Diligence, Diligent, Diligently
Diligence, Diligent, Diligently
dili-jens, dili-jent-li: This word is used in various senses in our English Bibles.
1. In the Old Testament
In Ezr 5:8, with diligence means with care; in Ezr 6:12; Ezr 7:17, with speed, speedily; in Pro 4:23 watchfulness; in Deu 4:9; Deu 6:17; Deu 19:18; Psa 77:6; Pro 27:23; Isa 55:2; Mic 7:3, with care, scrupulously, earnestly. Sometimes it means early with haste (Job 8:5; Pro 8:17). It may mean industrious, exacting (Pro 10:4; Pro 12:27; Pro 22:29).
2. In the New Testament
The American revisers have rendered diligence for various words in the King James Version, e.g. for business in Rom 12:11; giving diligence for endeavoring (Eph 4:3); give diligence for study (2Ti 2:15,), for labor (Heb 4:11); diligently for carefully (Phi 2:28; Heb 12:17); be diligent in for meditate upon (1Ti 4:15). It is well also to remember that the Old English meaning of diligence is with love, from diligo, to love.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Diligence, Diligent, Diligently
lit., “a working” (akin to ergon, “work”), is indicative of a process, in contrast to the concrete, ergon, e.g., Eph 4:19, lit., “unto a working” (RV marg., “to make a trade of”); contrast ergon in Eph 4:12; (b) “business,” Act 19:25, RV (for AV, “craft”); or gain got by “work,” Act 16:16,19; Act 19:24; (c) endeavor, pains, “diligence,” Luk 12:58. See CRAFT, GAIN, WORK.
“earnestness, zeal,” or sometimes “the haste accompanying this,” Mar 6:25; Luk 1:39, is translated “diligence” in Rom 12:8; in Rom 12:11, AV, “business” (RV, “diligence”); in 2Co 8:7, AV, “diligence,” RV, “earnestness;” both have “diligence” in Heb 6:11; 2Pe 1:5; Jud 1:3; in 2Co 7:11,12, RV, “earnest care,” AV, “carefulness,” and “care.” See CARE.
has meanings corresponding to A, No. 2; it signifies “to hasten to do a thing, to exert oneself, endeavor, give diligence;” in Gal 2:10, of remembering the poor, AV, “was forward,” RV, “was zealous;” in Eph 4:3, of keeping the unity of the Spirit, AV “endeavoring,” RV, “giving diligence;” in 1Th 2:17, of going to see friends, “endeavored;” in 2Ti 4:9; 2Ti 4:21, “do thy diligence;” in the following the RV uses the verb “to give diligence:” 2Ti 2:15, AV, “study;” Tit 3:12, AV, “be diligent;” Heb 4:11, of keeping continuous Sabbath rest, AV, “let us labor;” in 2Pe 1:10, of making our calling and election sure; in 2Pe 1:15, of enabling believers to call Scripture truth to remembrance, AV, “endeavour;” in 2Pe 3:14, of being found in peace without fault and blameless, when the Lord comes, AV, “be diligent.” See ENDEAVOR, FORWARD, LABOR, STUDY, ZEALOUS.
signifies “to care for, attend carefully” (from melete, “care”); in 1Ti 4:15, AV, “meditate,” RV, “be diligent in;” in Act 4:25, “imagine” (marg., “meditate”); in Mar 13:11, the most authentic mss. have promerimnao. See IMAGINE, MEDITATE.
akin to A, No. 2 and B, No. 1, primarily signifies “in haste;” hence, diligent, earnest, zealous, 2Co 8:22, AV, “diligent,” RV, “earnest.” See EARNEST, FORWARD. In the Sept., Eze 41:25, “stout (planks).”
the comparative degree of No. 1, 2Co 8:22, AV, “more diligent,” RV, “more “earnest;” in 2Co 8:17, AV, “more forward,” RV, “very earnest.” See EARNEST; cp. FORWARD.
from epi, intensive, and an adverbial form of the impersonal verb melei, “it is a care” (cp. B, No. 2), signifies “carefully, diligently,” Luk 15:8.
the dative case of pugme, “a fist,” lit. means “with the fist” (one hand being rubbed with the clenched fist of the other), a metaphorical expression for “thoroughly,” in contrast to what is superficial; Mar 7:3, RV and AV marg., “diligently” (AV, text, “oft”). It also signified “boxing” (not in the NT); cp. puktes and pugmachos, “a boxer” (Lat., pugnus and pugno; Eng., “pugilist”). In the Sept., Exo 21:18; Isa 58:4.
“speedily, earnestly, diligently” (cp. the corresponding noun, verb and adjective above), is translated “earnestly” in the RV of Luk 7:4 (AV, “instantly”); “diligently” in Tit 3:13. See INSTANTLY.
the comparative degree of No. 3, “more diligently,” is used in Phi 2:28, RV, “the more diligently” (AV, “the more carefully”). See CAREFULLY.
Notes: (1) Some mss. have the neuter of the comparative adjective spoudaioteron in 2Ti 1:17. The most authentic texts have the adverb, No. 4.
means “accurately, exactly.” The AV translates it “diligently” in Mat 2:8; Act 18:25; “perfectly” in 1Th 5:2 (cp. Luk 1:3). See ACCURATELY, CAREFUL, CIRCUMSPECTLY, PERFECTLY.