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G15

ἀγαθοποιέω

agathopoiéō /ag-ath-op-oy-eh'-o/ Ask about this word
to be a well-doer (as a favor or a duty)
(when) do good (well).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of agathopoiéō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word agathopoiéō, represented by G15, means to be a well-doer as either a favor or a duty. It appears 11 times across 10 unique verses in the Bible. The term consistently refers to the act of doing good, often in a context that requires deliberate moral choice.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G15 is used to describe both divine and human action. God himself is shown to do good by providing rain and fruitful seasons, leaving a witness of His nature Acts 14:17. Jesus uses the term to challenge the legalism of the Sabbath, asking if it is lawful to do good or to do evil on that day (Mark 3:4, Luke 6:9). The apostle Peter encourages believers that suffering for well doing is acceptable with God 1 Peter 2:20 and is better than suffering for evil doing 1 Peter 3:17. The concept is also presented reciprocally, questioning what merit there is if you only do good to those who do good to you Luke 6:33.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of doing good:

  • G18 agathós: This primary word for "good" is the root of G15. The connection is clear in 3 John 1:11, which encourages believers to follow what is good G18, stating that he who doeth good G15 is of God.
  • G2554 kakopoiéō: Defined as to be a bad-doer, this word is the direct antonym of G15. It is frequently used in opposition, as when Jesus asks if it is lawful to do good G15 or to do evil G2554 on the Sabbath Luke 6:9.
  • G1325 dídōmi: Meaning to give, this action is presented as a form of doing good. God did good G15 and gave G1325 rain from heaven Acts 14:17, linking the act of giving directly to the principle of well-doing.
  • G2556 kakós: This word for evil or bad is contrasted with the root of G15. Believers are instructed not to follow that which is evil G2556, but that which is good G18 3 John 1:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G15 is significant, highlighting a core tenet of Christian ethics.

  • An Action of God: The act of doing good is fundamentally tied to the nature of God. He who doeth good is of God 3 John 1:11, and God Himself is shown to do good as a witness to humanity Acts 14:17.
  • A Divine Command: Believers are commanded to do good, even to their enemies, with the promise that their reward will be great Luke 6:35. This elevates the action from a mere suggestion to a specific instruction.
  • The Will of God: Doing good is explicitly identified as the "will of God," an action by which believers can put to silence the ignorance of others 1 Peter 2:15.
  • A Moral Dichotomy: The Bible repeatedly frames the choice to do good G15 in direct opposition to do evil G2554, presenting it not as one option among many, but as a clear and righteous path 1 Peter 3:17.

Summary

In summary, G15 is a crucial action-oriented word in the New Testament. It moves beyond a passive state of being good to the active and deliberate choice to do good. This action is presented as an imitation of God's own character, a fulfillment of His will, and a fundamental duty for believers. Whether directed at friends or enemies, the act of doing good stands as a clear biblical mandate in direct contrast to doing evil.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 10 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • ἀγαθοποιοῦντας
  • ἀγαθουργῶν
  • ἀγαθοποιῆσαι
  • ἀγαθοποιεῖτε
  • ἀγαθοποιοῦσαι
  • ἀγαθοποιοῦντες
  • ἀγαθοποιῆτε

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 10 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Peter (4 verses); never once in the other 22.

1
Mark
3
Luke
1
Acts
4
1 Peter
1
3 John

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.