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