Greek · G1163, G2038 · unreviewed

δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι

Be necessary · to work

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

δεῖ G1163 be necessary
Pronunciation deî
Logical necessity or divine imperative, distinct from moral obligation expressed by ὀφείλει
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ἐργάζομαι G2038 to work
Pronunciation ergázomai
To work actively toward a result; labor that produces concrete outcomes, whether material or moral.
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What does δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι (dei ergazesthai) mean in the Bible?

δεῖ · ἐργάζομαι is a Greek word meaning "it is necessary/appropriate to work".

Full entry for δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι (G1163, G2038) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

it is necessary/appropriate to work
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 40 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 5 ongoing 10 imperative 3 background 1 subjunctive 3 infinitive 6 participle 12
Tense
present 33 aorist 6 imperfect 1
Voice
middle 40
Mood
indicative 16 participle 12 infinitive 6 subjunctive 3 imperative 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 7:23 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle Matthew 21:28 ἐργάζου present middle imperative imperative Matthew 25:16 ἠργάσατο aorist middle indicative completed Matthew 26:10 ἠργάσατο aorist middle indicative completed Mark 14:6 ἠργάσατο aorist middle indicative completed Luke 13:14 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive John 5:17 ἐργάζεται present middle indicative ongoing John 5:17 ἐργάζομαι present middle indicative ongoing John 6:27 ἐργάζεσθε present middle imperative imperative John 6:28 ἐργαζώμεθα present middle subjunctive subjunctive John 6:30 ἐργάζῃ present middle indicative ongoing John 9:4 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive John 9:4 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Acts 10:35 ἐργαζόμενος present middle participle participle Acts 13:41 ἐργάζομαι present middle indicative ongoing Acts 18:3 ἠργάζετο imperfect middle indicative background Romans 2:10 ἐργαζομένῳ present middle participle participle Romans 4:4 ἐργαζομένῳ present middle participle participle Romans 4:5 ἐργαζομένῳ present middle participle participle Romans 13:10 ἐργάζεται present middle indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 4:12 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle 1 Corinthians 9:13 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle 1 Corinthians 9:6 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive 1 Corinthians 16:10 ἐργάζεται present middle indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 7:10 ἐργάζεται present middle indicative ongoing Galatians 6:10 ἐργαζώμεθα present middle subjunctive subjunctive Ephesians 4:28 ἐργαζόμενος present middle participle participle Colossians 3:23 ἐργάζεσθε present middle imperative imperative 1 Thessalonians 2:9 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ἐργάζεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive 2 Thessalonians 3:11 ἐργαζομένους present middle participle participle 2 Thessalonians 3:12 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle 2 Thessalonians 3:8 ἐργαζόμενοι present middle participle participle Hebrews 11:33 εἰργάσαντο aorist middle indicative completed James 1:20 ἐργάζεται present middle indicative ongoing James 2:9 ἐργάζεσθε present middle indicative ongoing 2 John 1:8 εἰργασάμεθα aorist middle indicative completed 3 John 1:5 ἐργάσῃ aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 18:17 ἐργάζονται present middle indicative ongoing

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 23 — The Lord Stands Near Paul and Preserves His Witness Acts 27 — The Storm, the Shipwreck, and the Promise of God Acts 4 — Christ Alone Saves and His Witnesses Speak Boldly Galatians 6 — Boasting Only in the Cross: Spirit-Shaped Community and New Creation John 10 — The Good Shepherd, the Door, and the Son One with the Father John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 5 — The Son Who Gives Life, Judges, and Is Witnessed by the Father Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Luke 21 — The Widow’s Gift, Jerusalem’s Fall, and Watchfulness before the Son of Man Luke 24 — The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures, Commissions Witnesses, and Ascends in Blessing Luke 9 — The Christ Revealed, the Cross Announced, and the Jerusalem Road Begun Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 25 — Readiness, Stewardship, and the Final Judgment of the Son of Man Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources