verb
ergazomō
Strong’sG2038
I work, trade, do
stem ergaz-41 times in the New Testamentin 18 of 27 books20 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
To work, labor — to engage in work or activity, whether manual labor, working for pay, or laboring generally (e.g. working with one's hands, working night and day) 1234.
To work at a trade, to trade or do business — a narrower use of the same verb for carrying on a trade or business dealings 123.
To do, perform, produce, work out — used transitively for doing or carrying out an action, producing an effect, or bringing something about, ranging from good deeds and righteousness to wrongdoing or sin, and including performing religious rites or duties 1234.
To earn by working — to gain something as the result of one's labor 13.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἐργάζομαι
(< ἔργον), [in LXX for עָבַד, פָּעַל, עָשָׂה, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2038 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saider-gad'-zom-ahee
to toil (as a task, occupation, etc.), (by implication) effect, be engaged in or with, etc.
Frommiddle voice from G2041;
King Jamescommit, do, labor for, minister about, trade (by), work.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Refs 8th c.BC+, etc., Cretan dialect ϝεργάδδομαι Refs: future -άσομαι Refs 6th c.BC+, etc., Doric dialect LXX+3rd c.BC+: aorist εἰργασάμην, Ionic dialect Refs 6th c.BC+: perfect εἴργασμαι, Ionic dialectRefs 5th c.BC+ —These tenses are used both in middle and passive significations: for other passive tenses, see belowRefs 4th c.BC+; but this rule is often broken in later Papyrus, Inscrr., and codices:—work, labour, especially of husbandry, Refs 8th c.BC+; of quarrymen, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις in the mines, Refs 8th c.BC+; of birds working to get food, Refs 4th c.BC+; of bees, Refs; of Hephaestus' self-acting bellows, Refs 8th c.BC+ the matter works, i.e. goes on, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ ἀὴρ ἐργάζεται produces an effect Refs 3rd c.BC+; οὐχ ὁμοίως ἐργάσεται τὸ θερμόν Refs
II transitive, work at, make, ἔργα κλυτά, of Athena, Refs 8th c.BC+; εἰκόνας, ἀνδριάντας, καλὰ ἔργα, Refs 5th c.BC+; make so and so, Refs 2nd c.AD+.
II.2 do, perform, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔργον ἐπ᾽ ἔργῳ ἐ., of husbandmen, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐ. πρᾶγμα, opposed to βουλεύειν, NT+5th c.BC+: with double accusative, do something to.., Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; chiefly in bad sense, do one ill, do one a shrewd turn, Refs 6th c.BC+; less frequently, Refs 5th c.BC+; seldom Refs 6th c.BC+.
II.2.b perform rites, Refs.
II.2.c in Law, ζημίαν ἐ. do damage, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.3 work a material, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐ. γῆν till the land, Refs 6th c.BC+; [ἀργυρῖτιν] Docum. cited in Refs 8th c.BC+
II.4 earn by working, Refs 8th c.BC+.
II.5 work at, practise, μουσικήν, τέχνας, etc., Refs 6th c.BC+; ἀρετὴν καὶ σωφροσύνην variant in NT+5th c.BC+
II.6 absolutely, work at a trade or business, traffic, trade, Refs 5th c.BC+ (also οἱ τὴν τετράγωνον (i.e. ἀγοράν) ἐργαζόμενοι those who trade in the square, Refs 4th c.BC+; τούτοις..ναυτικοῖς ἐ. trade with this money on bottomry, Refs; ταῦτα ἐ. thus he trades, Refs; οἱ ἐν Δήλῳ ἐ., = Latin qui Deli negotiantur, Refs Latin quaestum corpore facere, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας Alexis Sam. cited in Refs 1st c.AD+
II.7 cause, Refs 5th c.BC+.
III passive, rarely in present and imperfect, Refs 4th c.BC+: future Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect εἴργασμαι (see. below): aorist 1 Refs 6th c.BC+
III.1 to be made or built, Refs 5th c.BC+; λίθοι εἰργ. wrought stones, Refs 6th c.BC+.
