Dictionaries :: Business

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Business:

biz'-nes: Is the rendering of four Hebrew words:

(1) mela'khah, in Ge 39:11 (the American Standard Revised Version "work"); 1Ch 26:29,30; 2Ch 13:10 (the American Standard Revised Version "in their work"); 17:13 (the American Standard Revised Version "many works"); Ne 11:16,22; 13:30 (the American Standard Revised Version "in his work"); Es 3:9; Ps 107:23; Pr 22:29; Da 8:27.

(2) dabhar, literally "a word," is so translated in De 24:5; Jos 2:14,20; Jud 18:7 (the American Standard Revised Version "dealings"); Jud 18:28 (the American Standard Revised Version "dealings"); 1Sa 21:2,8.

(3) ma‘aseh, "an action" (1Sa 20:19).

(4) ‘inyan, "employment" (Ec 5:3; 8:16).

In the New Testament "business" in Lu 2:49 is the rendering of the phrase en, tois, tou patros mou, literally "in the things of my Father," which the American Standard Revised Version renders "in my Father's house," with "about my Father's business" as the marginal reading. "Business" is also used in the translation of chreia, literally "need," of Ac 6:3; as the translation of spoude, literally "haste" of Ro 12:11 (the American Standard Revised Version "diligence"); of pragma, literally "thing done," of Ro 16:2 (the American Standard Revised Version "matter"); of prassein ta idia, literally "tend to one's own business," of 1Th 4:11. In Ac 19:24,25 in Paul's account of the riot in Ephesus, ergasia, literally "working," "performing," is translated "little business" in Ac 19:24 (the King James Version "small gain"), and "by this business" in Ac 19:25 (the King James Version "by this craft").

Written by Arthur J. Kinsella

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Business:

translated "business" in Act 6:3, of the distribution of funds, signifies "a necessity, a need," and is used in this place concerning duty or business.
See LACK, NECESSITY, NEED, USE, WANT.

Business:

denotes "a business," Act 19:24, 25, RV, AV, "gain" and "craft" (from ergon, "work").
See DILIGENCE.

Business:

expresses "what is one's own" (hence, Eng. "idiot," in a changed sense, lit., "a person with his own opinions"); the neuter plural with the article (ta idia) signifies "one's own things." In 1Th 4:11, the noun is not expressed in the original but is supplied in the English Versions by "business," "your own business." For the same phrase, otherwise expressed, see Jhn 1:11, "His own (things);" Jhn 16:32; 19:27, "his own (home);" Act 21:6, "home." In Luk 2:49, the phrase "in My Father's house" (RV), "about My Father's business" (RJV), is, lit., "inthe (things, the neuter plural of the article) of my Father."
See ACQUAINTANCE, COMPANY, No. 8, DUE, HOME, OWN, PRIVATE, PROPER, SEVERAL.

Notes:

(1) In the AV of Rom 16:2 pragma is translated "business," RV, "matter."
See MATTER, THING, WORK.

(2) In Rom 12:11 spoude, translated "business" (AV), signifies "diligence" (RV).
See DILIGENCE.