Hi all,
I'm trying to find a word for "volunteer" / "volunteering" in the NT (or ancient Greek). Via Perseus, the best I can find is ἀπαράκλητος, LSJ, "unsummoned, volunteering" and ἐθελοντήρ "volunteer".
Neither of these appear in the NT, so I am working on the assumption that 1) the volunteer concept is not in the NT or 2) I just haven't found the right word(s) yet.
Any thoughts on where else I might look? Thanks
Daniel
Volunteering in the NT
Forum rules
Please quote the Greek text you are discussing directly in your post if it is reasonably short - do not ask people to look it up. This is not a beginner's forum, competence in Greek is assumed.
Please quote the Greek text you are discussing directly in your post if it is reasonably short - do not ask people to look it up. This is not a beginner's forum, competence in Greek is assumed.
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Re: Volunteering in the NT
χαῖρε Δανιελ,
πονεῖν δωρεάν.

ἐργάτης ἄμισθος.I'm trying to find a word for "volunteer" / "volunteering" in the NT (or ancient Greek).
πονεῖν δωρεάν.
You mean, besides Jesus and Paul?...so I am working on the assumption that...the volunteer concept is not in the NT...

Re: Volunteering in the NT
You might use ἐθελόντης: LSJ offers the following entry:dgoepfrich wrote:Hi all,
I'm trying to find a word for "volunteer" / "volunteering" in the NT (or ancient Greek). Via Perseus, the best I can find is ἀπαράκλητος, LSJ, "unsummoned, volunteering" and ἐθελοντήρ "volunteer".
Neither of these appear in the NT, so I am working on the assumption that 1) the volunteer concept is not in the NT or 2) I just haven't found the right word(s) yet.
Any thoughts on where else I might look? Thanks
Daniel
ἐθελοντ-ήρ, ῆρος, ὁ,
volunteer, Od.2.292.
ἐθελοντ-ής, οῦ, ὁ, Prose form of foreg.[i.e. ἐθελοντήρ] (used by S.Aj.24), Hdt.5.104,110,IG12.97.15, Th.1.60, And.1.3: as Adj.,
ἐ. φίλος X.An.1.6.9. (dub.); τῶν ἐ. τριηράρχων D.18.99.
= δεικηλιστής, Eust.884.27.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
Re: Volunteering in the NT
If you're averse to using ἐθελόντης because it isn't found in the GNT, I think you're limiting your resouces; the question is: could NT authors have known or discerned the intended sense of the word. A key would be whether the word is used by other Hellenistic authors. To be sure, the authors cited by LSJ are of the classical period and include Herodotus. I don't have access to TLG, but I would expect it to be found later.
An alternative that does appear in the GNT is ἕκων, found in Rom, 8:20 and 1 Cor 9:17; it would be used in the appropriate case along with a verb, e.g. ἕκων ταῦτα πράττω, "I am doing this of my own accord."
An alternative that does appear in the GNT is ἕκων, found in Rom, 8:20 and 1 Cor 9:17; it would be used in the appropriate case along with a verb, e.g. ἕκων ταῦτα πράττω, "I am doing this of my own accord."
ἑκών, οῦσα, όν (Hom. et al.; ins, pap, LXX, Philo; Jos., Vi. 347; 351; Just, D. 5, 5) pert. to being favorably disposed to do someth. without pressure, willing(ly), glad(ly) Dg 2:9; IRo 4:1. Opp. force 5:2; MPol 4:1; of one’s own free will (cp. Epict. 3, 5, 9; 4, 3, 9; Lucian, Herm. 77; SIG 1176, 4) ἑ. τοῦτο πράσσω 1 Cor 9:17 (w. ἄκων, extension of the usual pairing ἑκών . . . ἄκων, s. Reader, Polemo p. 337; cp. GRickert, ΕΚΩΝ and ΑΚΩΝ in Early Gk. Thought [American Classical Studies 20] ’89). ὑπετάγη οὐχ ἑκοῦσα it was subjected against its own will (v.l. οὐ θέλουσα) Ro 8:20 (cp. Philo, Ebr. 122).—DELG. M-M. TW.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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Re: Volunteering in the NT
That's really what I'm after here. I see Jesus and Paul (Thanks, Mark!If you're averse to using ἐθελόντης because it isn't found in the GNT, I think you're limiting your resouces; the question is: could NT authors have known or discerned the intended sense of the word.

