Diligence; Diligent; Diligently

dil'-i-jens, dil'-i-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; 7:17, "with speed," "speedily"; in Pr 4:23 "watchfulness"; in De 4:9; 6:17; 19:18; Ps 77:6; Pr 27:23; Isa 55:2; Mic 7:3, "with care," "scrupulously," "earnestly." Sometimes it means "early" "with haste" (Job 8:5; Pr 8:17). It may mean "industrious," "exacting" (Pr 10:4; 12:27; 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 Ro 12:11; "giving diligence" for "endeavoring" (Eph 4:3); "give diligence" for "study" (2Ti 2:15,), for "labor" (Heb 4:11); "diligently" for "carefully" (Php 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."

G. H. Geberding

 
Bible Verses by Topic Nave's Bible Concordance McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia Online Bible KJV Dictionary
 

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