Greek · G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398 · unreviewed
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 word meaning "is able to serve two masters".
Full entry for δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν (G1410, G1417, G2962, G1398) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
is able to serve two masters
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
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 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.
1 Corinthians 12 — One Spirit, Many Gifts, and One Body in Christ 1 Corinthians 7 — Marriage, Singleness, Calling, and Undistracted Devotion to the Lord 1 Corinthians 8 — Knowledge, Love, and the Weak Brother in a World of Idols Acts 10 — God Opens the Gospel Door to the Gentiles Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 14 — Through Many Hardships into the Kingdom Acts 15 — The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship John 12 — The Anointed King, the Lifted-Up Son of Man, and the Hour of Glory John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness John 9 — The Man Born Blind, the Light of the World, and the Blindness of Religious Unbelief Luke 10 — The Kingdom Mission Expanded, Mercy Defined, and the Better Portion Chosen Luke 15 — The Joy of God over the Lost Being Found Luke 16 — Faithful Stewardship, the Danger of Wealth, and the Finality of Judgment Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Luke 2 — The Savior Born, Revealed, Presented, and Growing in Wisdom Luke 20 — The Rejected Son, the Questioned Authority, and the Lord Who Silences His Opponents Luke 24 — The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures, Commissions Witnesses, and Ascends in Blessing Luke 5 — The Authority of Jesus to Call, Cleanse, Forgive, and Make New Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Mark 11 — The King Comes to Jerusalem: Fig Tree, Temple Judgment, Faith, Forgiveness, and Authority Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 2 — The Son of Man Has Authority: Forgiveness, Fellowship, and Lordship Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Matthew 1 — The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus the Messiah Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah Matthew 20 — The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 23 — Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness Matthew 25 — Readiness, Stewardship, and the Final Judgment of the Son of Man Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons Matthew 9 — Authority to Forgive, Mercy for Sinners, and Compassion for the Harvest Philippians 2 — The Mind of Christ and the Humility of Gospel Witness Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ Romans 10 — Christ the End of the Law and the Righteousness Received by Faith Romans 12 — Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day Romans 14 — Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience Romans 16 — Gospel Partnership, Holy Greeting, False-Teacher Warning, and Doxology to the God Who Establishes Romans 6 — Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ Jesus
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain