περιεργ-άζομαι G4020
to be a busybody, meddle in others' affairs, waste effort on trivia
This middle voice verb means to busy oneself with unnecessary or improper things, to be a busybody or meddle in what does not concern one. Paul uses it in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 to rebuke those who are 'not busy but busybodies' (περιεργαζομένους). The term carries a negative connotation of meddling, wasting energy on trivial or inappropriate matters instead of productive work. Classical usage emphasized overdoing or excessive attention to details.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To act as a busybody or meddle in affairs that are not one's concern. Paul's rebuke addresses idleness disguised as activity, where people waste time interfering in others' business rather than working productively. The multilingual evidence ('being-busybodies,' 'entrometiéndose') captures the meddlesome, intrusive behavior Paul condemns, contrasting it with honest labor and minding one's own affairs. 1×
AR["مُتَفَضِّلينَ"]·ben["অন্যের-কাজে-নাক-গলাচ্ছে"]·DE["sich-unnuetz-beschaeftigen"]·EN["being-busybodies"]·FR["περιεργαζομένους"]·heb["מִתְעַסְּקִים-בְּטָפֵל"]·HI["दुउस्रोन-के-कअम-मेइन-दखल-देने-वअले"]·ID["sibuk-mencampuri-urusan-orang-lain."]·IT["periergazomenous"]·jav["nyambut-damel-urusan-sanès."]·KO["코픈-일들을-하는-자들로."]·PT["intrometendo-se"]·RU["суетящихся"]·ES["entrometiéndose"]·SW["wanajishughulisha-na-mambo-yasiyowahusu"]·TR["meraklı-davranan"]·urd["بےجا-کام-کرنے-والے۔"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
περιεργ-άζομαι, future -εργάσομαι, περίεργος) take more pains than enough about a thing, waste one's labour on it, with participle, περιεργάζοντο δοκέοντες πρῶτοι ἀνθρώπων γεγονέναι Refs 5th c.BC+ that they had overdone it with their 'sack' (i.e. need not have used the word), Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῖς σημείοις overact one's part, Refs 4th c.BC+; π. τῷ οἰκιδίῳ go to a needless expense with his…