Bible Dictionaries
Gain

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies (a) "work, working, performance" (from ergon, "work"), Ephesians 4:19; in Luke 12:58 , "diligence;" (b) "business or gain got by work," Acts 16:16,19; in 19:24,25, the RV adheres to the meaning "business" (AV, "gain" and "craft"). See CRAFT , DILIGENCE.

primarily denotes "a providing" (akin to porizo, "to procure"), then, "a means of gain," 1 Timothy 6:5 (RV, "a way of gain"); 1 Timothy 6:6 .

"gain" (akin to kerdaino, see below), occurs in Philippians 1:21; 3:7; Titus 1:11 . See LUCRE.

akin to A, No. 3, signifies (I), literally, (a) "to gain something," Matthew 16:26; 25:16 (in the best mss.),17,20,22; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25; (b) "to get gain, make a profit," James 4:13; (II), metaphorically, (a) "to win persons," said (1) of "gaining" an offending brother who by being told privately of his offense, and by accepting the representations, is won from alienation and from the consequences of his fault, Matthew 18:15; (2) of winning souls into the kingdom of God by the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 9:19,20 (twice),21,22, or by godly conduct, 1 Peter 3:1 (RV, "gained"); (3) of so practically appropriating Christ to oneself that He becomes the dominating power in and over one's whole being and circumstances, Philippians 3:8 (RV, "gain"); (b) "to gain things," said of getting injury and loss, Acts 27:21 , RV, "gotten." See GET.

signifies "to gain by trading," Luke 19:15 (from dia, "through," used intensively, and pragmateuomai, "to busy oneself, to be engaged in business").

"to save for oneself, gain," is in the Middle Voice in the best mss. in Luke 17:33 , RV, "gain." See PURCHASE.

Notes: (1) In Luke 19:16 , AV, prosergazomai, "to work out in addition," or "to earn in addition," is translated "gained" (RV, "made"); in Luke 19:18 the verb poieo, "to make," is translated in the same way, the English verb "make" standing both for "earning" and for "producing." (2) In 2 Corinthians 12:17,18 , pleonekteo, "to claim unduly, to overreach," is translated "make a gain of," AV (RV, "take advantage of"). (3) For ergazomai, Revelation 18:17 , RV, see TRADE. (4) In Acts 25:9 , RV, katatithemi, Middle Voice, "to lay up for oneself," is rendered "to gain."