Greek word · G4230
πραγματεία
pragmateia
affairs
Business, an occupation, the pursuit of an affair, commercial dealings. It comes from pragma, a thing done or a matter of business. In papyri and Hellenistic Greek it often means trade or managing practical affairs.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
πραγματία (Rec. -εία, as in cl.), -ας, ἡ
(πραγματεύομαι) [in LXX for חֲשַׁל, etc. ;]
1. careful application, hard work.
2. business, occupation: pl., 2 Timothy 2:4.†
(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 Timothy 2:4
- Range of meaning
Business, an occupation, the pursuit of an affair, commercial dealings. It comes from pragma, a thing done or a matter of business. In papyri and Hellenistic Greek it often means trade or managing practical affairs.
- Against the English
"Affairs" (KJV, WEB, NASB) is accurate but vague, and in modern English it can suggest romance. "Civilian affairs" or "pursuits" (BSB, ESV, NIV) brings out the contrast. "Business" or "dealings" keeps the commercial flavour.
- How it drifted
Minor drift only. "Affairs" has narrowed in everyday English, but the context usually keeps readers on track.
- Used elsewhere in the period
This is its only New Testament use. The related verb pragmateuomai appears in Luke 19:13: "do business until I come." The Shepherd of Hermas, an early second-century Christian work, warns more than once against believers "mixed up in business dealings (pragmateiai) and wealth" (e.g. Mandate 10.1.4; Similitude 9.20.1–2), which shows how early Christians heard the word.
Similar words
Where it appears
2 Timothy · 1
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2 Timothy 2:4 πραγματείαις, affairs,
A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him.
Here: Practical business and commercial activity: trading, managing property, running affairs. It appears only here in the New Testament. Together with biou it means "the business of civilian life".
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.