ἀγαθο-ποίησις G0016
well-doing, doing good; the practice of active goodness and beneficence
This noun appears once in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 4:19: those suffering according to God's will should commit their souls to him 'in well-doing' (en agathopoiia). The term combines 'agathos' (good) and 'poieo' (to do), creating an abstract noun for the practice of goodness. Peter emphasizes that suffering should not stop good works—rather, continue doing good while entrusting yourself to the faithful Creator. The dative construction suggests manner: suffering should be endured 'in the sphere of' or 'with the accompaniment of' continued good deeds.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The hapax legomenon designates active, concrete good-doing rather than mere good intention. Peter calls suffering believers to continue their practice of beneficence even under persecution—do not let suffering make you cease doing good. Spanish 'hacer bien,' French 'ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ' (transliterated), and German 'Wohltun' (well-doing) all capture the active, practical dimension. This pairs with the verb forms in 2:15, 20; 3:6, 17 where Peter repeatedly emphasizes doing good as the Christian's calling, especially when it provokes unjust suffering. 1×
AR["عَمَلِ-الخَيرِ"]·ben["সৎকর্মে"]·DE["Wohltun"]·EN["doing-good"]·FR["ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ"]·heb["עֲשִׂיַּת-טוֹב"]·HI["भलाई-करने-में"]·ID["berbuat-baik"]·IT["agathopoiia"]·jav["nindakaken-sae."]·KO["선행함"]·PT["fazer-o-bem."]·RU["добро-делании."]·ES["hacer-bien"]·SW["kutenda-mema"]·TR["iyilik-yapmakta"]·urd["نیکی-کرنے-میں۔"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀγαθο-ποίησις, ἡ, well-doing, Refs