I will chase down this track. Thanks!An alternative that does appear in the GNT is ἕκων, found in Rom, 8:20 and 1 Cor 9:17; it would be used in the appropriate case along with a verb, e.g. ἕκων ταῦτα πράττω, "I am doing this of my own accord."
Daniel
Re: Volunteering in the NT
There is also αὐθαίρετος, which occurs in 2 Cor 8:3,17:
αὐθαίρετος, ον (s. αὐτός and αἱρέω; Trag., Thu. et al.; OGI 583, 8; pap; Sym. Ex 35:5, 22; Philo, Mos. 1, 50 v.l.; Jos., Bell. 6, 310; Ath. 24, 4) pert. to being self-chosen, of one’s own accord 2 Cor 8:3, 17.—DELG s.v. αὐτός 2. M-M. (BDAG).
Its adverb, αὐθαιρέτως, occurs in the Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians 5:2.
αὐθαιρέτως adv. of αὐθαίρετος (Plut., Pel. 290 [24, 8]; Philostrat., Vi. Apoll. 8, 7 p. 306, 22; IMagnMai 163, 15ff; PLond II, 280, 8 p. 193 [55A.D.], restored; BGU 581, 6 et al.; 2 Macc 6:19; 3 Macc 6:6; 7:10) voluntarily ἀποθανεῖν IMg 5:2. (BDAG).
Not sure if that helps, but there you go!
αὐθαίρετος, ον (s. αὐτός and αἱρέω; Trag., Thu. et al.; OGI 583, 8; pap; Sym. Ex 35:5, 22; Philo, Mos. 1, 50 v.l.; Jos., Bell. 6, 310; Ath. 24, 4) pert. to being self-chosen, of one’s own accord 2 Cor 8:3, 17.—DELG s.v. αὐτός 2. M-M. (BDAG).
Its adverb, αὐθαιρέτως, occurs in the Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians 5:2.
αὐθαιρέτως adv. of αὐθαίρετος (Plut., Pel. 290 [24, 8]; Philostrat., Vi. Apoll. 8, 7 p. 306, 22; IMagnMai 163, 15ff; PLond II, 280, 8 p. 193 [55A.D.], restored; BGU 581, 6 et al.; 2 Macc 6:19; 3 Macc 6:6; 7:10) voluntarily ἀποθανεῖν IMg 5:2. (BDAG).
Not sure if that helps, but there you go!
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Re: Volunteering in the NT
Some form of ἐθελοντη_ / ἐθελοντου is found circa 317 times in Greek literature. Here are a few quotes from Plutarch and Philo.
Plutarchus Biogr., Phil., Cato Minor (0007: 050)
“Plutarchi vitae parallelae, vol. 2.1, 2nd edn.”, Ed. Ziegler, K.
Leipzig: Teubner, 1964.
Chapter 8, section 1, line 2
Τοῦ δὲ δουλικοῦ πολέμου συνεστῶτος, ὃν Σπαρτάκειον ἐκάλουν,
Γέλλιος μὲν ἐστρατήγει, Κάτων δὲ τῆς στρατείας μετεῖχεν ἐθελοντὴς διὰ
τὸν ἀδελφόν· ἐχιλιάρχει γὰρ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Καιπίων.
Go to Context
Plutarchus Biogr., Phil., Brutus (0007: 061)
“Plutarchi vitae parallelae, vol. 2.1, 2nd edn.”, Ed. Ziegler, K.
Leipzig: Teubner, 1964.
Chapter 4, section 5, line 1
ὡς δ' ἐκεῖ πράττειν οὐδὲν ἦν μέγα,
καὶ συνῄεσαν εἰς ταὐτὸ ἤδη Πομπήϊος καὶ Καῖσαρ, ἀγωνιζόμενοι περὶ
τῶν ὅλων, ἧκεν εἰς Μακεδονίαν, ἐθελοντὴς τοῦ κινδύνου μεθέξων· ὅτε
καί φασι Πομπήϊον ἡσθέντα καὶ θαυμάσαντα προσιόντος αὐτοῦ καθεζόμε-
νον ἐξαναστῆναι καὶ περιβαλεῖν ὡς κρείττονα πάντων ὁρώντων.
Philo Judaeus Phil., De posteritate Caini (0018: 006)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 2”, Ed. Wendland, P.
Berlin: Reimer, 1897, Repr. 1962.
