Denotes any work, deed, action, or undertaking — from manual labor to moral conduct to divine activity. It covers God's works (creation, miracles, redemption), human works (moral deeds, works of the law), and Christ's works (signs that reveal His identity). The English word 'energy' derives from en + ergon ('work within').
The theology of ergon navigates one of the NT's greatest tensions: faith versus works. Paul insists salvation is 'not of works, lest any man should boast' (Eph 2:9), while James declares 'faith without works is dead' (Jas 2:26). The resolution lies in distinguishing works of the law (human merit-seeking) from works of faith (the fruit of genuine belief). Jesus pointed to His works as evidence of divine identity: 'The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me' (John 10:25). Believers are 'created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained' (Eph 2:10) — works are the result of salvation, not its cause. God's own works — from creation to redemption — are the standard against which all human activity is measured.