Dear - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Dear
[ 1,,G5093, timios ]from time, honor, price," signifies
(a), primarily, "accounted as of great price, precious, costly," 1 Corinthians 3:12; Revelation 17:4; Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16; Revelation 21:19, and in the superlative degree, Revelation 18:12; Revelation 21:11; the comparative degree is found in 1 Peter 1:7 (polutimoteros, in the most authentic mss., "much more precious");
(b) in the metaphorical sense, "held in honor, esteemed, very dear," Acts 5:34, "had in honor," RV (AV, "had in reputation"); so in Hebrews 13:4, RV, "let marriage be had in honor;" AV, "is honorable;" Acts 20:24, "dear," negatively of Paul's estimate of his life; James 5:7, "precious" (of fruit); 1 Peter 1:19, "precious" (of the blood of Christ); 2 Peter 1:4 (of God's promises). See COSTLY, HONORABLE, REPUTATION, PRECIOUS. Cp. timiotes, preciousness, Revelation 18:19.
[ 2,,G1784, entimos ]
"held in honor" (time, See above), "precious, dear," is found in Luke 7:2, of the centurion's servant; Luke 14:8, "more honorable;" Philippians 2:29, "honor" (AV, "reputation"), of devoted servants of Christ; in 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Peter 2:6, "precious," of stones, metaphorically. See HONORABLE, REPUTATION, PRECIOUS.
[ 3,,G27, agapetos ]
from agape, "love," signifies "beloved;" it is rendered "very dear" in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (AV, "dear"), of the affection of Paul and his fellow workers for the saints at Thessalonica; in Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 1:7, AV, "dear;" RV, "beloved." See BELOVED.
Note: In Colossians 1:13, agape is translated "dear" in the AV; the RV, adhering to the noun, has "the Son of His love."