Greek · G1247 · unreviewed

διακονέω

To serve

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διακονέω G1247

Pronunciation diakonéō

What does διακονέω (diakonéō) mean in the Bible?

διακονέω (diakonéō) is a Greek word meaning "to serve". διακονέω, ῶ (δίακονος); __1. Restoration results in active service within the kingdom. This term runs through the canonical themes of Kingdom.

Full entry for διακονέω (G1247) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to serve

Extended definition

Active service to others' concrete needs, especially humble practical care, not abstract duty

(δίακονος);

1generally, to minister, serre, wait upon, especially at table, to do one a service, cure for one's needs: absol., Mat.20:28, Mrk.10:45, Luk.10:40 22:26, 27, Jhn.12:2, 1Pe.4:11; ὅσα διηκόνησεν, 2Ti.1:18; with dative of person(s), Mat.4:11 8:15 25:44 27:55, Mrk.1:13, 31 15:41, Luk.4:39 8:3 12:37 17:8, Jhn.12:26, Act.6:2 19:22, Rom.15:25, Phm 13, Heb.6:10.

2to serve as deacon: 1Ti.3:10, 3:13.

3C. accusative of thing(s), to minister, supply, supply by ministration: 1Pe.1:12 4:10; pass., 2Co.3:3 8:19, 20.

Synonymsλειτουργέω, which see (Cremer, 179).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Restoration results in active service within the kingdom. Luke 22:24–30

Defines kingdom greatness through humble service. Luke 8:1–3

Expresses active support in gospel mission. Mark 1:29–34

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Imperfect Present Aorist Future

Voices

Active Passive

Indicative states a fact or reality 13×

Imperfect Active Matt 4:11 · Mark 1:13 · Mark 15:41 · Luke 8:3 · 1 Pet 1:12 · Matt 8:15 · Mark 1:31 · Luke 4:39 · John 12:2 9×

Aorist Active Matt 25:44 · 2 Tim 1:18 2×

Future Active Luke 12:37 1×

Present Active 1 Pet 4:11 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 13×

Present Active Luke 22:26 · Luke 22:27 · Rom 15:25 · Heb 6:10 · 1 Pet 4:10 · Matt 27:55 · Acts 19:22 8×

Present Passive 2 Cor 8:19 · 2 Cor 8:20 2×

Aorist Active 1 Tim 3:13 · Heb 6:10 2×

Aorist Passive 2 Cor 3:3 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×

Present Active John 12:26 · Phlm 1:13 3×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 6×

Aorist Passive Matt 20:28 · Mark 10:45 2×

Aorist Active Matt 20:28 · Mark 10:45 2×

Present Active Luke 10:40 · Acts 6:2 2×

Imperative command or strong request 2×

Present Active Luke 17:8 · 1 Tim 3:10 2×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 35 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 2 ongoing 1 prospective 1 imperative 2 background 9 subjunctive 3 infinitive 6 participle 11

Tense

present 17 imperfect 9 aorist 8 future 1

Voice

active 30 passive 5

Mood

indicative 13 participle 11 infinitive 6 subjunctive 3 imperative 2

NT Occurrences

Matthew 4:11 διηκόνουν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 8:15 διηκόνει imperfect active indicative background Matthew 20:28 διακονηθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Matthew 20:28 διακονῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 25:44 διηκονήσαμέν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:55 διακονοῦσαι present active participle participle Mark 1:13 διηκόνουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 1:31 διηκόνει imperfect active indicative background Mark 10:45 διακονηθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Mark 10:45 διακονῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 15:41 διηκόνουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 4:39 διηκόνει imperfect active indicative background Luke 8:3 διηκόνουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 10:40 διακονεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 12:37 διακονήσει future active indicative prospective Luke 17:8 διακόνει present active imperative imperative Luke 22:26 διακονῶν present active participle participle Luke 22:27 διακονῶν present active participle participle Luke 22:27 διακονῶν present active participle participle John 12:2 διηκόνει imperfect active indicative background John 12:26 διακονῇ present active subjunctive subjunctive John 12:26 διακονῇ present active subjunctive subjunctive Acts 6:2 διακονεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 19:22 διακονούντων present active participle participle Romans 15:25 διακονῶν present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 3:3 διακονηθεῖσα aorist passive participle participle 2 Corinthians 8:19 διακονουμένῃ present passive participle participle 2 Corinthians 8:20 διακονουμένῃ present passive participle participle 1 Timothy 3:10 διακονείτωσαν present active imperative imperative 1 Timothy 3:13 διακονήσαντες aorist active participle participle 2 Timothy 1:18 διηκόνησεν aorist active indicative completed Philemon 1:13 διακονῇ present active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Peter 1:12 διηκόνουν imperfect active indicative background 1 Peter 4:10 διακονοῦντες present active participle participle 1 Peter 4:11 διακονεῖ present active indicative ongoing

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Canonical Themes

Kingdom

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

Luke 22:24–30 διακονέω diakonéō Participle · Present Active

to serve

Luke 8:1–3 διηκόνουν diakonéō Indicative · Imperfect Active

were serving

Mark 1:29–34 διακονέω diakonéō Indicative · Imperfect Active

to serve

Additional Occurrences

Luke 22:24–34 διακονῶν diakonéō

Serving, ministering

Luke 4:38–41 διηκόνει diakonéō

She was serving

Luke 8:1–3 διακονέω diakonéō

They were serving

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 6 — Word Ministry, Servant Leadership, and Stephen’s Faithful Witness John 12 — The Anointed King, the Lifted-Up Son of Man, and the Hour of Glory Luke 22 — The Passover Betrayal, the New Covenant Meal, and the Suffering Servant King Mark 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel: The Servant-King Appears with Authority Mark 10 — The Way of the Servant King: Marriage, Children, Wealth, Cross, Ransom, and Sight Mark 15 — The Crucified King: Condemnation, Mockery, Death, Confession, and Burial Matthew 20 — The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind Matthew 4 — The Tested Son, the Kingdom Proclaimed, and the First Disciples Called Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons Romans 15 — Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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