ἐργάζεσθαι
ergázomai
work
To work, to be engaged in activity or effort (with focus on process or result); to carry out, perform, accomplish a task. The verb broadly denotes active involvement in any kind of work—physical, mental, or occupational. In specific contexts, can mean 'to produce' (as in yielding fruit or results), 'to conduct business,' or 'to carry out deeds' (good or evil). The middle voice often emphasizes the subject's participation or investment in the action, the work being done either for oneself or with personal involvement.
John 9:4 · Word #3
Lexicon G2038
| Lemma | ἐργάζομαι |
| Transliteration | ergázomai |
| Strong's | G2038 |
| Definition | To work, to be engaged in activity or effort (with focus on process or result); to carry out, perform, accomplish a task. The verb broadly denotes active involvement in any kind of work—physical, mental, or occupational. In specific contexts, can mean 'to produce' (as in yielding fruit or results), 'to conduct business,' or 'to carry out deeds' (good or evil). The middle voice often emphasizes the subject's participation or investment in the action, the work being done either for oneself or with personal involvement. |
Morphology V PRS MID INF
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | PRS — Present — Ongoing or repeated action |
| Voice | MID — Middle — The subject acts on itself or in its own interest |
| Mood | INF — Infinitive — The verbal idea without person/number |
Common Translation
| Phrase | work |
| Literal | to-work |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | ἐργάζομαι |
| Strong's | G2038 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G2038-07
to engage in work
| Morphological Notes | Verb, present tense (ongoing aspect), middle voice (self-involved/participatory), infinitive mood. |
| Rendering Rationale | The present middle infinitive denotes ongoing or continuous involvement in labor, with the middle voice highlighting the subject’s personal participation or investment in the work. "To engage in work" preserves the active, process-oriented sense rooted in ἔργον (work, deed). |
View full lexicon entry for G2038 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
to work for oneself
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Standardized from "to work". |