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Greek · G2041 · unreviewed

ἔργον

Toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act

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ἔργον G2041
Pronunciation érgon

What does ἔργον (érgon) mean in the Bible?

ἔργον (érgon) is a Greek word meaning "toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act". ἔργον, -ου, τό (originally Ϝέργον, work), [very frequently in LXX, chiefly for מַשֶׂה, מְלָאכָה, also for עֲבֹדָה, פֹּעַל, etc. Miraculous works authenticate divine mission.

Full entry for ἔργον (G2041) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act
Extended definition

Work as visible deed or accomplishment, whether human action or divine work, emphasizing observable result over mere intention.

1work, task, employment: Mrk.13:34, Jhn.4:34 17:4, Act.13:2, Php.1:22 2:30, 1Th.5:13, al.; of an enterprise or undertaking (Deu.15:10, Wis.2:12), Act.5:38.
2a deed, action: Tit.1:16, Jas.1:25 . listing, from λόγος, Luk.24:19, Rom.15:18, 2Th.2:17, 1Jn.3:18; ἐν λόγοις κ. ἔ., Act.7:22; of acts of God, Jhn.9:3, Act.13:41" (LXX), Heb.4:10, Rev.15:3; of Christ, Mat.11:2; esp. in Jo, e.g. 5:20, 36 7:3 10:38 14:11, 12 15:24; in ethical sense, of human actions (AR, Eph., 190), bad or good, Mat.23:3, Luk.11:48, Jhn.3:20, 21 Jas.2:14ff. 3:13, Rev.2:5 3:8; τὸ ἔ., collectively, Gal.6:4, Jas.1:4, 1Pe.1:17, Rev.22:12; τὸ ἔ. τ. νόμου, Rom.2:15; ἔ. ἀγαθόν, Rom.2:7, Col.1:10, 2Th.2:17, Tit.1:16, al.; καλόν, Mat.26:10, Mrk.14:6; pl. (as frequently in cl.), Mat.5:16, 1Ti.5:10, 25 Heb.10:24; ἔ. πίστεως, 1Th.1:3, 2Th.1:11; ἔ. πονηρά, Col.1:21, 2Jo.11; νέκρα, Heb.6:1 9:14; ἄκαρπα, Eph.5:11; ἔ. ἀσεβείας, Ju 15; τ. σκότους, Rom.13:12, Eph.5:11; ἔ. νόμου, Rom.3:20, 28 Gal.2:16 3:2, 5 10.
3that which is wrought or made, a work: 1Co.3:13-15; τ. χειρῶν, Act.7:41; of the works of God, Heb.1:10; γῆ κ. τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔ., 2Pe.3:10; τὸ ἔ. τ. θεοῦ, Rom.14:20.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Miraculous works authenticate divine mission. 1 John 3:11-18
Emphasizes that authentic love manifests in tangible service. John 5:30–47
Authentic love must manifest in tangible care for others.
Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Plural · Neuter John 3:19 · John 3:20 · John 3:21 · John 5:36 · John 7:7 · John 9:3 · John 10:25 · Gal 5:19 · 1 Tim 5:25 · Heb 1:10 · 2 Pet 3:10 · 1 John 3:12 · Rev 14:13 · Rev 15:3 15×
Nominative · Singular · Neuter John 6:29 · Acts 5:38 · 1 Cor 3:13 · 1 Cor 3:14 · 1 Cor 3:15 · 1 Cor 9:1 · Rev 22:12 7×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter Matt 11:19 · Acts 9:36 · Rom 3:20 · Rom 3:27 · Rom 3:28 · Rom 4:2 · Rom 4:6 · Rom 9:12 · Rom 9:32 · Rom 11:6 · Gal 2:16 · Gal 3:2 · Gal 3:5 · Gal 3:10 · Eph 2:9 · 1 Tim 2:10 42×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter John 10:33 · Rom 2:7 · Phil 1:22 · 1 Thess 1:3 · 1 Tim 3:1 · 2 Tim 4:18 · Heb 6:10 · Jas 1:25 8×
Dative · Plural · Neuter Luke 11:48 · John 10:38 · Acts 7:22 · Acts 7:41 · Eph 2:10 · Eph 5:11 · Col 1:21 · 1 Tim 5:10 · 1 Tim 6:18 · Titus 1:16 · Jas 2:22 · 2 Pet 2:8 · 2 John 1:11 13×
Dative · Singular · Neuter Luke 24:19 · Rom 13:3 · Rom 15:18 · 1 Cor 15:58 · 2 Cor 10:11 · Col 1:10 · Col 3:17 · 2 Thess 2:17 · 1 Tim 5:10 · 1 John 3:18 10×
Accusative · Plural · Neuter Matt 5:16 · Matt 11:2 · Matt 23:3 · Matt 23:5 · John 5:20 · John 6:28 · John 7:3 · John 8:39 · John 8:41 · John 9:4 · John 10:32 · John 10:37 · John 14:10 · John 14:11 · John 14:12 · John 15:24 43×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Matt 26:10 · Mark 13:34 · Mark 14:6 · John 4:34 · John 7:21 · John 10:32 · John 17:4 · Acts 13:2 · Acts 13:41 · Acts 14:26 · Acts 15:38 · Rom 2:15 · Rom 14:20 · 1 Cor 3:13 · 1 Cor 5:2 · 1 Cor 16:10 31×
169 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
1 John 3:11-18 deed érgon Nominative · Plural · Neuter
Concrete action rather than mere speech.
John 5:30–47 ἔργα érgon Nominative · Plural · Neuter
works
Additional Occurrences
1-john Deed érgon
concrete action
James 2:14–17 ἔργα érgon
works, deeds
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

