Quick Definition
ἔργον, ου, τό n.n. work, labor, action, deed
Strong's Definition
from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act
KJV Usage: deed, doing, labour, work
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -ου | ἐργάζομαι
42.11 · Perform, Do · Do, Perform
act, deed (derivative of ἐνεργέω[a] ‘to function, to work,’ 42.3) that which is done, with possible focus on the energy or effort involved
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UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἔργον, -ου, τό, anciently Fepyov, (Germ.Werk, [ Eng. work; ef. Vanitek p. 9227); Sept. for Ὁ}, 772y, and countless times for man and wy; work i. 6. 1. business, employment, that with which any one is occupied : Mk. xiii. 34 (διδόναι τινὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ); Acts xiv. 26 (πληροῦν) ; 1 Tim. iii. 1; thus of the work of salvation committed by God to Christ: διδόναι and τελειοῦν, Jn. xvii. 4; of the work to be done by the apostles and other Christian teachers, as well as by the presiding officers of the religious assemblies, Acts xiii. 2; xv. 38; 1 Th. v. 13; Phil. i. 22; τὸ ἔργον τινός, yen. of the subj., the work which one does, service which one either performs or ought to perform, 1 Th. v. 13; ἔργον ποιεῖν τινος to do the work of one (i. 6. incumbent upon him), εὐαγγελιστοῦ, 2 Tim. iv.5; τὸ ἔργον τινός i. e. assigned by one and to be done for his sake: τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ τελειοῦν, used of Christ, Jn. iv. 34; (τοῦ) Χριστοῦ (WH txt. Tr mre. κυρίου), Phil. ii. 30: τοῦ κυρίου, 1 Co. xv. 58; xvi. 10; with geu. of thing, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, Eph. iv. 12, which means either to the work in which the ministry consists, the work performed in undertaking the ministry, or to the execution of the ministry. of that which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking: Acts ν. 38 (Deut. xv. 10; Sap. ii. 12). 2. any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, mind, (i. q. ποίnua, κτίσμα) : 1 Co. iii. 13-15; with the addition of τῶν χειρῶν, things formed by the hand of man, Acts vii. 41; of the works of God visible in the created world, Heb. i. 10, and often in Sept.; τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἔργα. the works of nature and of art (Bengel), 2 Pet. iii. 10; of the arrangements of God for men’s salvation: Acts xv. 18 Rec. ; τὸ ἔργ. τοῦ θεοῦ what God works in man, i. 6. a life dedicated to God and Christ, Ro. xiv. 20; to the same effect, substantially, ἔργον ἀγαθόν, Phil. i. 6 (see ἀγαθός, 2); τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου, sins and all the misery that springs from them, 1 Jn. iii. 8. 3. an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasized in opp. to that which is less than work, Jas. i. 25; Tit. i. 16; τὸ ἔργον is distinguished fr. ὁ λόγος : Lk. xxiv. 19; Ro. xv. 18; 2 Co. x. 11; Col. iii. 17; 2 Th. 11. 17; 1 Jn. iii. 18, (Sir. iii. 8) ; plur. ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἐν ἔργοις, Acts vii. 22 (4 Mace. v. 38 (37); for the same or similar contrasts, com. in Grk. 2. one who does, a ‘ writ., see Fritzsche on Rom. iii. p. 268 sq.; Bergler on Alciphr. p. 54; Bornemann and Kiihner on Xen. mem. 2, 3, 6; Passow 8. v. p. 1159; [L.and 5. 8. ν. 1. 4; Lob. Paralip. pp. 64 sq., 525 sq.]). ἔργα is used of the acts of God—both as creator, Heb. iv. 10; and as goyernor, Jn. ix. 3; Acts xiii. 41; Rev. xv. 3; of sundry signal acts of Christ, to rouse men to believe in him and to accomplish their salvation: Mt. xi. 2 [ef. ἔργα τῆς σοφίας ib. 19 T WH Tr txt. ], and esp. in the Gosp. of John, as v. 20, 36; vii. 3; x.38; xiv. 11 sq.; xv. 24, (cf. Grimm, Instit. theol. dogmat. p. 63, ed. 2); they are called ra ἔργα τοῦ πατρός, i. 6. done at the bidding and by the aid of the Father, Jn. x. 37; ix. 3 sq., cf. x. 25, 32; xiv. 10; καλά, as beneficent, Jn. x. 32 sq.; and connected with the verbs δεικνύναι, ποιεῖν, ἐργάζεσθαι, τελειοῦν. ἔργα is applied to the conduct of men, measured by the standard of religion and righteousness, — whether bad, Mt. xxiii. 3; Lk. xi. 48; Jn. iii. 20; Rev. ii.6; xvi. 11, ete.; or good, Jn. 111. 21 ; Jas. ii. 14, 17 sq. 20-22, 24-26 ; iii. 13; Rey. ii. 5, 9 [Ree.], 19; iii. 8; νόμος ἔργων, the law which demands good works, Ro. iii. 27; with a suggestion of toil, or struggle with hindrances, in the phrase καταπαύειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, Heb. iv. 10; to recompense one κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, Ro. ii. 6; 2 Tim. iv. 14; Rev. ii. 23 (Ps. Ixi. (Ixii.) 13), ef. 2Co. xi. 15; Rev. xviii. 6; xx.12sq.; the sing. τὸ ἔργον is used collectively of an aggregate of actions (Germ. das Handeln), Jas. i. 4; τινός, gen. of pers. and subj., his whole way of feeling and acting, his aims and endeavors: Gal. vi.4; 1 Pet. i. 17; Rey. xxii. 12; τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου, the course of action demanded by the law, Ro. ii. 15. With epithets: ἀγαθὸν ἔργον, i. e. either a benefaction, 2 Co. ix. 8; plur. Acts ix. 36; or every good work springing from piety, Ro. ii. 7; Cola 105 2. Dheno17 > Dit. ἃ. 165) 2 ims 11. 21. ane 17; Heb. xiii. 21 [T WHom. épy.]; plur. Eph. ii. 10; or what harmonizes with the order of society, Ro. xiii. 3; Tit.iii. 1; ἔργον καλόν, a good deed, noble action, (see καλός, Ὁ. andc.): Mt. xxvi.10; Mk. xiv. 6; plur. (often in Attic writ.), Mt. v. 16; 1 Tim. v. 10, 25; vi.18; Tit. ii. 7; ili. 8,14; Heb. x. 24; 1 Pet. in. 12; τὰ ἔργα τὰ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ equiv. to τὰ δίκαια, Tit. 111. 5; τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ, the works required and approved by God, Jn. vi. 28 (Jer. xxxi. (xlviii.) 10; 1 Esdr. vii. 9, 15), in the same sense ἔργα pov i. 6. of Christ, Rev. ii. 26; ἔργον πίστεως, wrought by faith, the course of conduct which springs from faith, 1 Th. i. 3; 2 ΤῊ. 1.11 ; ἔργα ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας, Acts xxvi. 20; ἔργα πεπληρωμένα ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ, Rev. iii. 2; ἔργα πονηρά, Col. i. 21; 2 Jn. 11, ef. Jn. iii. 19; vii. 7; 1 Jn. iii. 12; ἔργα νεκρά, works devoid of that life which has its source in God, works so to speak unwrought, which at the last judgment will fail of the approval of God and of all reward: Heb. vi. 1; ix. 14; ἄκαρπα, Eph. v. 11 (ἄχρηστα, Sap. iii. 11; the wicked man μετὰ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ συναπολεῖται, Barn. ep. 21,1); ἄνομα, 2 Pet. ii. 8; ἔργα ἀσεβείας, Jude 15; τοῦ σκότους, done in darkness, Ro. xiii. 12; Eph. v. 11; [opp. to ἔργ. τοῦ φωτός, Ro. xiii. 12 L mrg.]; in Paul’s writ. ἔργα νόμου, works demanded by and agreeing with the law (cf. Wieseler, Com. iib. d. Br. an d. Gal. p. 194 sqq.): Ro. iii. 20, 28; ix. 32 Rec.; Gal. ii. 16; iii. 2, 5,10; and simply ἔργα: Ro. iv. 2, 6; ix. 12 (11); ib.32GLTTr WH; xi. 6; Eph. ii. 9; 2 Tim. i. 9, (see δικαιόω, 3b.). τὰ ἔργα τινὸς ποιεῖν, to do works the same as or like to those of another, to follow in action another’s example: Abraham’s, Jn. viii. 39; that of the devil, Jn. viii. 41.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἔργον ergon 169x
anything done or to be done; a deed, work, action, Jn. 3:21; Eph. 2:10; 2 Cor. 9:8, et al. freq.; duty enjoined, office, charge, business, Mk. 13:34; Jn. 4:34, et al. freq.; a process, course of action, Jas. 1:4; a work, product of an action or process, Acts 7:41; Heb. 1:10; substance in effect, Rom. 2:15
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἔργον, -ου, τό (originally Ϝέργον, work), [very freq. in LXX, chiefly for מַעֲשֶׂה, מְלָאכָה, also for עֲבֹדָה, פֹּעַל, etc. ;]
work, task, employment: Mk 13:34, Jo 4:34 17:4, Ac 13:2, Phl 1:22 2:30, I Th 5:13, al.; of an enterprise or undertaking (De 15:10, Wi 2:12), Ac 5:38.
a deed, action: Tit 1:16, Ja 1:25 . disting. from λόγος, Lk 24:19, Ro 15:18, II Th 2:17, I Jo 3:18; ἐν λόγοις κ. ἔ., Ac 7:22; of acts of God, Jo 9:3, Ac 13:41 (LXX), He 4:10, Re 15:3; of Christ, Mt 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, Mt 23:3, Lk 11:48, Jo 3:20, 21 Ja 2:14ff. 3:13, Re 2:5 3:8; τὸ ἔ., collectively, Ga 6:4, Ja 1:4, I Pe 1:17, Re 22:12; τὸ ἔ. τ. νόμου, Ro 2:15; ἔ. ἀγαθόν, Ro 2:7, Col 1:10, II Th 2:17, Tit 1:16, al.; καλόν, Mt 26:10, Mk 14:6; pl. (as freq. in cl.), Mt 5:16, I Ti 5:10, 25, He 10:24; ἔ. πίστεως, I Th 1:3, II Th 1:11; ἔ. πονηρά, Col 1:21, II Jo 11; νέκρα, He 6:1 9:14; ἄκαρπα, Eph 5:11; ἔ. ἀσεβείας, Ju 15; τ. σκότους, Ro 13:12, Eph 5:11; ἔ. νόμου, Ro 3:20, 28 Ga 2:16 3:2, 5, 10.
that which is wrought or made, a work: I Co 3:13-15; τ. χειρῶν, Ac 7:41; of the works of God, He 1:10; γῆ κ. τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔ., II Pe 3:10; τὸ ἔ. τ. θεοῦ, Ro 14:20.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἔργον. A few miscellaneous exx. of this common word (MGr ἔργο) will suffice : P Petr II. 11 (1) (mid. iii/B.c.) εἰ δυνατόν ἐστιν καὶ μηθέν σε τῶν ἔργων κωλύει, πειράθητι ἐλθεῖν els τὰ ᾿Αρσινόεια, P Par 667: (i/B.c.) ὧν τὰ ἔργα ἀναβάλουσιν (1 --λλ--}, ‘‘whose work is postponed,” P Oxy XII. 1457} (B.C. 4-3) O[vous] θηλήας δύο. . ἐργαζομένας pov τὰ ἴδια ἔργα, P Ryl II. 154° (a.p. 66) τὰ kat’ ἔϊτο]ς γεωργικὰ ἔργα πάντα, and P Tebt 11. 423% (early iii/A.D.) ἄλλοτέ σοι ἔγραψα ὑπομιμνήσκων περὶ τῶν ἔργων. In P Giss I. 201° (ii/A.D.) the word is almost = ‘‘ sample ”—épyé[fo]par τὰ ἔρια! . . . ἃ] ἔγραψας... ὁποῖ]ον δέ σοι χρῶ[μ]α ἀρέσκει, [δήλω]σον δι᾽ ἐπι[σ]τολῆς ἢ μεικρὸν ἔρ[γο]ν (or ἔρ[ιο Jv, see 5.U. ἀρέσκω) αὐτοῦ πίέμψο]ν.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἔργον (ergon) — work. ἔργον, Doric dialect ϝέργον [Refs 6th c.BC+], Elean ϝάργον [Refs 6th c.BC+] weorc (neuter) 'work', Avest. var[schwa]za-):— work, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; especially in plural, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὰ σ᾽ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε see to thine own tasks, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
1. in [Refs 8th c.BC+]works or deeds of war, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν τῷ ἔ. during the action, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἔργου ἔχεσθαι to engage in battle, [Refs]
2. of peaceful contests, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἔργα θῆκε κάλλιστ᾽ ἀμφὶ κόμαις placed [the reward of] noble deeds about his hair, [Refs]
3. of works of industry,
3. a of tillage, tilled lands, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὔτε βοῶν οὔτ᾽ ἀνδρῶν φαίνετο ἔργα [Refs] —the title of Hesiod's work; πατρώϊα ἔ. their father's lands, [Refs 8th c.BC+] will neither go to our farms, [Refs] the tilled lands of Ithaca, [Refs] inhabited lands, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, property, wealth, possessions, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
3. b of women's work, weaving, [Refs 8th c.BC+].
