Found 48 times in the New Testament, the Greek noun “elpis” meant “hope” or “expectation.” Hope is associated with the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6) and the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:12). It is called the “hope of righteousness” in Gal. 5:5 and comes through the Scriptures (Rom. 15:4; Col. 1:23). Jesus, of course, is essential to this hope (Col.
1:27; 1 Tim. 1:1). The hope of the gospel allows the saved to rejoice (Rom. 12:12).“For Christian believers hope is a present virtue with future reference. It is their forward look at a distant goal. For Christians, hope is neither optimism nor fear, and doubt has no part in it. Hope is based on religious faith. Hope is very much a Pauline word, never tinged with nervousness or alarm, as in secular contexts” (Turner, Christian Words, p. 214).