Original Word: ἐργασία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: ergasia
Pronunciation: er-gah-SEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (er-gas-ee'-ah)
Definition: Work, business, trade, gain, practice
Meaning: working, activity, work, service, trade, business, gains of business, performance, practice.

craft, diligence, gain, work.

From ergates; occupation; by implication, profit, pains -- craft, diligence, gain, work.

see GREEK ergates

Word Origin
from ergon
Definition
work (noun)
NASB Translation
business (2), effort (1), practice (1), profit (2).

STRONGS NT 2039: ἐργασία

ἐργασία, ἐργασίας, ἡ, (ἐργάζομαι;

1. equivalent to τό ἐργάζεσθαι, a working, performing: ἀκαθαρσίας, Ephesians 4:19.

2. work, business: Acts 19:25 (Xenophon, oec. 6, 8, et al.).

3. gain got by work, profit: Acts 16:19; παρέχειν ἐργασίαν τίνι, Acts 16:16; Acts 19:24 (yet others refer this to 2 above); (Xenophon, mem. 3, 10, 1; cyneg. 3, 3; Polybius 4, 50, 3).

4. endeavor, pains (A. V. diligence): δίδωμι ἐργασίαν, after the Latinismoperam do, Luke 12:58 (Hermog. de invent. 3, 5, 7).

Word Origin: Derived from ἔργον (ergon), meaning "work" or "deed."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἐργασία, similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words related to work and labor, such as מְלָאכָה (melakhah, Strong's Hebrew 4399) meaning "work" or "occupation," and עֲבוֹדָה (avodah, Strong's Hebrew 5656) meaning "service" or "labor." These terms similarly encompass the idea of work as both a physical and moral activity.

Usage: The word ἐργασία is used in the New Testament to describe various forms of labor or work, often with a focus on the ethical or moral implications of such activities. It appears in contexts discussing both physical labor and metaphorical work, such as spiritual or moral endeavors.

Context: The Greek term ἐργασία appears in several New Testament passages, each highlighting different aspects of work and its implications. In Acts 16:16, ἐργασία is used to describe the profit gained from a slave girl's fortune-telling, illustrating the economic aspect of work and its potential for exploitation. The Berean Standard Bible translates this as: "As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling."

In Acts 19:24-25, ἐργασία is used in the context of the silversmiths' trade, where Demetrius, a silversmith, raises concerns about the impact of Paul's preaching on their business. The passage reads: "For a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a great deal of business for the craftsmen. Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. 'Men,' he said, 'you know that this business is our source of prosperity.'"

The term also appears in Ephesians 4:19, where it is associated with moral conduct, indicating a shift from righteous work to sinful practices: "Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more."

These examples demonstrate that ἐργασία encompasses both the physical act of working and the ethical dimensions of how work is conducted and its effects on individuals and communities. The New Testament usage often challenges believers to consider the moral implications of their labor and to pursue work that aligns with Christian values.

εργασία εργασίαι εργασιαν εργασίαν ἐργασίαν εργασιας εργασίας ἐργασίας εργασίμω ergasian ergasían ergasias ergasíasInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts