Bible Dictionaries
Deed, Deeds

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

denotes "a work" (Eng., "work" is etymologically akin), "deed, act." When used in the sense of a "deed or act," the idea of "working" is stressed, e.g., Romans 15:18; it frequently occurs in an ethical sense of human actions, good or bad, e.g., Matthew 23:3; 26:10; John 3:20,21; Romans 2:7,15; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 , etc; sometimes in a less concrete sense, e.g., Titus 1:16; James 1:25 (RV, "that worketh," lit., "of work"). See LABOR , WORK.

denotes "a doing, transaction, a deed the action of which is looked upon as incomplete and in progress" (cp. prasso, "to practice"); in Matthew 16:27 , RV, "deeds," for AV, "works;" in Luke 23:51 , "deed;" in ver. 41, the verb is used [see Note (2) below]; Acts 19:18; Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:9 . In Romans 12:4 it denotes an "action," business, or function translated "office." See OFFICE , WORK.

Note: Contrast pragma, "that which has been done, an accomplished act," e.g., James 3:16 , RV, "deed," AV, "work."

"a doing" (akin to poieo, "to do"), is translated "deed" in James 1:25 , AV, (RV, "doing").

Note: Cp. poiema, "a work done," Romans 1:20; Ephesians 2:10 .

see BENEFIT , No. 1.

Notes: (1) Katergazomai, "to work out, bring about something, to perpetrate a deed," is used with the neuter demonstrative pronoun touto, "this," in 1 Corinthians 5:3 , "hath (so) done this deed," AV; RV, "hath (so) wrought this thing."

(2) Prasso (see No. 2), is used in Luke 23:41 , with the neuter plural of the relative pronoun, "of our deeds," lit., "(the things) which we practiced."

(3) In 2 Corinthians 12:12 the phrase "mighty deeds" (RV, "mighty works") translates dunameis, "powers" (marg.). See WORK.

(4) In Acts 24:2 , diorthoma, "a straightening," with ginomai, "to become," is translated in the AV, "very worthy deeds are done," RV, "evils are corrected;" more lit., "reforms take place." For the variant reading katorthoma, see CORRECTION , No. 1.