Servant / Minister / Elder
Concordance study of the New Testament words translated as ...
servant, serve, service, minister, ministry, deacon.
δουλως / doulos (noun form) - servant or slave
Number of occurrences (approximate, based on Strongs concordance;)
synoptics/Acts - 66; John - 22; Paul - 28; others - 5; total - 121
-Matt 8:9 a slave (most synoptic occurrences)
-John 8:34-35 he who commits sin is the slave of sin
-John 15:15 no longer do I call you slaves
-Rom 1:1, Phil 1:1, Gal 1:10 Paul a servant or bond-servant of Christ
-Phil 2:7 Christ, as a servant of God
δουλευω / doulou (verb form) - serve
syn/Acts - 6; Paul - 15; total - 21
-Matt 6:24 no one can serve two masters
-Rom 12:11 (be devoted to one another) serving the Lord
-Col 3:24 It is the Lord Christ whom you serve
**Total of these two forms: approx. 142 New Testament occurrences.
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διακονος / diakonos (noun form) - servant, minister, deacon
syn/Acts - 4; John - 3; Paul - 21; others - 1; total - 29
-Matt 20:26, 23:11 whoever wishes to become great must be your servant
-John 12:26, whoever serves me (Christ), let him follow me
-Rom 13:3 civil ruler as minister
-Rom 15:8, Gal 2:17 Christ as a servant/minister
-Rom 16:1 Phoebe a διακανος of the church at Cenchrea
-Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:8, 12 deacons
-Col 1:23 Paul a minister of the gospel
διακονεω / diakone - minister (verb, i.e. “to minister”)
syn/Acts - 20; John - 3; Paul - 4; total - 32
-Acts 6:2 serve tables
-Luke 10:40b Martha serving Christ
-John 12:26 if anyone serves me (2x)
-2 Cor 3:3 you are a letter of Christ cared for by us
διακονια, diakonia - service, ministry
syn/Acts - 8; Paul - 22; others - 0; total - 32
-Luke 10:40a Martha taking care of the serving
-Acts 6:1, 6:4 ministry of tables, ministry of the word
-Rom 12:7 the gift of serving
-Rom 11:13 Paul has a ministry to the Gentiles
-2 Cor 3:7,8,9 ministry of death/the Spirit/righteousness/ condemnation
-2 Cor 5:18 the ministry of reconciliation
-Eph 4:12 equipping of the saints for the work of service
**Total of these three forms: approx. 93
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Other words used less frequently:
λειτουργος / λειτουργια / λειτουργικος / λειτουργεω (leitourgos) - service, minister, ministry, occurs approx. 14 times in the NT.
This word is usually associated with ministry in the sense of an official religious capacity, like the ministry of the priest, also of Christ and the angels.
-Luke 1:23 (Zacharias) the days of his priestly service were ended
-Acts 13:2 (the saints at Antioch) were ministering to the Lord and fasting
-Heb 1:14 angels are ministering spirits
-Heb 10:11 the priest stands daily ministering and offering sacrifices
-Heb 8:6 Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry, ...(a better covenant)
-Rom 15:16a (Paul) a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
παις - servant or child, rarely used
οικεητης - servant, house servant, rarely used
elder - presbuteros
New Testament Uses:
1. Older in age
2. Among the Jews, the heads or leaders of tribes and families (in the OT) and, members of the
Sanhedrin, consisting of the chief priests, elders and scribes, learned in Jewish Law, e.g. Mt.
16:21, 26:47
3. The twenty-four elders enthroned in Heaven around the throne of God, Rev. 4:4,10, 5::5-14,
7:11,13, 11:16, 14:3, 19:4
4. In the New Testament Church, those raised up and qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit,
who were appointed to have spiritual care of, and to exercise oversight over, the churches. There
are indications that often a group of elders was appointed in a church.
Acts 14:23, 20:17, Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:1-7, 5:17; Tit 1:5-9, 1 Pet 5:2
Concordance study of the New Testament words translated as ...
servant, serve, service, minister, ministry, deacon.
