Threskeia denotes religious observance, whether identified with a sect or tested by speech, care for others, and moral conduct.

The term most clearly names a claimed or evaluated religious observance in James, where uncontrolled speech makes it futile and care for afflicted widows and orphans with moral purity marks it as pure. It also occurs for the strict practice of a sect and in the Colossians warning's phrase concerning humility and angels.

1. Religious observance evaluated by conduct · dominant

   In James 1:26, the nominative form stands in the statement that a person who does not bridle the tongue has a futile observance; the APB renders the clause "this one's religion is futile." In James 1:27, the same nominative form is defined in the verse by visiting orphans and widows in affliction and keeping oneself spotless from the world; the APB renders it "Pure and undefiled religion."

   James 1:26James 1:27
2. Observance associated with a sect or angels · common

   In Acts 26:5, the genitive singular form occurs in the claim of having lived according to the strictest sect; the APB renders this as "the strictest sect of our religion." In Colossians 2:18, the dative singular form appears in the warning involving false humility and angels; the APB renders the surrounding phrase "the worship of angels,".

   Acts 26:5Colossians 2:18

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB uses "religion" in Acts 26:5 and James 1:26-27, while Colossians 2:18 renders the surrounding phrase "the worship of angels." The latter wording cannot by itself isolate the term's exact English equivalent.