Lexical Definition

‎σπουδή‎ spoudḗ (spoo-day') diligence ^G:N-F
from ‎σπεύδω‎

business, (earnest) care(-fulness), diligence, forwardness, haste.

• "speed", i.e. (by implication) despatch, eagerness, earnestness

Abbott-Smith

σπουδή, -ῆς, ἡ (< σπεύδω), [in LXX chiefly for בּהל, its parts and derivatives ;]
1. haste, speed: μετὰ σ. (Wi 19:2), Mk 6:25, Lk 1:39.
2. zeal, diligence, earnestness: Ro 12:11, II Co 7:11, 12 8:7, 8; ἐν σ., Ro 12:8 (v. M, Pr, 104); seq. ὑπέρ, II Co 8:16; σπουδὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι, He 6:11; σ. παρεισφέρειν, II Pe 1:5; πᾶσαν σ. ποιεῖσθαι, Ju 3 (v. MM, xxiii; M, Pr., 214; Deiss., BS, 361, 364).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

σπουδή, ἡ,

(σπεύδω) haste, speed, σπουδὴν ἔχειν make haste, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ἔσται τῆς ὁδοῦ haste on the journey, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χωρίον.., οἷ σπουδὴν ἔχω whither I am hastening, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σπουδῇ in haste, see infr. IV; σὺν σπουδῇ ταχύς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σὺν πάσῃ σ. with all dispatch, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; διὰ σπουδῆς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μετὰ σ. [σπουδήν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.93, 2.90, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 7.6.28, etc. (but this sense frequently runs into the next). ">NT+5th c.BC+]

__II zeal, pains, trouble, effort, ἄτερ σπουδῆς [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σῆς ὑπὸ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently in dative σπουδῇ, zealously, see below[Refs]; σὺν πολλῇ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ μεγάλης σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μετὰ πολλῆς σ. [Refs]; σπουδὴν ποιεῖσθαι exert oneself, take pains, be eager, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ποιεῖσθαι περί τινος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περί τινα[σπουδήν τινος ποιήσασθαι">Refs 2nd c.AD+] make much ado about.. , [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σπουδαὶ λόγων κατατεινομένων zeal for the conflicting arguments, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ἔχειν, with infinitive, to be eager, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with accusative et infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ σ. τῆς ἀπίξιος my zeal in coming, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅπλων σπουδῇ with great attention to the arms, [Refs 5th c.BC+] eagerness for.. , [Refs]; zealous exertions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.b in a religious sense, zeal, πρὸς τὴν θεάν [NT+2nd c.BC+]; ἐνδείκνυσθαι σ. [NT]
__II.2 esteem, regard for a person, διὰ τὴν ἐμὴν σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; good will, good offices, σ. ὑπέρ τινος [NT+2nd c.AD+]; support in political life, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: plural, party feelings or attachments, rivalries, σ. ἰσχυραὶ φίλων περί τινος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σπουδαὶ ἐρώτων erotic enthusiasms, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 disputation, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III earnestness, σ. ἔχειν, ποιεῖσθαι,= σπουδάζειν, [NT+5th c.BC+] in earnest, seriously, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μετὰ σπουδῆς, opposed to ἐν παιδιαῖς, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μετά τε παιδιᾶς καὶ μετὰ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 object of attention, serious engagement or pursuit, σπουδὴν ἐπ᾽ ἄλλην Ἡρακλῆς ὁρμώμενος [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV σπουδῇ as adverb, in haste, hastily, προερέσσαμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect, σπουδᾷ ἐξελθοῦσα [Refs 4th c.BC+]; frequently in Attic dialect, σ. πάνυ [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.2 with great exertion and difficulty, and so, hardly, scarcely, σπουδῇ ἕζετο λαός [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__IV.3 earnestly, seriously, urgently, τί με καλεῖς σπουδ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάνυ σ. attentively, [Refs]; πολλῇ σ. very busily, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Mark.6.25 ☩ Rom.12.11 ☩ Heb.6.11 ☩ 2Cor.8.16 ☩ 2Cor.7.11}