This noun means commerce or trade, often referring to mercantile business conducted by sea. In Matthew 22:5, it appears in the parable of the wedding feast: those invited "went away, one to his farm, another to his business." The term represents the worldly preoccupations that cause people to reject the king's invitation. Classical usage emphasizes sea trade, but broadly it means any commercial enterprise. The parable warns that even legitimate business can become a distraction from responding to God's call.