δουλως / doulos (noun form) - servant or slave
Number of occurrences (approximate, based on Strongs concordance;)
synoptics/Acts - 66; John - 22; Paul - 28; others - 5; total - 121
-Matt 8:9 a slave (most synoptic occurrences)
-John 8:34-35 he who commits sin is the slave of sin
-John 15:15 no longer do I call you slaves
-Rom 1:1, Phil 1:1, Gal 1:10 Paul a servant or bond-servant of Christ
-Phil 2:7 Christ, as a servant of God
δουλευω / doulou (verb form) - serve
syn/Acts - 6; Paul - 15; total - 21
-Matt 6:24 no one can serve two masters
-Rom 12:11 (be devoted to one another) serving the Lord
-Col 3:24 It is the Lord Christ whom you serve
**Total of these two forms: approx. 142 New Testament occurrences.
--------------------
διακονος / diakonos (noun form) - servant, minister, deacon
syn/Acts - 4; John - 3; Paul - 21; others - 1; total - 29
-Matt 20:26, 23:11 whoever wishes to become great must be your servant
-John 12:26, whoever serves me (Christ), let him follow me
-Rom 13:3 civil ruler as minister
-Rom 15:8, Gal 2:17 Christ as a servant/minister
-Rom 16:1 Phoebe a διακανος of the church at Cenchrea
-Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:8, 12 deacons
-Col 1:23 Paul a minister of the gospel
διακονεω / diakone - minister (verb, i.e. “to minister”)
syn/Acts - 20; John - 3; Paul - 4; total - 32
-Acts 6:2 serve tables
-Luke 10:40b Martha serving Christ
-John 12:26 if anyone serves me (2x)
-2 Cor 3:3 you are a letter of Christ cared for by us
διακονια, diakonia - service, ministry
syn/Acts - 8; Paul - 22; others - 0; total - 32
-Luke 10:40a Martha taking care of the serving
-Acts 6:1, 6:4 ministry of tables, ministry of the word
-Rom 12:7 the gift of serving
-Rom 11:13 Paul has a ministry to the Gentiles
-2 Cor 3:7,8,9 ministry of death/the Spirit/righteousness/ condemnation
-2 Cor 5:18 the ministry of reconciliation
-Eph 4:12 equipping of the saints for the work of service
**Total of these three forms: approx. 93
--------------------
Other words used less frequently:
λειτουργος / λειτουργια / λειτουργικος / λειτουργεω (leitourgos) - service, minister, ministry, occurs approx. 14 times in the NT.
This word is usually associated with ministry in the sense of an official religious capacity, like the ministry of the priest, also of Christ and the angels.
-Luke 1:23 (Zacharias) the days of his priestly service were ended
-Acts 13:2 (the saints at Antioch) were ministering to the Lord and fasting
-Heb 1:14 angels are ministering spirits
-Heb 10:11 the priest stands daily ministering and offering sacrifices
-Heb 8:6 Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry, ...(a better covenant)
-Rom 15:16a (Paul) a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
παις - servant or child, rarely used
οικεητης - servant, house servant, rarely used
elder - presbuteros
New Testament Uses:
1. Older in age
2. Among the Jews, the heads or leaders of tribes and families (in the OT) and, members of the
Sanhedrin, consisting of the chief priests, elders and scribes, learned in Jewish Law, e.g. Mt.
16:21, 26:47
3. The twenty-four elders enthroned in Heaven around the throne of God, Rev. 4:4,10, 5::5-14,
7:11,13, 11:16, 14:3, 19:4
4. In the New Testament Church, those raised up and qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit,
who were appointed to have spiritual care of, and to exercise oversight over, the churches. There
are indications that often a group of elders was appointed in a church.
Acts 14:23, 20:17, Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:1-7, 5:17; Tit 1:5-9, 1 Pet 5:2