to work
ergazomai denotes doing or carrying out work, whether manual labor, an assigned task, or conduct that produces an outcome.
The verb most often marks carrying out an action or task, including works identified as good, evil, righteous, or God’s. It also describes ordinary labor for one’s support or trade, and in several clauses it denotes producing a stated result, such as death, sin, or evil.
Senses in use
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Carrying out an action or assigned work · dominant
The present forms occur for actions characterized by their object or setting: in Acts 10:35 the APB renders the participial clause "working righteousness," while in Matthew 7:23 it renders people "who work lawlessness." In John 9:4 the infinitive is placed with "the works of him who sent me," and John 5:17 presents the Father and Jesus as each "working."
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Laboring in work or a trade · common
The verb describes labor undertaken with hands, for sustenance, or in a trade. In Acts 18:3 the APB renders that he "worked" because of the shared trade; in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 it renders the instruction to "work with your hands." The participial clauses in 2 Thessalonians 3:8 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9 place this work alongside labor, toil, and avoiding burdening others.
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Producing or bringing about a result · occasional
In clauses where the subject is an attitude or quality, the verb marks its stated outcome. In 2 Corinthians 7:10 the APB renders grief as producing repentance or death; James 1:20 says human anger does not "work the righteousness of God," and Romans 13:10 says love does not "work evil to the neighbor."
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses the APB uses "work," "working," "labor," "do," "perform," and "produces." Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings show the clauses' presentation rather than fixed English equivalents for each occurrence.