The modern Greek word "περιέργεια" (peh-ree-EHR-ee-a) ≈ "curiosity" and "περιέργος" (peh-ree-EHR-gos) ≈ "curious" comes from the modern Greek word "περί" (peh-REE) ≈ "around, about" as in "perimeter" and "peripheral" and the modern Greek word "έργο" (EHR-go) ≈ "work". So curiosity is literally "going around work" as, say, in not doing your work while going around doing other things.

In 1 Timothy 5:13, Paul uses the Greek word for "idle" twice in the same verse and the Greek word for "work" in a compound word that meant "busybody" and today means "curious".

The Latin word "curiosus" ≈ "curious" and comes from the Latin word "cura" ≈ "care, concern" from which we get English words such as "curator", "cure", etc.

The root «περιεργα» is used 3 times by Paul in the GNT (Greek New Testament).

Here, the word "curious" is in the translation.

• The word "art" here is «πραξαντων» from which we get the word "practices". In the Middle Ages, the "liberal arts" were to be distinguished from the "manual arts".
• The word for "books" is «βιβλους» from which we get the word "books".
• The word «μυριαδας» means ten thousand and is where we get the word "myriad".

In the next two verses, the words «περιεργαζομενους» and «περιεργοι» are translated as "busybodies". That is, going around instead of doing their work.

• The Greek word «εργαζομενους» means "working"

The Greek «μηδεν εργαζομενους» means "not working at all".

• The modern Greek word «αργαι» is "idle", used here twice. The modern Greek word "αργός" (ar-GOS) ≈ "slow, idle, slack" comes from the prefix «α» for "not" and «έργο» for "work" where an illusion fuses the «α» and «ε» together over time (elision).



More: An opus on the workings of work

More: Matthew 12:30-37 Pardon the idle word counting