λειτουργία
leitourgía
G3009 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Formal public service, especially an act of service or ministry performed for the community or the gods, frequently with reference to official roles (such as those of civic benefactors or cultic ministers). In Jewish and early Christian contexts, denotes ritual, priestly, or sacred service, including temple worship and, by extension, Christian communal worship or acts of ministry.
Semantic Range
public service, civic duty, ritual/cultic ministry, priestly service, act of sacred worship, Christian ministry, charitable ministration
Root / Etymology
From λειτουργέω (leitourgeō, 'to serve in a public or official capacity'). The word is a compound: λῆος ('people') + ἔργον ('work'), originally indicating 'work for the people.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, λειτουργία referred to a public service or the fulfillment of civic duties, such as funding or performing community works at one's own expense (e.g., festival sponsorship). In the Septuagint (LXX), it designates priestly service, especially the cultic duties in the Temple. In the New Testament, λειτουργία appears primarily in the context of sacred service—either priestly actions within the Temple or Christian acts of worship and ministry, both ritual and benevolent. The English word 'liturgy' derives from this term but has developed a more specialized meaning in later Christian tradition, focusing almost exclusively on formal worship rites; this narrower sense does not fully capture the broader range of 'leitourgia' in Koine Greek, where the meaning extends to any official act of public or sacred service. The translation 'ministration' or 'service' in older English versions reflects this wider usage, but the nuance of 'public' or 'official' remains essential for historical accuracy. Contrast with διακονία (diakonia), which more generally describes 'service,' not necessarily public or cultic. Earliest known uses: Herodotus (5th c. BCE) for civic duty, and in the LXX for cultic service.
Translation Consistency
“Service” is the most natural, flexible English word that covers the full SILEX range — public/civic duty, ritual or priestly activity, charitable ministration, and Christian ministry. It is commonly used in translations of leitourgia and reads naturally across contexts, making it the best single consistent rendering.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from λειτουργέω; public function (as priest ("liturgy") or almsgiver):--ministration(-try), service.
Root Family
λειτουργία (leitourgia) — public service, official duty, sacred ministry, priestly service
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3009-02 |
λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
ministry | of sacred public service | of sacred public service | 5 |
G3009-01 |
λειτουργίᾳ | leitourgia | N DAT F SG |
service | in sacred public service | sacred public service | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3009-02 |
Luke 1:23 | λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
ministration | of sacred public service | of sacred public service |
G3009-02 |
2 Corinthians 9:12 | λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
service | of sacred public service | of sacred public service |
G3009-01 |
Philippians 2:17 | λειτουργίᾳ | leitourgia | N DAT F SG |
service | in sacred public service | sacred public service |
G3009-02 |
Philippians 2:30 | λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
service | of sacred public service | of sacred public service |
G3009-02 |
Hebrews 8:6 | λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
ministry | of sacred public service | of sacred public service |
G3009-02 |
Hebrews 9:21 | λειτουργίας | leitourgias | N GEN F SG |
ministry | of sacred public service | of sacred public service |