Quick Definition
ἀτακτέω v. I behave disorderly
Strong's Definition
to be (i.e. act) irregular
Derivation: from G813 (ἄτακτος);
KJV Usage: behave self disorderly
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀ- + τάσσω
88.246 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Laziness, Idleness
to do nothing, to be idle, to be lazy to refuse to be engaged in the efforts of work Traditional translations have often interpreted ἀτακτέω in an etymological sense of ‘not being ordered’ and hence with a meaning of ‘to behave in a disorderly manner,’ but this is quite contrary to the context.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀτακτέω, -@: 1 aor. ἠτάκτησα; to be ἄτακτος, to be disorderly; a. prop. of soldiers marching out of order or quitting the ranks: Xen. Cyr. 7, 2, 6, etc. Hence Ὅ. to be neglectful of duty, to be lawless: Xen. Cyr. 8,1, 22; oec. 5, 15; Lys. 141, 18 [i. 6. 6. Alcib. or. 1 § 18], ἃ]. ο. to lead a disorderly life: 2 Th. iii. 7, ef. 11.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀτακτέω atakteō 1x
pr. to infringe military order; met. to be irregular, behave disorderly, to be lazy, 2 Thess. 3:7*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* ἀτακτέω, -ῶ
(< ἄτακτος),
primarily, of soldiers marching, to be out of order, to quit the ranks; hence, metaph., to be remiss, fail in the performance of duty (in π., of truancy on the part of an apprentice): II Th 3:7 (on ἀ. and its cognates, v. M, Th., 152 ff.; MM, s.vv.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀτακτέω. For its original connotation of riot or rebellion cf. OG7S 2008 (iv/A.D.) ἀτακτησάντων κατὰ καιρὸν τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν Βουγαειτῶν. So “γέ 1538! (B.C. 325-4) τοὺς ἀτακτοῦντας τῶν τριηράρχων, α΄. Like its parent adjective ἄτακτος, and the adverb, this verb is found in the NT only in the Thessalonian Epp., where their context clearly demands that the words should be understood metaphorically. Some doubt has, however, existed as to whether they are to be taken as referring to actual moral wrong-doing, or to a certain remissness in daily work and conduct. Chrysostom seems to incline to the former view, Theodoret to the latter: see the passages quoted in full with other illustrative material in Milligan Zhess. p. 152 ff. The latter view is now supported by almost contemporary evidence from the Kowy. In P Oxy Il. 2755 Ὁ (a.D. 66), a contract of apprenticeship, a father enters into an undertaking that if there are any days when his son “‘plays truant” or ‘‘fails to attend "--ὅσας δ᾽ ἐὰν ἐν τούτῳ ἀτακτήσῃ ἡμέρας - [6 is afterwards to make them good ; and similarly in P Oxy IV. 7255 ® (a.p. 183) a weaver’s apprentice is bound down to appear for an equivalent number of days, if from idleness or ill-health or any other reason he exceeds the twenty days’ holiday he is allowed in the year—éav δὲ πλείονας τούτων ἀργήσῃ [ἢ ac ]θενήσῃ ἢ ἀτακτήσῃ ἢ δι᾿ ἄλλην τιγ[ὰ αἰ]τίαν ἡμέρας κτλ. From an earlier date we may cite BGU IV. 11258 (B.c. 13), another contract, where the words occur ἂς δὲ ἐὰν ἀρτακτήσηι ἢι ἀρρωστήσηι : the strange word is what Lewis Carroll would call a “ portmanteau,” compounded of ἀργήσηι and ἀτακτήσηι. On the other hand in P Eleph 215 (a will, B.c. 285-4) καὶ ἡ πρᾶξις ἔστω ἐκ τοῦ ἀτακτοῦντος καὶ μὴ ποιοὖντος κατὰ τὰ γεγραμμένα the verb has the stronger sense, “to be contumacious.” Its opposite εὐτακτέω is not uncommon. Thus Sy// 5192? (Athens, B.C. 334-3), where the ἔφηβοι of the year are formally praised for having been good Part I.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀτακτέω (atakteō) — be idle. ἀτακτ-έω, of a soldier, to be undisciplined, opposed to εὐτακτέω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, πολλὰ γὰρ ἠτάκτητο αὐτοῖς[Refs 1st c.AD+]: generally, neglect one's duty, fail to discharge obligation, [NT+5th c.BC+]
2. generally, lead a disorderly life, [Refs 5th c.BC+] to desert it, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
3. raise a riot or rebellion, [Refs 4th c.AD+]