Servant

Cross-reference:

• Also found in Nave's Topical Bible

Servant

1. doulos
2. diakonos
3. pais
4. oiketes
5. huperetes
6. therapon
7. sundoulos

1. douloo

doulos an adjective, signifying "in bondage," Rom_6:19 (neuter plural, agreeing with mele, "members"), is used as a noun, and as the most common and general word for "servant," frequently indicating subjection without the idea of bondage; it is used
(a) of natural conditions, e.g., Matt_8:9; 1_Cor_7:21,22 (1st part); Eph_6:5; Col_4:1; 1_Tim_6:1; frequently in the four Gospels;
(b) metaphorically of spiritual, moral and ethical conditions: "servants"

1. of God, e.g., Acts_16:17; Titus_1:1; 1_Pet_2:16; Rev_7:3; Rev_15:3; the perfect example being Christ Himself, Php_2:7;
   
2. of Christ, e.g., Rom_1:1; 1_Cor_7:22 (2nd part); Gal_1:10; Eph_6:6; Php_1:1; Col_4:12; James_1:1; 2_Pet_1:1; Jude_1:1;
   
3. of sin, John_8:34 (RV, "bondservants"); Rom_6:17,20;
   
4. of corruption, 2_Pet_2:19 (RV, "bondservants"); cp. the verb douloo (see douloo). See BONDMAN.

See also : doulos in other topics

diakonos for which see DEACON and DEACON on synonymous words, is translated "servant" or "servants" in Matt_22:13 (RV marg., "ministers"); Matt_23:11 (RV marg., ditto); Mark_9:35, AV (RV, "minister"); John_2:5,9; John_12:26; Rom_16:1.

See also : diakonos in other topics

pais for which see pais_under_CHILD, also denotes "an attendant;" it is translated "servant"
(a) of natural conditions, in Matt_8:6,8,13; Matt_14:2; Luke_7:7 ("menservants" in Luke_12:45); Luke_15:26;
(b) of spiritual relation to God,

1. of Israel, Luke_1:54;
   
2. of David, Luke_1:69; Acts_4:25;
   
3. of Christ, so declared by God the Father, Matt_12:18; spoken of in prayer, Acts_4:27,30, RV (AV, "child"); the argument advanced by Dalman for the rendering "Child" in these passages, is not sufficiently valid as against the RV, "Servant" in Acts_4, and the AV and RV in Matt_12 (cp., e.g., the use of pais in the Sept. of Gen_41:38; Jer_36:24). The Matt_12 passage by direct quotation, and the Acts_4 passages by implication, refer to the ideal "Servant of Jehovah" (Sept., pais Kuriou), of Isaiah_42:1 and following passages, thus identifying the Servant with the Lord Jesus; for the same identification, cp. Acts_8:35.

See also : pais in other topics

oiketes "a house servant" (oikeo, "to dwell," oikos, "a house"), is translated "servant" in Luke_16:13 (RV marg., "household servant"); so Rom_14:4; 1_Pet_2:18; in Acts_10:7, AV and RV, "household servants."

See also : oiketes in other topics

huperetes for which see huperetes_under_MINISTER, and OFFICER, is translated "servants" in the AV of Matt_26:58; Mark_14:65 (RV, "officers"); in John_18:36, AV and RV (RV, marg., "officers").

See also : huperetes in other topics

therapon akin to therapeuo, "to serve, to heal, an attendant, servant," is a term of dignity and freedom, used of Moses in Heb_3:5.

sundoulos "a fellow servant," is used
(a) of natural conditions, Matt_18:28,29,31,33; Matt_24:49;
(b) of "servants" of the same Divine Lord, Col_1:7; Col_4:7; Rev_6:11; of angels, Rev_19:10; Rev_22:9.

Note: For misthios and misthotos, see HIRED_SERVANT.

douloo "to enslave, to bring into bondage" (akin to doulos), e.g., 1_Cor_9:19, RV, "I brought (myself) under bondage (to all)," AV, "I made myself servant," denotes in the Passive Voice, "to be brought into bondage, to become a slave or servant," rendered "ye became servants (of righteousness)" in Rom_6:18; "being ... become servants (to God)," Rom_6:22. See douloo_under_BONDAGE.

See also : douloo in other topics