καλός · ἔργον G2570, G2041
properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e. valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished from , which is properly intrinsic)
ἀγαθός · ἔργον G18, G2041
good work; good conduct
ἐργάζομαι · ἔργον G2038, G2041
to work; work, deed
ἔργον · διακονία G2041, G1248
work of ministry, works of service
ἔργον · ἀγαθός G2041, G18
good works, deeds fitting godliness
ἔργον · θεός G2041, G2316
work of God; what God is building or doing
ἔργον · καλός G2041, G2570
good works, noble deeds
ἔργον · νόμος G2041, G3551
works required by the law; law-observance as covenant performance or ground of righteousness
λόγος · ἔργον G3056, G2041
word and deed; speech and action
νεκρός · ἔργον G3498, G2041
dead works; works associated with spiritual death
πλουτέω · ἔργον · καλός G4147, G2041, G2570
to be rich in good works
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 14 — Through Many Hardships into the Kingdom Acts 26 — Paul Before Agrippa: The Risen Christ Sends Light to Jews and Gentiles Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor Galatians 2 — Justified by Faith: Gospel Unity, Apostolic Confrontation, and Life in Christ Galatians 3 — Faith, Promise, and the Curse-Bearing Christ Galatians 5 — Stand Firm in Freedom: Faith Working Through Love and Life by the Spirit John 10 — The Good Shepherd, the Door, and the Son One with the Father John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 17 — The Son’s High Priestly Prayer: Glory, Preservation, Sanctification, Unity, Mission, and Love John 5 — The Son Who Gives Life, Judges, and Is Witnessed by the Father John 6 — The Bread of Life, the Words of Eternal Life, and the Crisis of True Discipleship John 9 — The Man Born Blind, the Light of the World, and the Blindness of Religious Unbelief Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Mark 14 — The Son of Man Handed Over: Anointing, Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal, Trial, and Denial Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 23 — Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Romans 11 — The Remnant, the Grafted Gentiles, and the Mercy of God Toward Israel Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day Romans 14 — Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles Romans 3 — All Under Sin and the Righteousness of God Revealed Through Faith in Christ Romans 4 — Abraham Justified by Faith and the Promise Secured by Grace Romans 9 — God’s Faithfulness, Sovereign Mercy, and Israel’s Stumbling Over Christ

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

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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