ⸀ὑμῶν σωτηρίαν ψυχῶν.
6and when he comes home he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.'
καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον συγκαλεῖ τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτονας, λέγων αὐτοῖς· Συγχάρητέ μοι ὅτι εὗρον τὸ πρόβατόν μου τὸ ἀπολωλός.
7I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ⸂ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται⸃ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.
10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
οὕτως, λέγω ὑμῖν, ⸂γίνεται χαρὰ⸃ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι.
Joy as fruit
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit's work in us.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ὁ δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις,
17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις, ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ·
11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ ἐν ὑμῖν ⸀ᾖ καὶ ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν πληρωθῇ.
Joy in trials
Even in difficulties, we can have joy with an eye toward the outcome.
2Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into trials of every kind,
Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε, ἀδελφοί μου, ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις,
3for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
γινώσκοντες ὅτι τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως κατεργάζεται ὑπομονήν·
4And let endurance finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ ἔργον τέλειον ἐχέτω, ἵνα ἦτε τέλειοι καὶ ὁλόκληροι, ἐν μηδενὶ λειπόμενοι.
3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ⸀καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται,
4endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα.
5And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει· ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν.
41So they left the Council rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου ὅτι ⸂κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος⸃ ἀτιμασθῆναι·