THE FULL ARTICLE — from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), general editor James Orr — public domain, printed whole.

der, der'-li ("held at a great price," "highly valued"): In Ac 20:24, Paul does not hold his life "dear" (timios, "at a price"); compare 1Co 3:12, "costly stones"; 1Pe 1:19, "precious blood." Lu 7:2, the servant was "dear" to the centurion (entimos, "highly prized"; compare Php 2:29; 1Pe 2:6). 1Th 2:8, "very dear to us" (agapetos, "beloved"). In the Revised Version (British and American), agapetos 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, Jer 31:20. the Revised Version (British and American) correctly changes "dear Son" of the King James Version (Col 1:13) into "the Son of his love."

H. E. Jacobs