What does δύναμαι · δύο · κύριος · δουλεύω mean in the Bible?
δύναμαι · δύο · κύριος · δουλεύω is a Greek phrase meaning "is able to serve two masters".
Greek · G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398
δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν
To be able or possible · "two" · lord: God · to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
δύναμαι G1410 to be able or possible
Pronunciation dýnamai
Ability from personal power, permission, or circumstance rather than mere possibility
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δύο G1417 "two"
Pronunciation dýo
Commonly used in distributive sense (two by two, two apiece) emphasizing paired division or grouping.
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κύριος G2962 lord: God
Pronunciation kýrios
One who possesses ultimate authority; in NT, distinctively applied to the risen Jesus Christ alongside God.
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δουλεύω G1398 to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary)
Pronunciation douleúō
Serve in submission to authority or power, whether involuntary bondage or willing allegiance.
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What does δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν (dynatai dysi kyriois douleuein) mean in the Bible?
δύναμαι · δύο · κύριος · δουλεύω is a Greek phrase meaning "is able to serve two masters".
Full entry for δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν (G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398?
G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398 is connected to 209 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. is able to serve two masters
Strong's G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398
Lexical occurrences 209 verses Word forms 5 forms 209 references Source Gloss
is able to serve two masters
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 5 Aligned forms 209 Tenses Present, Imperfect, Future, Aorist Voices Middle, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 171×
Present Middle Matt 3:9 · Matt 5:14 · Matt 6:24 · Matt 6:27 · Matt 7:18 · Matt 12:29 · Matt 19:25 · Matt 26:42 · Matt 27:42 · Mark 2:7 · Mark 3:23 · Mark 3:24 · Mark 3:26 · Mark 3:27 · Mark 7:15 · Mark 7:18 134×
Imperfect Middle Matt 22:46 · Matt 26:9 · Mark 5:3 · Mark 6:5 · Mark 6:19 · Mark 14:5 · Luke 1:22 · Luke 19:3 · John 9:33 · John 11:37 · Acts 26:32 · Rev 5:3 · Rev 7:9 · Rev 14:3 · Rev 15:8 · Mark 4:33 19×
Future Middle Mark 3:25 · Mark 8:4 · Mark 9:39 · Rom 8:39 · 1 Cor 6:5 · Acts 5:39 · Eph 6:16 · Luke 21:15 · Acts 19:40 · Acts 24:8 10×
Aorist Passive Matt 17:16 · Luke 9:40 · Heb 3:19 · Matt 17:19 · Mark 9:28 · Mark 7:24 · Acts 13:38 · 1 Cor 3:1 8×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 8×
Present Middle Mark 1:45 · Mark 3:20 · Mark 4:32 · 1 Cor 10:13 · 2 Cor 1:4 · 2 Cor 3:7 · Eph 6:11 · Phil 3:21 8×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 24×
Present Middle Matt 19:12 · Luke 1:20 · Gal 3:21 · Heb 5:2 · Jas 4:12 · Matt 10:28 · Heb 4:15 · Heb 5:7 · Jas 1:21 · Mark 2:4 · Rom 15:14 · 1 Thess 2:7 · Acts 20:32 · Eph 3:20 · Jude 1:24 · Acts 21:34 24×
Optative wish or remote possibility 3×
Present Middle Acts 27:12 · Acts 27:39 · Acts 8:31 3×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Present Middle Luke 16:26 · Rev 13:17 2×
Aorist Passive Eph 6:13 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 209 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 171 imperfect 19 future 10 aorist 9
Voice
middle 200 passive 9
Mood
indicative 171 participle 24 infinitive 8 optative 3 subjunctive 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:9 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 5:14 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 5:36 δύνασαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:24 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:24 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:27 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 7:18 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 8:2 δύνασαί present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 9:15 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 9:28 δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 10:28 δυναμένων present middle participle participle Matthew 10:28 δυνάμενον present middle participle participle Matthew 12:29 δύναταί present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 12:34 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 16:3 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 17:16 ἠδυνήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 17:19 ἠδυνήθημεν aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 19:12 δυνάμενος present middle participle participle Matthew 19:25 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 20:22 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 20:22 Δυνάμεθα present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 22:46 ἐδύνατο imperfect middle indicative background Matthew 26:42 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:53 δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:61 Δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:9 ἐδύνατο imperfect middle indicative background Matthew 27:42 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 1:40 δύνασαί present middle indicative ongoing Mark 1:45 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Mark 2:19 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 2:19 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 2:4 δυνάμενοι present middle participle participle Mark 2:7 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:20 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Mark 3:23 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:24 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:25 δυνήσεται future middle indicative prospective Mark 3:26 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:27 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 4:32 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive
+169 more occurrences
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)
Word Origins
δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν is of uncertain origin - no further derivation.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain