Greek · G3008 · unreviewed

λειτουργέω

To minister

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λειτουργέω G3008

Pronunciation leitourgéō

What does λειτουργέω (leitourgéō) mean in the Bible?

λειτουργέω (leitourgéō) is a Greek word meaning "to minister". λειτουργέω, -ῶ (λειτουργός), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁרַת pi.

Full entry for λειτουργέω (G3008) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to minister

Extended definition

Service in an official capacity or office, particularly priestly ministry or church function, not mere servitude.

(λειτουργός), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁרַת pi., also for עָבַד, צָבָא, etc. ;]

1in cl., at Athens, to supply public offices at one's own cost, render public service to the State, hence, generally,

2to serve the State, do a service, serve (of service to the Gods, Diod., i, 21): of the official service of priests and Levites (Exo.29:30, Num.16:9, Sir.4:14, 1Ma.10:42, al.; cf. Deiss., BS, 140 f.), Heb.10:11; of Christians: with dative of person(s) before ἐν, Rom.15:27 (cf. Sir.10:25); τ. κυρίῳ, Act.13:2.

Synonymsλατρεύω (which see), prop., to serve for hire, LXX (as sometimes in cl.), always of service to the deity on the part of both priests and people (Exo.4:3, Deu.10:12, and similarly in NT). λειτουργέω "is the fulfilment of an office: it has a definite representative character, and corresponds with a function to be discharged". It is therefore used of serving in an office or ministry: in LXX always of priests and Levites, in NT, with its cognates (Rom.13:6 15:27, are not really exceptions), of services rendered either to God or man by apostles, prophets, teachers, and other officers of the church (cf. Tr., Syn., § xxxv; ICC on Rom.1:9; Westc., He., 232 ff.)

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Present Aorist

Voices

Active

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×

Present Active Acts 13:2 · Heb 10:11 2×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×

Aorist Active Rom 15:27 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 3 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

infinitive 1 participle 2

Tense

present 2 aorist 1

Voice

active 3

Mood

participle 2 infinitive 1

NT Occurrences

Acts 13:2 λειτουργούντων present active participle participle Romans 15:27 λειτουργῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Hebrews 10:11 λειτουργῶν present active participle participle

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Witnesses

Luke 1:5–25 λειτουργεῖν leitourgéō

To serve in a public or priestly role

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 13 — The Spirit Sends the Mission and the Word Turns to the Gentiles

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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