UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Form 1

Part of speech: verb

Sense 1: to serve, to render service, to help, service, help

Semantic entry: 35.19

Semantic domains: Help, Care For

Subdomains: Serve

Definition: to render assistance or help by performing certain duties, often of a humble or menial nature

Notes: In some languages it is essential in communicating the concept of ‘service’ to introduce a specific reference to ‘a servant,’ for example, ‘to help as a servant’ or ‘to assist as one who must,’ and in some contexts it may be useful to employ a phrase such as ‘to help in small things’ or ‘to do the low tasks.’|In rendering RV MAT 20:28 · LV MAT 20:28 · Read together MAT 20:28 it may be necessary to be somewhat more specific about those who serve or are served, for example, ‘the Son of Man did not come in order for people to serve him but in order to serve people.’

MAT 20:28: RV MAT 20:28 · LV MAT 20:28 · Read together MAT 20:28

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OET-RV MAT 20:28

28 in the same way that the son of humanity didn’t come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as the cost of freeing many people.”

OET-LV MAT 20:28

28 as the son of_ the _man came not to _be _served, but to _serve and to _give the life of _him a_ransom for many.

MRK 10:45: RV MRK 10:45 · LV MRK 10:45 · Read together MRK 10:45

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OET-RV MRK 10:45

45 Even the son of humanity didn’t come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom to set many people free.”

OET-LV MRK 10:45

45 For/Because even the son of_ the _man came not to _be _served, but to _serve and to _give the life of _him as_a_ransom for many.

All 16 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 20:28 · LV MAT 20:28 · Read together MAT 20:28

MRK: RV MRK 10:45 · LV MRK 10:45 · Read together MRK 10:45

LUK: RV LUK 10:40 · RV LUK 12:37 · RV LUK 17:8 · RV LUK 22:26–27 · LV LUK 10:40 · LV LUK 12:37 · LV LUK 17:8 · LV LUK 22:26–27 · Read together LUK 10:40 · Read together LUK 12:37 · Read together LUK 17:8 · Read together LUK 22:26–27

JHN: RV JHN 12:26 · LV JHN 12:26 · Read together JHN 12:26

ACT: RV ACT 19:22 · LV ACT 19:22 · Read together ACT 19:22

ROM: RV ROM 15:25 · LV ROM 15:25 · Read together ROM 15:25

TI2: RV TI2 1:18 · LV TI2 1:18 · Read together TI2 1:18

PHM: RV PHM 1:13 · LV PHM 1:13 · Read together PHM 1:13

HEB: RV HEB 6:10 · LV HEB 6:10 · Read together HEB 6:10

PE1: RV PE1 1:12 · RV PE1 4:10–11 · LV PE1 1:12 · LV PE1 4:10–11 · Read together PE1 1:12 · Read together PE1 4:10–11

Sense 2: to take care of

Semantic entry: 35.37

Semantic domains: Help, Care For

Subdomains: Care For, Take Care Of

Definition: to take care of, by rendering humble service to

Notes: In RV MAT 25:44 · LV MAT 25:44 · Read together MAT 25:44, it may be possible to render ‘and we did not take care of you’ as ‘and we did not give you whatever you needed.’

MAT 4:11: RV MAT 4:11 · LV MAT 4:11 · Read together MAT 4:11

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OET-RV MAT 4:11

11 Then the devil left him, and God’s messengers came and looked after him.

OET-LV MAT 4:11

11 Then the devil is _leaving him, and see, messengers approached and were _serving unto _him.

MAT 25:44: RV MAT 25:44 · LV MAT 25:44 · Read together MAT 25:44

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OET-RV MAT 25:44

44 Then they’ll also respond, ‘Master, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger or naked, or sick or in prison and we didn’t help you?’

OET-LV MAT 25:44

44 Then they ˓will˒_ also _be _answering saying:
master, when we _saw you hungering, or thirsting, or a_stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and we_ not _served unto _you?

