The Greek noun ekteneia means earnestness, intense devotion, or fervent attention. It appears only once in the NT (Acts 26:7), where Paul describes Israel's twelve tribes as serving God "earnestly" night and day in hope of the resurrection promise. The word conveys the idea of stretched-out, unrelenting persistence in seeking God.
Ekteneia in Acts 26:7 is part of Paul's defense before Agrippa, where he frames his hope for the resurrection as the fulfillment of Israel's own ancient, fervent devotion. The word captures the posture of genuine religious seeking — unrelenting, stretched toward God day and night. Related words appear in the Gospels and Acts: the early church "devoted themselves earnestly" to prayer (Acts 12:5 uses the adjectival form ektenos). Peter commands that Christians be "earnest in your love for one another" (1 Peter 4:8). Jesus in Gethsemane prayed "more earnestly" (ektenesteron, Luke 22:44). This family of words sets the intensity level for authentic discipleship.