ἐργασία

working, activity, trade, performance

Definition

The noun ἐργασία (ergasia) fundamentally means 'working' or 'activity,' but its meaning in the New Testament extends to specific types of work. It can refer to a person's trade or business, as seen in Acts 16:16, 19 where a slave girl's fortune-telling is her owners' source of income. In Acts 19:24-25, it describes the lucrative 'business' or 'trade' of the silversmiths who made idols of Artemis. In a more abstract sense, it can mean 'performance' or 'practice,' as in Ephesians 4:19, where it describes the 'practice' of impurity. In a legal context, Luke 12:58 uses it for the 'performance' or 'settlement' of a case before a magistrate.

Biblical Usage

ἐργασία is used six times in the New Testament, primarily in the Book of Acts (four times) where it consistently refers to commercial trade or business, especially one that generates profit (Acts 16:16, 19; 19:24, 25). It appears once in Luke's Gospel (Luke 12:58) in a parable about legal settlement. Its final use is in Ephesians 4:19, where it takes on a moral sense, describing the habitual 'practice' of sinful behavior by those alienated from God.

Etymology

Derived from the verb ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai, G2038), meaning 'to work' or 'to do.' It is built on the root ἔργον (ergon, G2041), meaning 'work' or 'deed.' Thus, ἐργασία essentially denotes the concrete result, activity, or business arising from work.

Semantic Range

This word highlights the connection between human labor and spiritual state. In its commercial uses, it shows how economic systems can become entangled with spiritual falsehood (e.g., idol-making in Acts 19). Most significantly, in Ephesians 4:19, it describes not just a single act but a settled, habitual 'practice' of sin, illustrating the hardened heart of those without Christ. Understanding this term enriches the reading of Ephesians by emphasizing that Christian conversion involves a fundamental shift from one pattern of 'working' (sin) to another (righteousness).

In the Greco-Roman world, a person's ἐργασία was often tied to their social identity and primary means of sustenance. The term implies not just a job but an ongoing enterprise or occupation. The usage in Acts 19:24-25 reflects the significant economic and guild structures built around pagan worship, showing how religious devotion and commercial livelihood were deeply intertwined, a context different from most modern economies.

ἔργον (ergon, G2041) — A more general term for 'work,' 'deed,' or 'action,' focusing on the product or act itself rather than the business or practice. κοπία (kopia, G2873) — Emphasizes laborious toil, wearisome work, or strenuous effort. πράξις (praxis, G4234) — Can mean 'practice,' 'action,' or 'deed,' often with a focus on the doing or the customary way of acting.

Word Details

Scripture References