Care (Noun and Verb), Careful, Carefully, Carefulness - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Care (Noun and Verb), Careful, Carefully, Carefulness
[ A-1,Noun,G3308, merimna ]probably connected with merizo, to draw in different directions, distract," hence signifies "that which causes this, a care, especially an anxious care," Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14; Luke 21:34; 2 Corinthians 11:28 (RV, "anxiety for"); 1 Peter 5:7 (RV, "anxiety"). See ANXIETY.
Note: The negative adjective amerimnos (a, negative) signifies "free from care," Matthew 28:14, RV, "we will ... rid you of care," AV, "we will ... secure you" ("secure" lit. means "free from care"); 1 Corinthians 7:32, AV, "without carefulness."
[ A-2,Noun,G4710, spoude ]
primarily "haste, zeal, diligence," hence means "earnest care, carefulness," 2 Corinthians 7:11-12; 2 Corinthians 8:16 (RV, "earnest care," in each place). Merimna conveys the thought of anxiety, spoude, of watchful interest and earnestness. See BUSINESS, DILIGENCE (A, No. 2), EARNESTNESS, FORWARDNESS, HASTE.
[ B-1,Verb,G3309, merimnao ]
akin to A, No. 1, signifies "to be anxious about, to have a distracting care," e.g., Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:28, RV, "be anxious," for AV, "take thought;" Matthew 10:19; Luke 10:41 (RV, "anxious," for AV, "careful"); Luke 12:11 (RV, "anxious"); to be careful for, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34; to have a care for, 1 Corinthians 12:25; to care for, Philippians 2:20; "be anxious," Philippians 4:6, RV. See THOUGHT (to take).
[ B-2,Verb,G3199, melei ]
the third person sing. of melo, used impersonally, signifies that "something is an object of care," especially the care of forethought and interest, rather than anxiety, Matthew 22:16; Mark 4:38; Mark 12:14; Luke 10:40; John 10:13; John 12:6; Acts 18:17; 1 Corinthians 9:9 (RV, "Is it for the oxen that God careth?" The AV seriously misses the point. God does "care" for oxen, but there was a Divinely designed significance in the OT passage, relating to the service of preachers of the Gospel); 1 Corinthians 7:21; 1 Peter 5:7.
[ B-3,Verb,G1959, epimeleomai ]
signifies "to take care of," involving forethought and provision (epi indicating "the direction of the mind toward the object cared for"), Luke 10:34-Luke 10:35, of the Good Samaritan's care for the wounded man, and in 1 Timothy 3:5, of a bishop's (or overseer's) care of a church, a significant association of ideas.
[ B-4,Verb,G5431, phrontizo ]
"to think, consider, be thoughtful" (from phren, "the mind"), is translated "be careful" in Titus 3:8.
[ B-5,Verb,G5426, phroneo ]
translated "be careful," in Philippians 4:10, AV (RV, "(ye did) take thought"), has a much wider range of meaning than No. 5, and denotes to be minded, in whatever way. See AFFECTION, B, Note
(1), MIND, REGARD, SAVOR, THINK, UNDERSTAND.
Note: Episkopeo, "to oversee," is rendered "looking carefully," in Hebrews 12:15, RV. See OVERSIGHT.
[ C-1,Adverb,G199, akribos ]
"carefully;" See ACCURATELY.
Note: For akribesteron, "more carefully," See EXACTLY.
[ C-2,Adverb,4708,spoudaioteros, ] the comparative adverb corresponding to A, No. 2, signifies "the more diligently," Philippians 2:28, RV (AV, "carefully"). The adverb spoudaios denotes "diligently." 2 Timothy 1:17 (some mss. have the comparative here); Titus 3:13; or "earnestly," Luke 7:4 (AV, "instantly"). See also spoudaios and its comparative, in 2 Corinthians 8:17, 2 Corinthians 8:22, RV, "earnest," "more earnest."