Strong's Lexicon
G1398 — δουλεύω
Greek entry for Bible study and original-language reference.
Definition / Gloss
| Strong's Number: | G1398 |
|---|---|
| Word: | δουλεύω |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Etymology: | from G1401 |
| Language: | Greek |
| Occurrences: | 25 |
| Transliteration: | douleuo |
| Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation: | doul-yoo'-o |
| Meaning: | 1. to be a slave to 2. to be enslaved 3. (figuratively) to be subservient to {literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary} |
| KJV Renderings: | be in bondage, (do) serve(-ice) |
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Strong's is an index and starting point, not the final meaning of a word. Do not build doctrine from a gloss, root, or number. Test meaning by sentence, grammar, authorial usage, context, and the passage argument.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δουλεύω; future δουλεύσω; 1 aorist ἐδούλευσα; perfect δεδούλευκά; (δοῦλος); the Sept. for òÈáÇã;
1. properly, to be a slave, serve, do service: absolutely, Eph 6:7; 1Ti 6:2; τίνι Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13; Rom 9:12; said of nations in subjection to other nations, Joh 8:33; Act 7:7; men are said δουλεύειν who bear the yoke of the Mosaic law, Gal 4:25 (see δουλεία).
2. metaphorically, to obey, submit to;
a. in a good sense: absolutely, to yield obedience, Rom 7:6; τίνι, to obey one’s commands and render to him the services due, Luk 15:29; God: Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13; 1Th 1:9; κυρίῳ and τῷ κυρίῳ, Act 20:19; Rom 12:11 (not Rec.st, see below); Eph 6:7; Christ: Rom 14:18; Col 3:24; νόμῳ Θεοῦ, according to the context, feel myself bound to, Rom 7:25; τοῖς θεοῖς, to worship gods, Gal 4:8; τῷ καιρῷ (Anth. 9, 441, 6), wisely adapt oneself to, Rom 12:11 Rec.st (see above), cf. Fritzsche at the passage; perform services of kindness and Christian love: ἀλλήλοις, Gal 5:13; used of those who zealously advance the interests of anything: ὡς πατρί τέκνον σύν ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τό εὐαγγέλιον equivalent to ὡς πατρί τέκνον δουλεύει, ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν καί οὕτω σύν ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν, etc. Php 2:22 (Winers Grammar, 422 (393); 577 (537)).
b. in a bad sense, of those who become slaves to some base power, to yield to, give oneself up to: τῇ ἁμαρτία, Rom 6:6; νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας, Rom 7:25; ἐπιθυμίαις καί ἡδοναῖς, Tit 3:3, (Xenophon, mem. 1, 5, 5; Apology Socrates 16; Plato, Phaedrus, p. 238 e.; Polybius 17, 15, 16; Herodian, 1, 17, 22 (9, Bekker edition)); τῇ κοιλία, Rom 16:18, (γαστρί, Anthol. 11, 410, 4; Xenophon, mem. 1, 6, 8;abdomini servire, Seneca, de benef. 7, 26, 4;ventri obedire, Sall. (Cat. 1:1)); μαμωνᾷ, to devote oneself to getting wealth: Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13. τοῖς στοιχειοις τοῦ κόσμου, Gal 4:9.
Other Resources
Englishman's Greek Concordance
δουλεύω (be in bondage)
Matthew 6:24
- KJV: No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon
- GK: ουδείς δύναται δυσί κυρίοις δουλεύειν η γαρ τον ένα μισήσει και τον έτερον αγαπήσει η ενός ανθέξεται και του ετέρου καταφρονήσει ου δύνασθε θεώ δουλεύειν και μαμμωνά
Luke 15:29
- KJV: And he answering said to father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my friends
- GK: ο δε αποκριθείς είπε τω πατρί ιδού τοσαύτα έτη δουλεύω σοι και ουδέποτε εντολήν σου παρήλθον και εμοί ουδέποτε έδωκας έριφον ίνα μετά των φίλων μου ευφρανθώ
Luke 16:13
- KJV: No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon
- GK: ουδείς οικέτης δύναται δυσί κυρίοις δουλεύειν η γαρ τον ένα μισήσει και τον έτερον αγαπήσει η ενός ανθέξεται και του ετέρου καταφρονήσει ου δύνασθε θεώ δουλεύειν και μαμωνά
John 8:33
- KJV: They answered him We be Abraham’s seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free
- GK: απεκρίθησαν αυτώ σπέρμα Αβραάμ εσμεν και ουδενί δεδουλεύκαμεν πώποτε πως συ λέγεις ότι ελεύθεροι γενήσεσθε
Acts 7:7
- KJV: And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge said God and after that shall they come forth and serve me in this place
- GK: και το έθνος ω εάν δουλεύσωσι κρινώ εγώ είπεν ο θεός και μετά ταύτα εξελεύσονται και λατρεύσουσί μοι εν τω τόπω τούτω
Acts 20:19
- KJV: Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews
- GK: δουλεύων τω κυρίω μετά πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης και πολλών δακρύων και πειρασμών των συμβάντων μοι εν ταις επιβουλαίς των Ιουδαίων
Romans 6:6
- KJV: Knowing this that our old man is crucified with that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin
- GK: τούτο γινώσκοντες ότι ο παλαιός ημών άνθρωπος συνεσταυρώθη ίνα καταργηθή το σώμα της αμαρτίας του μηκέτι δουλεύειν ημάς τη αμαρτία
Romans 7:6
- KJV: But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not the oldness of the letter
- GK: νυνί δε κατηργήθημεν από του νόμου αποθανόντες εν ω κατειχόμεθα ώστε δουλεύειν ημάς εν καινότητι πνεύματος και ου παλαιότητι γράμματος
Romans 7:25
- KJV: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin
- GK: ευχαριστώ τω θεώ διά Ιησού χριστού του κυρίου ημών άρα ούν αυτός εγώ τω μεν νοϊ δουλεύω νόμω θεού τη δε σαρκί νόμω αμαρτίας
Romans 9:12
- KJV: It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger
- GK: ερρέθη αυτή ότι ο μείζων δουλεύσει τω ελάσσονι
Romans 12:11
- KJV: Not slothful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord
- GK: τη σπουδή μη οκνηροί τω πνεύματι ζέοντες τω κυρίω δουλεύοντες
Romans 14:18
- KJV: For he that in these things serveth Christ acceptable to God and approved of men
- GK: ο γαρ εν τούτοις δουλεύων τω χριστώ ευάρεστος τω θεώ και δόκιμος τοις ανθρώποις
Romans 16:18
- KJV: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
- GK: οι γαρ τοιούτοι τω κυρίω ημών Ιησού χριστώ ου δουλεύουσιν αλλά τη εαυτών κοιλία και διά της χρηστολογίας και ευλογίας εξαπατώσι τας καρδίας των ακάκων
Galatians 4:8
- KJV: Howbeit then not God ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods
- GK: αλλά τότε μεν ουκ ειδότες θεόν εδουλεύσατε τοις μη φύσει ούσι θεοίς
Galatians 4:9
- KJV: But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage
- GK: νυν δε γνόντες θεόν μάλλον δε γνωσθέντες υπό θεού πως επιστρέφετε πάλιν επί τα ασθενή και πτωχά στοιχεία οις πάλιν άνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε
Galatians 4:25
- KJV: For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children
- GK: το γαρ Αγάρ Σινά όρος εστίν εν τη Αραβία συστοιχεί δε τη νυν Ιερουσαλήμ δουλεύει δε μετά των τέκνων αυτής
Galatians 5:13
- KJV: For brethren ye have been called unto liberty only not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another
- GK: υμείς γαρ επ΄ ελευθερία εκληθητε αδελφοί μόνον μη την ελευθερίαν εις αφορμήν τη σαρκί αλλά διά της αγάπης δουλεύετε αλλήλοις
Ephesians 6:7
- KJV: With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men
- GK: μετ΄ ευνοίας δουλεύοντες ως τω κυρίω και ουκ ανθρώποις
Philippians 2:22
- KJV: But ye know the proof of him that as a son with the father he hath served with me in the gospel
- GK: την δε δοκιμήν αυτού γινώσκετε ότι ως πατρί τέκνον συν εμοί εδούλευσεν εις το ευαγγέλιον
Colossians 3:24
- KJV: Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ
- GK: ειδότες ότι από κυρίου απολήψεσθε την ανταπόδοσιν της κληρονομίας τω γαρ κυρίω χριστώ δουλεύετε
1 Thessalonians 1:9
- KJV: For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
- GK: αυτοί γαρ περί ημών απαγγέλλουσιν οποίαν είσοδον έσχομεν προς υμάς και πως επεστρέψατε προς τον θεόν από των ειδώλων δουλεύειν θεώ ζώντι και αληθινώ
1 Timothy 6:2
- KJV: And they that have believing masters let them not despise because they are brethren but rather do service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit These things teach and exhort
- GK: οι δε πιστούς έχοντες δεσπότας μη καταφρονείτωσαν ότι αδελφοί εισιν αλλά μάλλον δουλευέτωσαν ότι πιστοί εισι και αγαπητοί οι της ευεργεσίας αντιλαμβανόμενοι ταύτα δίδασκε και παρακάλει
Titus 3:3
- KJV: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful hating one another
- GK: ήμεν γαρ ποτε και ημείς ανόητοι απειθείς πλανώμενοι δουλεύοντες επιθυμίαις και ηδοναίς ποικίλαις εν κακία και φθόνω διάγοντες στυγητοί μισούντες αλλήλους