What does ἀγαθοεργέω (agathoergéō) mean in the Bible?
Agathoergeō means to do good or actively perform what benefits others. Paul commands wealthy believers to do good, become rich in good works, be generous, and ready to share.
Greek · G14
ἀγαθοεργέω
To work good
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ἀγαθοεργέω G14
Pronunciation agathoergéō
What does ἀγαθοεργέω (agathoergéō) mean in the Bible?
Agathoergeō means to do good or actively perform what benefits others. Paul commands wealthy believers to do good, become rich in good works, be generous, and ready to share.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀγαθοεργέω (G14) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G14?
The BSB source-word alignment has 2 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [Instruct them] to do good (1), to His goodness (1).
Where does ἀγαθοεργέω (agathoergéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 14:17. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Timothy (1), Acts (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Agathoergeō means to do good or actively perform what benefits others. Paul commands wealthy believers to do good, become rich in good works, be generous, and ready to share. Titus uses related good-work language to tell believers to learn practical service for urgent needs, and Hebrews commands doing good and sharing as sacrifices pleasing to God. Those passages provide canonical context while the rare verb itself occurs in the wealth exhortation.
Doing good is concrete action shaped by love and justice, not vague niceness, reputation management, or a means of purchasing God's favor. Resources become opportunities for service rather than proof of spiritual rank.
How the Bible Uses It
Agathoergeō names active beneficence. In its primary setting, wealthy Christians replace conceit and uncertain financial hope with good works, generosity, and readiness to share. Related exhortations emphasize urgent needs and God-pleasing fellowship.
- 1Tim.6.18
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,
First Timothy 6:18 commands the wealthy to do good, be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share. The wordplay redirects the meaning of riches toward neighbor-serving action.
- Titus.3.14
And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet the pressing needs of others, so that they will not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14 uses related good-work vocabulary to urge believers to learn to meet urgent needs rather than remain unfruitful. It supplies canonical context, not another occurrence of agathoergeō.
- Heb.13.16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Hebrews 13:16 uses related language to say believers must not neglect doing good and sharing, for such sacrifices please God. This supports the action's communal and worshipful character.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It [Instruct them] to do good 1× 1 Timothy 6:18
to His goodness 1× Acts 14:17
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Acts 14:17
Aligned rows 2
Books represented 2
Acts 1 1 Timothy 1
Source forms
ἀγαθοεργεῖν 1x agathoergein 1 Timothy 6:18
ἀγαθουργῶν 1x agathourgōn Acts 14:17
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1x 1 Timothy 6:18
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Acts 14:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use charitable giving to control recipients, purchase influence, conceal exploitation, or avoid structural justice.
- Do not present good works as the basis of justification or as proof that wealthy benefactors deserve greater authority.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use charitable giving to control recipients, purchase influence, conceal exploitation, or avoid structural justice.
- Do not present good works as the basis of justification or as proof that wealthy benefactors deserve greater authority.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to work good
Source Gloss
to work good
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
to do good, show kindness: 1 Ti 6:18 (Cremer, 8). ἀγαθουργέω, -ῶ, contracted form (rare, see WH, App., 145) of ἀγαθοερ- (which see), to do good: Act.14:17.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
1 Timothy 6:18 Verb Present Active Infinitive
ἀγαθοεργεῖν, agaqoergein
I perform good deeds
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 2 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 2
Voice
active 2
Mood
infinitive 1 participle 1
NT Occurrences
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)
For the Preacher and Teacher
Agathoergeō turns goodness into action. Paul does not merely tell wealthy believers to feel humble; he redirects resources toward generous sharing and good work. The surrounding command undermines prosperity as status by describing another kind of richness, one stored toward the coming age. Related passages clarify that good works learn to meet urgent needs and become sacrifices pleasing to God.
Churches should therefore evaluate benevolence by real benefit, dignity, accountability, and justice rather than publicity or donor control. Doing good may involve money, time, advocacy, skilled labor, hospitality, or protection. None earns acceptance with God. It is the embodied fruit of trust in the God who richly gives and calls His people to share.
Anchor passage
1Tim.6.18
Doctrinal connections
- Grace and works: good action flows from salvation and does not purchase it.
- Stewardship: wealth is entrusted for generous, neighbor-serving use.
- Providence: confidence in God's provision frees believers from anxious hoarding.
- Neighbor love: doing good addresses actual persons and needs with dignity.
- Worship: sharing and beneficence are sacrifices pleasing to God.
- Eschatology: good works lay hold of life that is truly life rather than present status.
Agathoergeō combines agathos, "good," with ergon language for work and means to do good or act beneficently. It is rare in the New Testament, so related good-work vocabulary should be labeled rather than counted as direct occurrences.
From Old to New Testament
The Law commands openhanded care, prophets join worship to justice, and wisdom praises generosity toward the poor. New Testament good works remain the fruit of grace and hope.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain