Greek word · G1281
διαπραγματεύομαι
diapragmateuomai
to gain in trade
Rare. Built on πραγματεύομαι, "to do business, trade" (used in v.13). The prefix δια- carries the sense through to the end: to trade to a result, earn by business. In some non-biblical writers the compound can mean "to examine thoroughly", but in a commercial context it means profit made by trading.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
δια-πραγματεύομαι , "perfective compound" (see M, Pr., 118);
1. to examine thoroughly (Plat.).
2. In late writers (Dion. Hal.), to gain by trading: Luke 19:15.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Rare. Built on πραγματεύομαι, "to do business, trade" (used in v.13). The prefix δια- carries the sense through to the end: to trade to a result, earn by business. In some non-biblical writers the compound can mean "to examine thoroughly", but in a commercial context it means profit made by trading.
- Against the English
KJV "had gained by trading", WEB "had gained by conducting business", BSB "had earned", YLT "had done in business". All are close. BSB's "earned" is smooth but loses the link to the trading command of verse 13.
- Used elsewhere in the period
It occurs only here in the New Testament and does not appear in the Greek Old Testament. Lexicons (BDAG, Moulton–Milligan) give "gain by trading" for this passage.
Where it appears
Luke · 1
-
Luke 19:15 διεπραγματεύσαντο.¶ they had gained by trading.
When he returned from procuring his kingship, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what each one had earned.
Here: It occurs only here in the New Testament. It picks up the order of verse 13, "do business (pragmateusasthai) until I come." The prefix dia- gives the sense of carrying the business through to its result: "what they had made by trading."
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.