Section 10, line 2
| τὸν μὲν οὖν Ἀδὰμ ὁ θεὸς ἐκβάλλει, ὁ δὲ Κάιν ἐθελον-
τὴς ἐξέρχεται, δηλοῦντος ἡμῖν Μωυσέως ἑκατέρου τρόπου εἶδος, ἑκούσιόν
τε καὶ ἀκούσιον.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De Josepho (0018: 021)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 4”, Ed. Cohn, L.
Berlin: Reimer, 1902, Repr. 1962.
Section 228, line 2
δώσω δ' ἐθελοντὴς ἐγώ· δοῦλον ἀπὸ ταύτης ἀνάγραφε
τῆς ἡμέρας, ἄσμενος ὑπομενῶ τὰ τῶν νεωνήτων, ἐὰν τὸ παιδίον
ἐθελήσῃς ἐᾶσαι.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De Josepho
Section 240, line 1
καταπλαγέντων δ' αὐτῶν παρ' ἐλπίδα καὶ διεπτοημένων καὶ
ὥσπερ ὁλκῇ τινι βιαίῳ τὰς ὄψεις ἐπὶ γῆν καταβεβληκότων καὶ πεπη-
γότων ἀφώνων καὶ ἀχανῶν, “μὴ κατηφεῖτε” | εἶπεν, “ἀμνηστίαν ἁπάν-
των παρέχω τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ πεπραγμένων, μηδενὸς ἑτέρου δεῖσθε παρα-
κλήτου· αὐτοκελεύστῳ καὶ ἑκουσίῳ γνώμῃ πρὸς συμβάσεις ἐθελοντὴς
ἀφῖγμαι συμβούλοις χρησάμενος δυσί, τῇ τε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εὐσεβείᾳ,
ᾧ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς χάριτος ἀνατίθημι, καὶ τῇ φυσικῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, ᾗ
πρὸς ἅπαντας διαφερόντως δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀφ' αἵματος χρῶμαι.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De virtutibus (0018: 025)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 5”, Ed. Cohn, L.
Berlin: Reimer, 1906, Repr. 1962.
Section 63, line 3
τὴν γοῦν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ προστασίαν
τῶν κοινῶν οὔτ' αὐτὸς ἐθελοντὴς εἱλόμην οὔθ' ὑπ' ἄλλου τινὸς ἀνθρώπων
χειροτονηθεὶς ἔλαβον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ χρησμοῖς ἐναργέσι καὶ λογίοις
ἀριδήλοις ἐμφανῶς θεσπίζοντος καὶ προστάττοντος ἄρχειν ἀνεδυόμην
ἱκετεύων καὶ ποτνιώμενος, εἰς τὸ μέγεθος ἀφορῶν τοῦ πράγματος, ἕως,
ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις ἐκέλευε, δείσας ἐπειθάρχησα.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De virtutibus
Section 94, line 6
οὕς, ἐπειδὴ
γνώμαις ἑκουσίοις ἀρετὴν οὐ διεπόνησαν, ἄκοντας νουθετεῖ καὶ σωφρο-
νίζει νόμοις ἱεροῖς, οἷς ὁ μὲν σπουδαῖος ἐθελοντής, ὁ δὲ μοχθηρὸς ἄκων
πειθαρχεῖ.
Go to Context
Plutarchus Biogr., Phil., Cato Minor (0007: 050)
“Plutarchi vitae parallelae, vol. 2.1, 2nd edn.”, Ed. Ziegler, K.
Leipzig: Teubner, 1964.
Chapter 8, section 1, line 2
Τοῦ δὲ δουλικοῦ πολέμου συνεστῶτος, ὃν Σπαρτάκειον ἐκάλουν,
Γέλλιος μὲν ἐστρατήγει, Κάτων δὲ τῆς στρατείας μετεῖχεν ἐθελοντὴς διὰ
τὸν ἀδελφόν· ἐχιλιάρχει γὰρ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Καιπίων.
Go to Context
Plutarchus Biogr., Phil., Brutus (0007: 061)
“Plutarchi vitae parallelae, vol. 2.1, 2nd edn.”, Ed. Ziegler, K.
Leipzig: Teubner, 1964.
