ἐνεργ-έω G1754
To work, be active, operate; especially of divine or spiritual power at work; also to be effective or produce results.
A distinctively Pauline verb for the inner working of power — divine, demonic, or spiritual. It describes God working all things through all people (1 Cor 12:6, 11), the sinful passions that were 'at work' in our bodies (Rom 7:5), and the power that raised Christ now working mightily in believers (Eph 1:20; 3:20). James employs it memorably: 'The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much' (Jas 5:16). The verb's range moves from general activity to focused efficacy, capturing both the process and its productive outcome. German 'wirken' and Spanish 'obrar' both carry this dual sense of working-and-producing, making them natural equivalents.
Senses
1. to work, be active — To work, be active, or operate — used intransitively of God, spiritual forces, or powers producing activity. Herod thinks John the Baptist's powers 'are at work' in Jesus (Matt 14:2; Mark 6:14). Paul uses it theologically: sinful passions were working in our members (Rom 7:5), God works all things in all people (1 Cor 12:6), and the Spirit distributes gifts as he works (1 Cor 12:11). Spanish 'obrar/está obrando' and German 'wirken' capture the sense of active, ongoing divine or supernatural operation across 17 occurrences. 17×
AR["أَنْ-تَعْمَلوا", "العامِلَةِ", "العامِلِ", "تَعْمَلُ", "عامِلُ", "فَعَلَ-بِفاعِليَّةٍ", "فَعَلَها", "كَانَتْ-تَعْمَلُ", "يَعمَلُ", "يَعْمَلُ"]·ben["কাজ-করছিল", "কাজ-করছে", "কাজ-করছেন", "কাজ-করা", "কাজ-করে", "কাজ-করেছেন", "কাজ-করেন", "কার্য-করছেন", "কার্যকর,", "কার্যকরী", "কার্যকরী-ছিলেন", "কার্যকারী", "কার্যকারী-যিনি"]·DE["wirken", "ἐνεργοῦσιν"]·EN["are-working", "having-worked", "he-worked", "is-working", "the-", "to-work", "were-working", "worked", "working", "works"]·FR["agir"]·heb["הַ-פּוֹעֵל", "הַפּוֹעֵל", "לַעֲשׂוֹת,", "פָּעַל", "פֹּעֲלוֹת", "פּוֹעֲלוֹת", "פּוֹעֵל"]·HI["उस्ने-कअम-किय", "कअम-करति-हुइ", "कअम-करने-वअले", "कअरयशेएल-है", "करन,", "करय-करति-हैन", "काम-करती-थीं", "कार्य-करता-है", "कार्य-करती-है", "जिस्ने-कअम-किय", "जो-कअम-करत-है", "जो-करत-है"]·ID["Dia-kerjakan", "bekerja", "bekerja,", "melakukan", "mengerjakan", "mengerjakan,", "yang bekerja", "yang-bekerja"]·IT["operare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-tindakaken", "ingkang-makarya", "ingkang-nindakaken,", "makardi", "makarya", "nindakaken", "nindakakén", "sampun-makarya", "tumandang", "tumandang,", "tumindak", "tumindak,", "ugi-sampun-makarya"]·KO["역사하고", "역사하고-있다", "역사하는", "역사하셨노라", "역사하셨다", "역사하시나니", "역사하시는-분의,", "역사하시는-분이시고", "역사하신-분", "역사하였다", "역사한다", "행하기를,", "행하시는-분", "활동하고-있다", "활동한다"]·PT["opera", "opera,", "operam", "operavam", "operou", "que-opera", "que-operou", "realizar"]·RU["-принесения-плода", "действовавший", "действовал", "действовать", "действует", "действуют", "действующего", "действующей", "действующий", "производящего,", "произвёл", "совершающий"]·ES["está-obrando", "habiendo-obrado", "obra", "obraban", "obran", "obrando", "obrar", "obró", "opera", "operando", "que-obra"]·SW["afanyaye", "afanyaye-kazi", "aliifanya", "alimfanya-kazi-pia", "aliyemfanya-kazi", "anafanya-kazi", "anayefanya", "anayefanya-kazi", "ifanyayo-kazi", "inafanya-kazi", "kinafanya-kazi,", "kutenda", "linafanya-kazi", "zilifanya-kazi", "zinafanya-kazi"]·TR["-de-", "-yi-", "bunları", "etkilidir", "etkin-olan", "etkin-oldu", "gerçekleştiren", "isledi", "islemek", "isletenin", "isleyen", "işleyen-", "işliyor", "işliyordu", "çalışıyor", "çalışıyorlar"]·urd["عمل-میں-ہے", "عمل-کرتا-ہے", "عمل-کرنے-والا", "کام-کر-رہے-تھے", "کام-کرتا-ہے", "کام-کرتی-ہیں", "کام-کرتی-ہے", "کام-کرنے-والا", "کام-کرنے-والی", "کام-کرنے-والے", "کام-کیا", "کرنا", "کرنے-والے"]
Matt 14:2, Mark 6:14, Rom 7:5, 1 Cor 12:6, 1 Cor 12:11, 2 Cor 4:12, Gal 2:8, Gal 2:8, Gal 3:5, Eph 1:11, Eph 1:20, Eph 2:2 (+5 more)
2. to be effective, produce results — To be effective, efficacious, or productive in results — emphasizing not merely activity but potent outcome. Faith 'works through love' (Gal 5:6), the word of God is 'at work' effectively in believers (1 Thess 2:13), Paul labors according to God's power 'working mightily' in him (Col 1:29), and James declares that the prayer of the righteous 'is powerful and effective' (Jas 5:16). Spanish 'que obra/que opera' and the English rendering 'being effective' highlight the results-producing dimension distinct from mere activity. 4×
AR["العامِلَةِ", "العامِلِ", "الفَعّالَةُ", "يَعمَلُ"]·ben["কার্যকর", "কার্যকরী।", "কার্যরত", "যা-কার্যকর"]·DE["wirken"]·EN["being-effective", "working"]·FR["agir"]·heb["הַפּוֹעֶלֶת", "פֹּעֶלֶת", "פּוֹעֶלֶת"]·HI["कअम-करत-हुअ.", "कअरय-करति-हुइ", "जो-प्रभावशाली-है", "प्रभावशाली"]·ID["bekerja", "yang bekerja", "yang-dikerjakan."]·IT["operare"]·jav["kang-tumindak.", "makarya", "tumindak."]·KO["역사하는", "역사하는."]·PT["operando", "que-opera"]·RU["действующая", "действующего", "действующее.", "действующему"]·ES["obrando", "que-obra", "que-opera"]·SW["ifanyayo-kazi", "inayofanya-kazi"]·TR["isleyen", "işleyen", "tesellisi-", "çalışan"]·urd["عمل-میں۔", "کام-کرتی-ہے", "کام-کرنے-والا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐνεργ-έω, to be in action or activity, operate, Refs 4th c.BC+; especially of divine or supernatural action, frequently in NT., τινί, ἔν τινι, NT:—middle, NT __2 to be efficacious, of drugs, Refs 1st c.AD+; to be effective, of troops, ταῖς σαρίσαις Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, to be the object of action, Refs 4th c.BC+; also, to be actualized, Refs 3rd c.AD+ __II transitive, effect, execute, πάντα…