Greek word · G2569

καλοποιέω

kalopoieō

to do good

"To do what is kalon." Kalos covers fine, good, noble, admirable, honourable, even beautiful. It is goodness that others can see and recognise as honourable. The compound means doing what is right or good, acting honourably. It is very rare.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

καλο-ποιέω, -ῶ

[in LXX: Leviticus 5:4 F (καλῶς π., B) * ;]

to do well, act honourably: 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (cf. Galatians 6:9 τὸ καλὸν π.).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Range of meaning

"To do what is kalon." Kalos covers fine, good, noble, admirable, honourable, even beautiful. It is goodness that others can see and recognise as honourable. The compound means doing what is right or good, acting honourably. It is very rare.

Against the English

KJV and BSB say "well doing / well-doing"; ESV and NASB "doing good"; WEB and NIV "doing what is right / good." All are accurate. What English loses is the overtone of kalos: conduct that is publicly admirable and honourable, not only privately kind.

Used elsewhere in the period

It occurs only here in the New Testament. The closest parallel is Gal 6:9, where Paul writes the same thought in two words, to kalon poiountes mē enkakōmen ("let us not lose heart doing the good"). Outside the NT it is scarce. It is reported in some manuscripts of the Greek Leviticus 5:4 ("to do evil or to do good") and in later writers. The word family (kalos with poieō) was common in the Greek moral vocabulary of benefaction and honourable conduct.

Where it appears

2 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 καλοποιοῦντες.¶ [in] well-doing.

    But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.

    Here: A rare compound, "do-the-fine-thing," used only here in the New Testament. The present participle describes something ongoing ("in your continuing to do good"). It names the thing they must not slacken in, and it pointedly answers the busybodies of verse 11, who do no work but are busy with everyone else's affairs.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.