Chapter 4, section 5, line 1
ὡς δ' ἐκεῖ πράττειν οὐδὲν ἦν μέγα,
καὶ συνῄεσαν εἰς ταὐτὸ ἤδη Πομπήϊος καὶ Καῖσαρ, ἀγωνιζόμενοι περὶ
τῶν ὅλων, ἧκεν εἰς Μακεδονίαν, ἐθελοντὴς τοῦ κινδύνου μεθέξων· ὅτε
καί φασι Πομπήϊον ἡσθέντα καὶ θαυμάσαντα προσιόντος αὐτοῦ καθεζόμε-
νον ἐξαναστῆναι καὶ περιβαλεῖν ὡς κρείττονα πάντων ὁρώντων.
Philo Judaeus Phil., De posteritate Caini (0018: 006)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 2”, Ed. Wendland, P.
Berlin: Reimer, 1897, Repr. 1962.
Section 10, line 2
| τὸν μὲν οὖν Ἀδὰμ ὁ θεὸς ἐκβάλλει, ὁ δὲ Κάιν ἐθελον-
τὴς ἐξέρχεται, δηλοῦντος ἡμῖν Μωυσέως ἑκατέρου τρόπου εἶδος, ἑκούσιόν
τε καὶ ἀκούσιον.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De Josepho (0018: 021)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 4”, Ed. Cohn, L.
Berlin: Reimer, 1902, Repr. 1962.
Section 228, line 2
δώσω δ' ἐθελοντὴς ἐγώ· δοῦλον ἀπὸ ταύτης ἀνάγραφε
τῆς ἡμέρας, ἄσμενος ὑπομενῶ τὰ τῶν νεωνήτων, ἐὰν τὸ παιδίον
ἐθελήσῃς ἐᾶσαι.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De Josepho
Section 240, line 1
καταπλαγέντων δ' αὐτῶν παρ' ἐλπίδα καὶ διεπτοημένων καὶ
ὥσπερ ὁλκῇ τινι βιαίῳ τὰς ὄψεις ἐπὶ γῆν καταβεβληκότων καὶ πεπη-
γότων ἀφώνων καὶ ἀχανῶν, “μὴ κατηφεῖτε” | εἶπεν, “ἀμνηστίαν ἁπάν-
των παρέχω τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ πεπραγμένων, μηδενὸς ἑτέρου δεῖσθε παρα-
κλήτου· αὐτοκελεύστῳ καὶ ἑκουσίῳ γνώμῃ πρὸς συμβάσεις ἐθελοντὴς
ἀφῖγμαι συμβούλοις χρησάμενος δυσί, τῇ τε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εὐσεβείᾳ,
ᾧ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς χάριτος ἀνατίθημι, καὶ τῇ φυσικῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, ᾗ
πρὸς ἅπαντας διαφερόντως δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀφ' αἵματος χρῶμαι.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De virtutibus (0018: 025)
“Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. 5”, Ed. Cohn, L.
Berlin: Reimer, 1906, Repr. 1962.
Section 63, line 3
τὴν γοῦν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ προστασίαν
τῶν κοινῶν οὔτ' αὐτὸς ἐθελοντὴς εἱλόμην οὔθ' ὑπ' ἄλλου τινὸς ἀνθρώπων
χειροτονηθεὶς ἔλαβον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ χρησμοῖς ἐναργέσι καὶ λογίοις
ἀριδήλοις ἐμφανῶς θεσπίζοντος καὶ προστάττοντος ἄρχειν ἀνεδυόμην
ἱκετεύων καὶ ποτνιώμενος, εἰς τὸ μέγεθος ἀφορῶν τοῦ πράγματος, ἕως,
ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις ἐκέλευε, δείσας ἐπειθάρχησα.
Go to Context
Philo Judaeus Phil., De virtutibus
Section 94, line 6
οὕς, ἐπειδὴ
γνώμαις ἑκουσίοις ἀρετὴν οὐ διεπόνησαν, ἄκοντας νουθετεῖ καὶ σωφρο-
νίζει νόμοις ἱεροῖς, οἷς ὁ μὲν σπουδαῖος ἐθελοντής, ὁ δὲ μοχθηρὸς ἄκων
πειθαρχεῖ.
Go to Context
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Re: Volunteering in the NT
Thank you Refe and Louis!
I find it interesting that the concept is widely used outside the GNT, but only a half a dozen uses by NT writers (mainly Paul). Does that seem more significant than just interesting to anyone else?
I find it interesting that the concept is widely used outside the GNT, but only a half a dozen uses by NT writers (mainly Paul). Does that seem more significant than just interesting to anyone else?