ἐργάτης (ergatēs)

The noun ergatēs refers to a laborer or worker, specifically one who performs physical tasks for wages. In the Gospels, it most often describes agricultural workers, such as the harvesters Jesus points to in Matthew 9:37-38 and the vineyard employees in Matthew 20. This usage highlights the temporary nature of hired help, distinct from a permanent owner or a skilled artisan.

While the word generally means any manual worker, it is sometimes contrasted with technitēs, which denotes a craftsman or artist. In Luke 10:7 and Acts 19:25, Paul uses ergatēs to describe those who serve in ministry, suggesting that spiritual laborers deserve their keep just as field hands do. The term appears again in Philippians 3:2 and 2 Corinthians 11:13, where Paul uses it pejoratively for false teachers, calling them "evil workers" or "hired hands" who lack genuine care for the flock.

The root of the word connects to doing work (ergazomai), emphasizing action over status. It appears in Luke 13:27 when Jesus tells some to depart because they were "workers of lawlessness," showing that the term can describe anyone who actively practices a behavior, whether righteous or wicked. Translators typically render it simply as "worker" or "laborer," preserving its focus on the act of doing rather than the identity of the person.