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Bible Dictionaries
Diligence, Diligent, Diligently
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or lit., "a working" (akin to ergon, "work"), is indicative of a process, in contrast to the concrete, ergon, e.g., Ephesians 4:19 , lit., "unto a working" (RV marg., "to make a trade of"); contrast ergon in ver. 12; (b) "business," Acts 19:25 , RV (for AV, "craft"); or gain got by "work," Acts 16:16,19; 19:24; (c) endeavor, pains, "diligence," Luke 12:58 . See CRAFT , GAIN , WORK.
"earnestness, zeal," or sometimes "the haste accompanying this," Mark 6:25; Luke 1:39 , is translated "diligence" in Romans 12:8; in ver. 11, AV, "business" (RV, "diligence"); in 2 Corinthians 8:7 , AV, "diligence," RV, "earnestness;" both have "diligence" in Hebrews 6:11; 2 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:3; in 2 Corinthians 7:11,12 , RV, "earnest care," AV, "carefulness," and "care." See CARE.
has meanings corresponding to A, No. 2; it signifies "to hasten to do a thing, to exert oneself, endeavor, give diligence;" in Galatians 2:10 , of remembering the poor, AV, "was forward," RV, "was zealous;" in Ephesians 4:3 , of keeping the unity of the Spirit, AV "endeavoring," RV, "giving diligence;" in 1 Thessalonians 2:17 , of going to see friends, "endeavored;" in 2 Timothy 4:9; 4:21 , "do thy diligence;" in the following the RV uses the verb "to give diligence:" 2 Timothy 2:15 , AV, "study;" Titus 3:12 , AV, "be diligent;" Hebrews 4:11 , of keeping continuous Sabbath rest, AV, "let us labor;" in 2 Peter 1:10 , of making our calling and election sure; in 2 Peter 1:15 , of enabling believers to call Scripture truth to remembrance, AV, "endeavour;" in 2 Peter 3:14 , of being found in peace without fault and blameless, when the Lord comes, AV, "be diligent." See ENDEAVOR , FORWARD , LABOR , STUDY , ZEALOUS.
signifies "to care for, attend carefully" (from melete, "care"); in 1 Timothy 4:15 , AV, "meditate," RV, "be diligent in;" in Acts 4:25 , "imagine" (marg., "meditate"); in Mark 13:11 , the most authentic mss. have promerimnao. See IMAGINE , MEDITATE.
akin to A, No. 2 and B, No. 1, primarily signifies "in haste;" hence, diligent, earnest, zealous, 2 Corinthians 8:22 , AV, "diligent," RV, "earnest." See EARNEST , FORWARD. In the Sept., Ezekiel 41:25 , "stout (planks)."
the comparative degree of No. 1,2 Corinthians 8:22 , AV, "more diligent," RV, "more "earnest;" in ver. 17, AV, "more forward," RV, "very earnest." See EARNEST; cp. FORWARD.
from epi, intensive, and an adverbial form of the impersonal verb melei, "it is a care" (cp. B, No. 2), signifies "carefully, diligently," Luke 15:8 .
the dative case of pugme, "a fist," lit. means "with the fist" (one hand being rubbed with the clenched fist of the other), a metaphorical expression for "thoroughly," in contrast to what is superficial; Mark 7:3 , RV and AV marg., "diligently" (AV, text, "oft"). It also signified "boxing" (not in the NT); cp. puktes and pugmachos, "a boxer" (Lat., pugnus and pugno; Eng., "pugilist"). In the Sept., Exodus 21:18; Isaiah 58:4 .
"speedily, earnestly, diligently" (cp. the corresponding noun, verb and adjective above), is translated "earnestly" in the RV of Luke 7:4 (AV, "instantly"); "diligently" in Titus 3:13 . See INSTANTLY.
the comparative degree of No. 3, "more diligently," is used in Philippians 2:28 , RV, "the more diligently" (AV, "the more carefully"). See CAREFULLY.
Notes: (1) Some mss. have the neuter of the comparative adjective spoudaioteron in 2 Timothy 1:17 . The most authentic texts have the adverb, No. 4.means "accurately, exactly." The AV translates it "diligently" in Matthew 2:8; Acts 18:25; "perfectly" in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (cp. Luke 1:3 ). See ACCURATELY , CAREFUL , CIRCUMSPECTLY , PERFECTLY.
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Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Diligence, Diligent, Diligently'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/d/diligence-diligent-diligently.html. 1940.