3. c of other occupations, θαλάσσια ἔ. fishing, [Refs 8th c.BC+] works of feasting, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: absolutely, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; φίλα ἔργα μελίσσαις, of flowers, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; of mines, etc., [Refs 6th c.BC+]
4. deed, action, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; καρτερά, ἀεικέα ἔ., [Refs 8th c.BC+] deed, not word (see. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to ῥήματα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ μὲν ἐνθύμημα χαρίεν.., τὸ δὲ ἔ. ἀδύνατον its execution, [Refs 5th c.BC+] ready for action, [Refs 5th c.BC+].
II. thing, matter, πᾶν ἔ...ὑπείξομαι in every point, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in bad sense, mischief, trouble, of disease, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; μέγα ἔ. a serious matter, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.2. μέγα ἔ., like{μέγα χρῆμα}, χερμάδιον λάβε χειρὶ Τυδεΐδης, μέγα ἔ. a monstrous thing, [Refs 8th c.BC+] a mighty call to arms, [Refs]
III. passive, that which is wrought or made, work, οἷ᾽ ἐπιεικὲς ἔργ᾽ ἔμεν ἀθανάτων, of the arms of Achilles, [Refs 8th c.BC+] metal-work, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a wall, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of a statue, [Refs 5th c.BC+], of siege-works, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of a machine, [Refs 2nd c.BC+], +others; of public buildings, [Refs]; of an author's works, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
III.2. result of work, profit or interest, ἔργον [χρημάτων] interest or profit on money, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
IV. special phrases:
IV.1. ἔργον ἐστί,
IV.1. a with genitive person, it is his business, his proper work, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; of things, φραδέος νόου ἔργα τέτυκται it is a matter (which calls) for a wary mind, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; function, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; τοῦτο ἑκάστου ἔ. ὃ ἂν ἢ μόνον τι ἢ κάλλιστα τῶν ἄλλων ἀπεργάζηται [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: with dative person, [Refs 6th c.BC+] with infinitive, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: with Article, [Refs 5th c.BC+].
IV.1. b with genitive of things, there is need of.., [Refs 6th c.BC+]: especially with negative, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: with Article, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with a participle added, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: also with infinitive, οὐδὲν ἔ. ἑστάναι there is no use in standing still, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV.1. c with infinitive, it is hard work, difficult to do, [Refs 6th c.BC+] (Lyric poetry): also in genitive, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: rarely with a participle, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἔ. [ἐστί] with accusative et infinitive, it can scarcely happen that.., [Refs 4th c.BC+].
IV.2. ἔργον παρασχεῖν τινί give one trouble, [Refs 5th c.BC+] take trouble, with participle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with infinitive, [Refs]
IV.3. ἔ. γίγνεσθαι τῆς νόσου to be its victim, [Refs 1st c.AD+].
IV.4. ἔ. ποιεῖσθαί τι to make a matter one's business, attend to it, [Refs 5th c.BC+].
V. ={ἐργασία} III, [Refs]