Lexical Summary praxis: Deed, action, practice Original Word: πρᾶξις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance deed, office, work. From prasso; practice, i.e. (concretely) an act; by extension, a function -- deed, office, work. see GREEK prasso HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4234 práksis – "a function, implying sustained activity and/or responsibility" (L & N, 1, 42.5). See 4238 (prássō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom prassó Definition a deed, function NASB Translation action (1), deeds (2), function (1), practices (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4234: πρᾶξιςπρᾶξις, πράξεως, ἡ (πράσσω), from Homer down; a. a doing, a mode of acting; a deed, act, transaction: universally, πράξεις τῶν ἀποστόλων (Griesbach; Rec. inserts ἁγίων, L Tr WH omit τῶν, Tdf. has simply πράξεις), the doings of (i. e. things done by) the apostles, in the inscription of the Acts; singular in an ethical sense: both good and bad, Matthew 16:27; in a bad sense, equivalent to wicked deed, crime, Luke 23:51; plural wicked doings (cf. our practices i. e. trickery; often so by Polybius): Acts 19:18; Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:9; (with κακῇ added, as Ev. Nicod. 1Ἰησοῦς ἐθεράπευσε δαιμονιζομένους ἀπό πράξεων κακῶν). b. a thing to be done, business (A. V. office) (Xenophon, mem. 2, 1, 6): Romans 12:4. Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Thematic Thread While the cognate verb refers to “doing,” the noun highlights the concrete outcome of doing—an act, practice, or function. Across its six New Testament appearances the term gathers a cohesive thread: human conduct is never neutral but stands either under the life-giving rule of the Spirit or the death-dealing rule of the flesh. Occurrences in Canonical Context • Luke 23:51 introduces Joseph of Arimathea as a man who “had not consented to their decision and action.” His refusal shows that a single praxis can align a disciple against a corrupt majority and with God’s salvific purpose. Ethical Weight and Moral Polarity Every occurrence implies evaluation. Deeds rooted in unbelief culminate in death and condemnation; deeds birthed by faith and Spirit-enablement manifest life, witness, and reward. Scripture never isolates inner belief from outward action. Genuine faith produces new practices; unregenerate flesh perpetuates old ones. Eschatological Accountability Matthew connects praxis to the final audit before the returning Son of Man, echoing passages such as Revelation 20:12. The term therefore carries an eschatological gravity: daily choices anticipate eternal verdicts. Transformative Discipleship Acts and Colossians reveal the gospel’s capacity to alter established behaviors. Confession (Acts) and renunciation (Colossians) are twin disciplines that replace destructive praxeis with Spirit-formed habits, embodying repentance as an ongoing lifestyle. Corporate and Charismatic Dimension Romans 12:4 widens the focus from personal morality to communal function. The Spirit distributes diverse “functions” so that the body builds itself up in love. Ministry praxis derives its legitimacy from divine gifting, not human status. Pastoral Implications 1. Preaching must move beyond abstract doctrine to concrete obedience, urging believers to “put to death” specific deeds of the body. Historical Insight In the Greco-Roman world praxis often denoted civic activity or philosophical habit. The New Testament recasts the term, rooting deeds not in civic virtue but in union with Christ and empowerment by the Spirit, subverting pagan moralism with grace-driven holiness. Intertextual Echoes Old Testament wisdom literature constantly links action and consequence (for example, Proverbs 12:14). The apostolic use of praxis stands in this tradition while adding Christological and pneumatological depth: deeds matter because they reveal allegiance—to the flesh or to Christ. Summary Strong’s Greek 4234 underscores that Christianity is irreducibly practical. Belief issues in behavior; orthodoxy pursues orthopraxy. Whether describing refusal to join injustice, confession of occult sin, mortification of fleshly habits, divinely appointed ministry roles, or the basis of final judgment, praxis integrates faith, ethics, and eschatology into a single call: “whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Forms and Transliterations πραξει πράξει πραξεις πράξεις πραξεσιν πράξεσιν πραξιν πράξιν πρᾶξιν praxei práxei praxeis práxeis praxesin práxesin praxin prâxinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 16:27 N-AFSGRK: κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ NAS: EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. KJV: according to his works. INT: according to the deeds of him Luke 23:51 N-DFS Acts 19:18 N-AFP Romans 8:13 N-AFP Romans 12:4 N-AFS Colossians 3:9 N-DFP Strong's Greek 4234 |