Greek

Work

ἐργασίαStrong’s G2039

ergasia

Appears in 6 verses of the New Testament

In short

Ergasia is the Greek word usually translated “business”, “earnestness” and “gain”. It appears in 6 verses of the New Testament.

“When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.”

Luke 12:58 KJV

Meaning

Usually translated “business”, “earnestness” and “gain”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated

business 2
earnestness 1
gain 1
profit 1
working 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most

Acts 4
Luke 1
Ephesians 1

3 books in all.

Related words

Explore in Scripture

Greek dictionary

ἐργασία ergasia · work

ἐργασία, -ας, ἡ (ἔργον), [in LXX for מְלָאכָה, עֲבֹדָה, etc. ;] 1. work, business: Act.16:16, 19 19:24-25; δὸς ἐ. (Lat. da operam), Luk.12:58. 2. working, performance: Eph.4:19.† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “work” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

WORK, verb intransitive

[G., Gr.]

In a general sense, to move, or to move one way and the other; to perform; as in popular language it is said, a mill or machine works well.
To labor; to be occupied in performing manual labor, whether severe or moderate.
To be in action or motion; as the working of the heart.
To act; to carry on operations.

All definitions and other forms of “work”

To operate; to carry on business; to be customarily engaged or employed in.“They that work in fine flax” Isaiah 19:9
To ferment; as, unfermented liquors work violently in hot weather.
To operate; to produce effects by action or influence.“All things work together for good to them that love God” Romans 8:28
To obtain by diligence. [Little used.]
To act or operate on the stomach and bowels; as a cathartic.
To labor; to strain; to move heavily; as, a ship works in a tempest.
To be tossed or agitated.
To enter by working; as, to work into the earth.

WORK, verb transitive

To move; to stir and mix; as, to work mortar.
To form by labor; to mold, shape or manufacture; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into an utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth.
To bring into any state by action.
To influence by acting upon; to manage; to lead.
To make by action, labor or violence.
To produce by action, labor or exertion.
To embroider; as, to work muslin.
To direct the movements of, by adapting the sails to the wind; as, to work a ship.
To put to labor; to exert.
To cause to ferment, as liquor.
To effect by labor and exertion.“WORK out your own salvation with fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12
To expend in any work as materials.

WORK, noun

[G., Gr.]

Labor; employment; exertion of strength; particularly in man, manual labor.
State of labor; as, to be at work
Awkward performance.
That which is made or done; as good work or bad work
Embroidery; flowers or figures wrought with the needle.
Any fabric or manufacture
The matter on which one is at work In rising she dropped her work
Action; deed; feat; achievement; as the works of bloody Mars.
Operation.
Effect; that which proceeds from agency.
Management; treatment.
That which is produced by mental labor; a composition; a book; as the works of Addison.
Works, in the plural, walls, trenches and the like, made for fortifications.
In theology, moral duties or external performances, as distinct from grace.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.