SYNONYMOUS WORDS FOR "SERVANT", "SERVE", ETC.

I.

1. diakonos is a servant as seen in activity (cp. dioko, to pursue). It occurs eight times in the Gospels (not in Luke); is twice transl. "minister" (Matt 20.26. Mark 10.43); six times "servant". The other twenty-two occurences are in Paul's epistles; transl. "minister", except in Rom 16.1 ("servant"), and Phil 1.1. 1 Tim 3.8,12 ("deacon"). It is not found in Acts where the institution of the so-called deacon is recorded.

2. doulos = slave, bond-servant. there are seventy-three occ. in the Gospels, three in Acts, thirty in Paul's epistles, five in the epistles of James, 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude, and fourteen in the Revelation. It is translated "servant", except in 1 cor 12.13. Gal 3.28. Eph 6.8. Col 3.11 Rev 6.15; 13.16; 19.18, where the rendering is "bond" or "bondman". The fem doule occ. Luke 1.38,48. Acts 2.18; transl. "handmaiden"; doulon, "servant", occ. only in Rom 6.19.

3. huperetes means an under-rower, and is used, generally, for one in a subordinate capacity. It is transl. "officer" eleven times, "minister" five times, and "servant" four times.

4. leitourgos = one who serves an office. In the O.T. used of the priests and Levites. In N.T. of God's ministers, except Phil 2.25 (of Epaphroditus). It occurs five times.

5. misthios and misthotos mean hired servants (from misthos, pay). Occ Luke 15.17,19. Mark 1.20. John 10.12,13.

6. oiketes is a household servant (oikos, a house), and is so rendered in Acts 10.7. Occ. Luke 16.13. Rom 14.4. 1 Pet 2.18; "servant".

7. pais (Ap.108. iv) means a boy, and then, like Latin puer, French garcon, and Eng. boy, it means a servant. Rendered "servant" eleven times, and should also be so transl. Acts 3.13,26; 4.27,30.

8. therapon is an attendant, one who performs services voluntarily, whether freeman or slave. Occ. only Heb 3.5.

II.

1. diakonia is the service rendered by a diakonos. Occ once in the Gospels (Luke 10.40); eight times in Acts; twenty-four times in Paul's epistles, and once in the Revelation : rendered "ministry", "ministration", &c., save Acts 11.29, where it is "relief", the result of service, and Rom 11.13 (office).

2. douleia. Occ five times, always transl. "bondage".

3. latreia. Occ five times, transl. "service", or "divine service".

4. leitourgia. Occ six times; transl. "ministration" (Luke 1.23), "service" (2 Cor 9.12; Phil 2.17,30), and "ministry" (Heb 8.6; 9.21). From this comes Eng. "liturgy".

III.

1. diakoneo. Occurs thirty-seven times, and is transl. "serve", "minister", &c. and twice "use the office of a deacon" (I Thim 3.10,13)

2. douleuo = to serve as a bondman. It occurs twenty-five times; transl. "serve", "do service", except John 8.33; Acts 7.7; Gal 4.9,25; "be in bondage".

3. douloo is to enslave. Occ. eight times, twice in the active sense, Acts 7.6; I Cor 9.19; elsewhere in the passive (Rom 6.18,22. I Cor 7.15. Gal 4.2. Titus 2.3. 2 Pet 2.19.)

4. hupereteo. (Cp I.3, above) Occurs only in Acts 13.36; 20.34; 24.23.

5. latreuo. (Cp II.3 above) Occ. twenty-one times, always referring to the worship of God, save in Acts 7.24. Transl. "serve", or "do the service", seventeen times, and "worship" four times.

6. leitourgeo. (Cp I. 4; II. 4 above) Occ. three times; Acts 13.2 Rom 15.27. Heb 10.11, rendered "minister".