All 10 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 4:11 · RV MAT 25:44 · RV MAT 27:55 · LV MAT 4:11 · LV MAT 25:44 · LV MAT 27:55 · Read together MAT 4:11 · Read together MAT 25:44 · Read together MAT 27:55

MRK: RV MRK 1:13 · RV MRK 15:41 · LV MRK 1:13 · LV MRK 15:41 · Read together MRK 1:13 · Read together MRK 15:41

LUK: RV LUK 8:3 · LV LUK 8:3 · Read together LUK 8:3

CO2: RV CO2 3:3 · RV CO2 8:19–20 · LV CO2 3:3 · LV CO2 8:19–20 · Read together CO2 3:3 · Read together CO2 8:19–20

HEB: RV HEB 6:10 · LV HEB 6:10 · Read together HEB 6:10

Sense 3: to serve, to wait upon

Semantic entry: 46.13

Semantic domains: Household Activities

Definition: to serve food and drink to those who are eating

MAT 8:15: RV MAT 8:15 · LV MAT 8:15 · Read together MAT 8:15

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OET-RV MAT 8:15

15 Yeshua touched her hand and the fever left her. Then she got up and looked after her guest.

OET-LV MAT 8:15

15 and he _touched against _the hand of _her, and the fever left her, and she _was _raised, and was _serving unto _him.

MAT 27:55: RV MAT 27:55 · LV MAT 27:55 · Read together MAT 27:55

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OET-RV MAT 27:55

55 There were many women watching all this from a distance—they were those who from Galil who had followed Yeshua and looked after him,

OET-LV MAT 27:55

55 And there were many women observing from afar, who followed the after_Yaʸsous from the Galilaia/(Gālīl) serving unto _him,

All 5 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 8:15 · RV MAT 27:55 · LV MAT 8:15 · LV MAT 27:55 · Read together MAT 8:15 · Read together MAT 27:55

MRK: RV MRK 1:31 · LV MRK 1:31 · Read together MRK 1:31

LUK: RV LUK 4:39 · LV LUK 4:39 · Read together LUK 4:39

JHN: RV JHN 12:2 · LV JHN 12:2 · Read together JHN 12:2

Sense 4: to be a deacon, to minister to

Semantic entry: 53.66

Semantic domains: Religious Activities

Subdomains: Roles and Functions

Definition: to serve God in some special way, such as a deacon

Notes: It seems quite evident that διακονέω[d] involved a number of different functions as persons served others, especially in connection with relief to the poor. In some instances it may be best to translate διακονέω[d] as ‘to have responsibility to help others’ or ‘to be responsible to take care of the needs of believers.’

TI1 3:10: RV TI1 3:10 · LV TI1 3:10 · Read together TI1 3:10

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OET-RV TI1 3:10

10 Once they’ve proven themselves to be without any misconduct, then let them be working in the assembly.

OET-LV TI1 3:10

10 And also let_ these _be _being _approved first, thereafter let _them _be _serving, being unindictable.

TI1 3:13: RV TI1 3:13 · LV TI1 3:13 · Read together TI1 3:13

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OET-RV TI1 3:13

13 Those helpers who serve well will earn a good reputation for themselves and increase in confidence in their faith in Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah.

OET-LV TI1 3:13

13 For/Because the ones having _served well are _procuring a_ good _standing for _themselves, and great confidence in the_faith which in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa).

Sense 5: to handle finances

Semantic entry: 57.230

Semantic domains: Possess, Transfer, Exchange

Subdomains: Keep Records

Definition: (an idiom, literally: to serve tables) to be responsible for financial aspects of an enterprise

Notes: It is also possible to interpret the phrase διακονέω τραπέζαις not as an idiom but simply as ‘to wait on tables, to serve meals’ (see 23.26: τράπεζα and 46.13: διακονέω / 46.13: διακονία), but even so the context relates to caring for needs.

Collocations: διακονέω τραπέζαις

ACT 6:2: RV ACT 6:2 · LV ACT 6:2 · Read together ACT 6:2

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OET-RV ACT 6:2

2 So the twelve missionaries assembled the believers together and told them, “We’re not pleased about having to take time off sharing the message of God to be serving here at the distribution tables.

OET-LV ACT 6:2

2 And the twelve having _called _to the multitude of _the apprentices/followers said:
It _is not pleasing us, having _left the message of_ the _god, to _be _serving unto _tables.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

διακονέω

Form 1

Sense 1: to serve, to render service, to help, service, help

Sense 2: to take care of

Sense 3: to serve, to wait upon

Sense 4: to be a deacon, to minister to

Sense 5: to handle finances