III.2 to be done, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
5 rarer renderings are not shown; every occurrence below carries the English it was given there.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| ergazomōἐργάζομαι | happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular | doing | 2× |
| ergazosōἐργάζῃ | happening now · youpresent middle or passive indicative 2nd person singular | perform | 1× |
| ergazotōἐργάζεται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | does | 5× |
| ergazovōἐργάζεσθε | happening now · yepresent middle or passive indicative 2nd person plural | commit | 1× |
| ergazolōἐργάζονται | happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | do business | 1× |
| ergazoteἠργάζετο | was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | worked | 1× |
| ergazetaἠργάσατο | happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular | done | 3× |
| ergazenaεἰργασάμεθα | happened · weaorist middle indicative 1st person plural | worked for | 1× |
| ergazelaεἰργάσαντο | happened · theyaorist middle indicative 3rd person plural | administered | 1× |
| ergazoneiōἐργαζώμεθα | happening now · wepresent middle or passive subjunctive 1st person plural | do | 2× |
| ergazeseiaἐργάσῃ | happened · youaorist middle subjunctive 2nd person singular | do | 1× |
| ergazosōrἐργάζου | happening now · youpresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person singular | work | 1× |
| ergazovōrἐργάζεσθε | happening now · yepresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person plural | do | 2× |
| ergazorōἐργάζεσθαι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive | work | 6× |
| ergazorōntosἐργαζόμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | does | 2× |
| ergazorōntoἐργαζομένῳ | happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative singular masculine | does | 3× |
| ergazorōntoisἐργαζόμενοι | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine | worked | 5× |
| ergazorōntoinἐργαζομένους | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine | working | 1× |
| ergazorōntoirἐργαζόμενοι | happening now · direct addresspresent middle or passive participle vocative plural masculine | practice | 1× |
| ergazorēnteimεἰργασμένα | has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle direct plural neuter | done | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 16 occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazomō2×ἐργάζομαι | ergazome | ergazomē | ergazomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazosō1×ἐργάζῃ | ergazose | ergazosē | ergazoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazotō5×ἐργάζεται | ergazote1×ἠργάζετο | ergazotē | ergazotelē |
| we 1st person plural | ergazonō | ergazone | ergazonē | ergazonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazovō1×ἐργάζεσθε | ergazove | ergazovē | ergazovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazolō1×ἐργάζονται | ergazole | ergazolē | ergazolelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazemi | ergazema |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazesi | ergazesa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazeti | ergazeta3×ἠργάσατο |
| we 1st person plural | ergazeni | ergazena1×εἰργασάμεθα |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazevi | ergazeva |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazeli | ergazela1×εἰργάσαντο |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazomeiō | ergazomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazoseiō | ergazoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazoteiō | ergazoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | ergazoneiō2×ἐργαζώμεθα | ergazoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazoveiō | ergazoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazoleiō | ergazoleiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazemeia |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazeseia1×ἐργάσῃ |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazeteia |
| we 1st person plural | ergazeneia |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazeveia |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazeleia |
Commands — imperative mood, 3 occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | ergazosōr1×ἐργάζου | ergazosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazotōr | ergazotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazovōr2×ἐργάζεσθε | ergazovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazolōr | ergazolēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | ergazesar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazetar |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazevar |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazelar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | ergazonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazoloiō |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ergazemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | ergazesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ergazetoia |
| we 1st person plural | ergazenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | ergazevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | ergazeloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 6 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | ergazorō6×ἐργάζεσθαι | ergazorē | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | ergazeri | ergazera |
Used as an adjective — participle, 13 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | ergazorōntos12×ἐργαζόμενος | ergazorēntos1× | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | ergazerintos | ergazerantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
ergaz is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
41 occurrences, every one of them listed
ergazomō“doing”happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular2×
John 5:17… patros mu heōs arti ergazotō kamis ergazomō.… His work, and I too am working.”
Acts 13:41… kai thaumazavar kai afanizivar, hoti ergem ergazomō mis en tai hēmerai vu, ergem …… wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that …
ergazosō“perform”happening now · youpresent middle or passive indicative 2nd person singular1×
John 6:30… hina horaneia kai pisteuaneia si? tinem ergazosō?… Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it …
ergazotō“does”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular5×
John 5:17“working”… autoi; Tos patros mu heōs arti ergazotō kamis ergazomō.… Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”
Romans 13:10tas agapas to plēsion kakosem ouk ergazotō; plērōmem oun nomou tas agapas.Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore …
1 Corinthians 16:10… pros vin, tem gar ergem kuriou ergazotō hōs kamis;… is with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just …
2 Corinthians 7:10“produces”… theon lupas metanoian eis sōtērēan ametamelētan ergazotō; tas de tou kosmou lupas thanaton …Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
James 1:20“achieves”orgas gar androu dikaiosunan theou ouk ergazotō.for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
ergazovō“commit”happening now · yepresent middle or passive indicative 2nd person plural1×
James 2:9“commit”ei de prosōpolēmptavō, hamartan ergazovō, elenchorōntois hupo tou nomou hōs parabatois.But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
ergazolō“do business”happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 18:17“do business”… kai nautois kai hosois tan thalassan ergazolō, apo makrothen stēala… their living from the sea, will stand …
ergazote“worked”was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 18:3… homotechnon arō menate para autoi kai ergazote, ale gar skēnopoiois ta techna.and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers …
ergazeta“done”happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 25:16“traded”poreuirantos tos teim pente talanteim labarantos ergazeta en autei kai kerdainata alloseim pente;The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more.
