σπουδή G4710
Diligence, earnest zeal, or eager effort; also haste or urgency in action.
Derived from the verb speudo ('to hasten'), this noun oscillates between inner disposition and outward urgency. In most New Testament occurrences it describes the moral quality of diligence and earnest zeal: Paul lists it among spiritual virtues (Rom 12:8, 11), and the Corinthians' spoude in response to Paul's letter proves their innocence (2 Cor 7:11–12). Spanish diligencia and French empressement both foreground the eager, wholehearted quality. In two vivid narrative passages, however, the older classical sense of physical haste surfaces: Salome rushes back 'with haste' to Herod (Mark 6:25), and Mary hurries to Elizabeth 'with haste' through the hill country (Luke 1:39). German Eifer ('zeal') serves both senses, while Spanish prisa ('hurry') is reserved for the haste meaning.
Senses
1. diligence — Diligence, earnestness, or eager zeal — an inner disposition of wholehearted, energetic commitment. Paul commends it as a virtue alongside love and faith (Rom 12:8, 11; 2 Cor 8:7–8), praises the Corinthians' earnest concern (2 Cor 7:11–12), and urges believers to 'make every effort' (2 Pet 1:5; Jude 1:3). Spanish diligencia and French empressement highlight the proactive, self-motivated quality. Heb 6:11 ties it to the 'full assurance of hope.' 10×
amh["ትጋት"]·AR["اجتهاد", "اجتِهادًا", "اجتِهادٍ", "اجتِهادُكُمْ", "اجتِهادِ", "اجْتِهَادٍ", "الاجتِهادِ", "الاجْتِهَادَ", "الاجْتِهَادِ"]·ben["উদ্যম", "উদ্যম,", "উদ্যমে,", "উদ্যমে;", "উদ্যমের,", "পরিশ্রম", "যত্ন"]·ces["horlivost"]·dan["iver"]·DE["Eifer"]·ell["σπουδήν"]·EN["diligence", "eagerness", "earnestness"]·FR["diligence", "empressement"]·guj["ઉત્સુકતા"]·hat["efò"]·hau["ƙoƙari"]·heb["זְרִיזוּת", "חֲרִיצוּת", "מאמץ", "שְׁקִידָה", "שַׇקְדוּ"]·HI["उत्साह,", "तत्परता", "प्रयत्न", "लगन"]·hun["igyekezetet"]·ID["kesungguhan", "ketekunan", "usaha"]·IT["diligenza", "premura", "spoudēn"]·jav["kasregepan", "kasregepan,", "kasregepan;", "sregep"]·JA["熱心-を"]·KO["열심", "열심에", "열심에서", "열심을"]·mar["उत्साह"]·mya["ကြိုးစားခြင်း"]·nld["ijver"]·nor["iver"]·pnb["کوشش"]·pol["gorliwość"]·PT["diligência", "diligência,", "diligência;", "zelo"]·ron["sârguința"]·RU["не-", "старательность", "усердие", "усердием"]·ES["diligencia"]·SW["bidii", "bidii,", "bidii;"]·swe["iver"]·tam["ஆர்வத்துடன்"]·tel["శ్రద్ధ"]·tgl["kasigasigan"]·TH["ความกระตือรือร้น"]·TR["gayret", "gayreti", "gayreti-", "gayretle", "gayrettte", "sizin-", "çalıştırdı"]·ukr["старанність"]·urd["لگن", "لگن-میں", "کوشش"]·VI["sự-siêng-năng"]·yor["ìtara"]·yue["熱心"]·ZH["热切"]
2. haste — Haste or urgency, describing swift physical movement driven by pressing circumstances. Salome returns to Herod 'with haste' after requesting John's head (Mark 6:25), and Mary travels 'with haste' to visit Elizabeth upon hearing the angel's announcement (Luke 1:39). Spanish prisa ('hurry') and the prepositional phrase meta spoudes distinguish this temporal-kinetic sense from the dispositional meaning of diligence. 2×
AR["سُرْعَةٍ", "عَجَلَةٍ"]·ben["তাড়াতাড়ি", "তাড়ার"]·DE["Eifer", "σπουδῆς"]·EN["haste"]·FR["empressement"]·heb["חִפָּזוֹן", "מְהִירוּת"]·HI["जल्दी", "पास"]·ID["cepat", "tergesa-gesa"]·IT["zelo"]·jav["késah-késah", "énggal,"]·KO["서둘러"]·PT["pressa"]·RU["поспешностью", "спешностью"]·ES["prisa"]·SW["haraka"]·TR["aceleyle"]·urd["جلدی-کے"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)G2309 1. want, desire (166×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σπουδή, ἡ, (σπεύδω) haste, speed, σπουδὴν ἔχειν make haste, Refs 5th c.BC+; σ. ἔσται τῆς ὁδοῦ haste on the journey, Refs 5th c.BC+; χωρίον.., οἷ σπουδὴν ἔχω whither I am hastening, Refs 5th c.BC+; σπουδῇ in haste, see infr. IV; σὺν σπουδῇ ταχύς Refs 5th c.BC+; σὺν πάσῃ σ. with all dispatch, Refs 2nd c.AD+; διὰ σπουδῆς Refs 5th c.BC+; μετὰ σ. NT+5th c.BC+ __II zeal, pains, trouble, effort, ἄτερ…