Concise Bible Dictionary:
The word έπιθυμέω signifies “to desire earnestly,” and is often translated “desire,” without the thought of the desire being an evil one, as in Matthew 13:17; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Peter 1:12. The English word “lust” was anciently not always used in a bad sense, as it now is (see Deuteronomy 12:15 and Galatians 5:17).