διακονέω (G1247) — Greek Lexicon

διακονέω

diakonéō

G1247 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To serve or wait upon; act in service to someone, especially by attending to bodily needs, fulfilling practical tasks, or providing assistance. In extended and figurative senses, to carry out tasks or responsibilities on behalf of others, including administrative or supportive roles within a group or community.

Semantic Range

to wait upon at table, to provide for physical needs, to assist or support in practical ways, to serve a community or group, to fulfill an appointed service role, to perform administrative or logistical duties, to minister to others, to act as an assistant, to fulfill the role of a deacon (later and specialized)

Root / Etymology

From διάκονος (diakonos, 'servant, attendant'), itself likely derived from the preposition διά (dia, 'through') and the root κον- related to running or hastening (possibly meaning ‘one who runs through [on an errand]’), though the precise etymology is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Classical Greek, διακονέω typically denotes practical service or waiting upon others, often in contexts of serving food or acting as a household servant. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it retains this meaning but is expanded, especially in the Septuagint and New Testament, to include broader concepts of meeting needs, hospitality, and organizational assistance. In the New Testament, διακονέω frequently refers to practical service within early assemblies—such as distributing food, aiding the needy, or fulfilling communal responsibilities—though it can also denote serving in a more formal capacity (e.g., the office of a deacon, but this is a later institutional development). Standard English translations such as 'minister' or 'serve' may obscure the practical and non-hierarchical nature of the term in many ancient contexts. The verb is in contrast to δουλεύω ('to be a slave, serve as a bondservant'), highlighting non-compulsory, voluntary, or benevolent service (cf. also λειτουργέω, 'to perform public service'). The notion of 'office of a deacon' is a later specialized use, not inherent in the verb itself. Early Christian texts often use διακονέω of both men and women serving the community in various capacities.

Translation Consistency

primary "serve" 36 occurrences

‘Serve’ is the most natural, common English verb that covers the full semantic range of διακονέω — to wait on, attend to bodily needs, assist, minister, or carry out appointed tasks. It matches the majority renderings in the source data, works for both literal and figurative uses, and avoids the narrower or more ecclesiastical senses of alternatives like ‘minister’ or ‘deacon.’

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"having been ministered" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from διάκονος; to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher); technically, to act as a Christian deacon:--(ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.

Root Family

διακονέω (diakoneō) — to serve, to attend, to provide assistance, to carry out service

Root διακον- to serve, to provide assistance, to wait upon, to attend

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G1249	διάκονος	serving one

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G1247-18`	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	were ministering	they were serving	they were serving	5
`G1247-15`	διηκόνει	diekonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	she served	was serving	was serving	4
`G1247-10`	διακονῶν	diakonon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	serving	serving	serving	4
`G1247-01`	διακονῇ	diakone	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	serves	may serve	may serve	3
`G1247-05`	διακονῆσαι	diakonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to serve	to render service	to serve	2
`G1247-09`	διακονηθῆναι	diakonethenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be ministered unto	to be served	to be served	2
`G1247-03`	διακονεῖν	diakonein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to serve	to be serving	to be serving	2
`G1247-06`	διακονήσαντες	diakonesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	have served as deacons	having served	having served	2
`G1247-02`	διακόνει	diakonei	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	serve	keep serving	keep serving	2
`G1247-12`	διακονοῦντες	diakonountes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	ministering	those serving	serving	2
`G1247-11`	διακονουμένῃ	diakonoumene	`V PRS PASS PTCP DAT F SG`	being administered	to the one being served	to the one being served	2
`G1247-17`	διηκόνησεν	diekonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he ministered	served	served	1
`G1247-14`	διακονοῦσαι	diakonousai	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM F PL`	ministering	serving	serving	1
`G1247-07`	διακονήσει	diakonesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will serve	he/she/it will serve	he will serve	1
`G1247-04`	διακονείτωσαν	diakoneitosan	`V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL`	let them serve	let them keep serving	let them serve	1
`G1247-16`	διηκονήσαμέν	diekonesamen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	did ... minister	we served	we served	1
`G1247-13`	διακονούντων	diakonounton	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL`	who ministered	of those serving	serving	1
`G1247-08`	διακονηθεῖσα	diakonetheisa	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM F SG`	ministered	having been served	having been ministered	1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G1247-18`	Matthew 4:11	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	were ministering	they were serving	they were serving
`G1247-15`	Matthew 8:15	διηκόνει	diekonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	she served	was serving	was serving
`G1247-09`	Matthew 20:28	διακονηθῆναι	diakonethenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be ministered unto	to be served	to be served
`G1247-05`	Matthew 20:28	διακονῆσαι	diakonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to minister	to render service	to serve
`G1247-16`	Matthew 25:44	διηκονήσαμέν	diekonesamen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	did ... minister	we served	we served
`G1247-14`	Matthew 27:55	διακονοῦσαι	diakonousai	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM F PL`	ministering	serving	serving
`G1247-18`	Mark 1:13	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	were ministering	they were serving	they were serving
`G1247-15`	Mark 1:31	διηκόνει	diekonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	she served	was serving	was serving
`G1247-09`	Mark 10:45	διακονηθῆναι	diakonethenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be served	to be served	to be served
`G1247-05`	Mark 10:45	διακονῆσαι	diakonesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to serve	to render service	to serve
`G1247-18`	Mark 15:41	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	ministered	they were serving	they were serving
`G1247-15`	Luke 4:39	διηκόνει	diekonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	she served	was serving	was serving
`G1247-18`	Luke 8:3	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	were ministering	they were serving	they were serving
`G1247-03`	Luke 10:40	διακονεῖν	diakonein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to serve	to be serving	to be serving
`G1247-07`	Luke 12:37	διακονήσει	diakonesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will serve	he/she/it will serve	he will serve
`G1247-02`	Luke 17:8	διακόνει	diakonei	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	serve	keep serving	keep serving
`G1247-10`	Luke 22:26	διακονῶν	diakonon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	serves	serving	serving
`G1247-10`	Luke 22:27	διακονῶν	diakonon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	serving	serving	serving
`G1247-10`	Luke 22:27	διακονῶν	diakonon-2	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	serving	serving	serving
`G1247-15`	John 12:2	διηκόνει	diekonei	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	was serving	was serving	was serving
`G1247-01`	John 12:26	διακονῇ	diakone	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	serves	may serve	may serve
`G1247-01`	John 12:26	διακονῇ	diakone-2	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	serves	may serve	may serve
`G1247-03`	Acts 6:2	διακονεῖν	diakonein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to serve	to be serving	to be serving
`G1247-13`	Acts 19:22	διακονούντων	diakonounton	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL`	who ministered	of those serving	serving
`G1247-10`	Romans 15:25	διακονῶν	diakonon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	serving	serving	serving
`G1247-08`	2 Corinthians 3:3	διακονηθεῖσα	diakonetheisa	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM F SG`	ministered	having been served	having been ministered
`G1247-11`	2 Corinthians 8:19	διακονουμένῃ	diakonoumene	`V PRS PASS PTCP DAT F SG`	is being administered	to the one being served	to the one being served
`G1247-11`	2 Corinthians 8:20	διακονουμένῃ	diakonoumene	`V PRS PASS PTCP DAT F SG`	being administered	to the one being served	to the one being served
`G1247-04`	1 Timothy 3:10	διακονείτωσαν	diakoneitosan	`V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL`	let them serve	let them keep serving	let them serve
`G1247-06`	1 Timothy 3:13	διακονήσαντες	diakonesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	have served as deacons	having served	having served
`G1247-17`	2 Timothy 1:18	διηκόνησεν	diekonesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he ministered	served	served
`G1247-01`	Philemon 1:13	διακονῇ	diakone	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	he might minister	may serve	may serve
`G1247-06`	Hebrews 6:10	διακονήσαντες	diakonesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having ministered	having served	having served
`G1247-12`	Hebrews 6:10	διακονοῦντες	diakonountes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	ministering	those serving	serving
`G1247-18`	1 Peter 1:12	διηκόνουν	diekonoun	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	they were ministering	they were serving	they were serving
`G1247-12`	1 Peter 4:10	διακονοῦντες	diakonountes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	serving	those serving	serving
`G1247-02`	1 Peter 4:11	διακονεῖ	diakonei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	serves	keep serving	keep serving

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