Matthew 26:10… parechavō ta gunaika? ergem gar kalem ergazeta eis min;… you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
Mark 14:6… tinem auta kopoin parechavō? kalem ergem ergazeta en mi;… are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
ergazena“worked for”happened · weaorist middle indicative 1st person plural1×
2 John 1:8blepavōr heautoin, hina mē apolaveia heim ergazena, alla misthon plēron apolabaveia.… do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully …
ergazela“administered”happened · theyaorist middle indicative 3rd person plural1×
Hebrews 11:33hois dia pistiau katagōnizela basileiain, ergazela dikaiosunan, epitunchanala epangeliaiu, frassala stomeim leontoiu,who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised …
ergazoneiō“do”happening now · wepresent middle or passive subjunctive 1st person plural2×
John 6:28… oun pros auton; Tinem poianeiō hina ergazoneiō teim ergeim tou theou?… inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
Galatians 6:10ara oun hōs kairon echanō, ergazoneiō tem agathem pros pantoin, malista de …… as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to …
ergazeseia“do”happened · youaorist middle subjunctive 2nd person singular1×
3 John 1:5“do”Agapētor, pistem poiasō hem ean ergazeseia eis toin adelfoin kai houtem xenoin,Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.
ergazosōr“work”happening now · youpresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person singular1×
Matthew 21:28… te prōte legata; Teknem, hupagasōr sēmeron ergazosōr en to ampelōno.… one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
ergazovōr“do”happening now · yepresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person plural2×
John 6:27ergazovōr mē tan brōsian tan apolorōntan alla …Do not work for food that perishes, but for …
Colossians 3:23“do”hem ean poiaveiō, ek psuchau ergazovōr, hōs to kurio kai ouk anthrōpoi,Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men,
ergazorō“work”happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive6×
Luke 13:14“done”… Hex hēmerais alō en hai datō ergazorō; en autai oun erchorōntois therapeuovōr kai …… had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on …
John 9:4“work”nin datō ergazorō teim ergeim tou pemparantou min heōs …While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is …
John 9:4… atō; erchotō nuktas hote oudenos dunotō ergazorō.… is coming, when no one can work.
1 Corinthians 9:6“working”… kai Barnabos ouk echanō exousian mē ergazorō?Or are Barnabas and I the …
1 Thessalonians 4:11… hēsuchazarō kai prassarō teim idieim kai ergazorō tai cheirai vu, kathōs vi parangelana,… to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we …
2 Thessalonians 3:10… vi, hoti ei tinos ouk thelatō ergazorō mēde esthiatōr.… command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
ergazorōntos“does”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine2×
Acts 10:35“does”… pante ethne tos foborōntos auton kai ergazorōntos dikaiosunan dektos auto atō.… those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
Ephesians 4:28“working”… kleptarōntos mēketi kleptatōr, mallon de kopiatōr ergazorōntos tai idiai cheirai tem agathem, hina …… stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he …
ergazorōnto“does”happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative singular masculine3×
Romans 2:10… kai timas kai eirēnas panto to ergazorōnto tem agathem, Ioudaio tē prōtem kai …… honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then …
Romans 4:4“works”to de ergazorōnto tos misthos ouk logizotō kata charitan …Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as …
Romans 4:5to de mē ergazorōnto, pisteuarōnto de epi ton dikaiarōnton ton …… to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies …
ergazorōntois“worked”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine5×
1 Corinthians 4:12“working”kai kopianō ergazorōntois tai idiai cheirai; loidororōntois euloganō, diōkorōntois …… hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure …
1 Corinthians 9:13“perform”ouk oidavē hoti tois teim hiereim ergazorōntois teim ek teu hiereu esthialō, tois …Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake …
1 Thessalonians 2:9… kai ton mochthon; nuktau kai hēmerau ergazorōntois pros tem mē epibarara tinon vu …… brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we …
2 Thessalonians 3:8… kopo kai mochtho nuktau kai hēmerau ergazorōntois pros tem mē epibarara tinon vu;… Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we …
2 Thessalonians 3:12“work”… kurio Iēso Christo hina meta hēsuchiau ergazorōntois ton heautoiu arton esthialeiō.… by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
ergazorōntoin“working”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine1×
2 Thessalonians 3:11“working”… tinoin peripatarōntoin en vi ataktōs, mēdenem ergazorōntoin alla periergazorōntoin;… hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies.
ergazorōntoir“practice”happening now · direct addresspresent middle or passive participle vocative plural masculine1×
Matthew 7:23“practice”… gnōskama vin; apochōravōr apo mu tois ergazorōntoir tan anomian.… I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
ergazorēnteim“done”has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle direct plural neuter1×
John 3:21… teim ergeim hoti en theo atō ergazorēnteim.… seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”