Word Study · Strong's G1247 · Greek
διακονέω
diakoneo
dee-ak-on-eh'-o
Strong's 1890 spelling: diakonéō
“to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher)”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher); technically, to act as a Christian deacon
Rendered in the KJV as
(ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.
- 37occurrencesin the New Testament
- 12 of 27New Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 25inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 37 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 25
- διηκόνουν5
- διηκόνει3
- διακονῇ,2
- διακονηθῆναι2
- διακονῆσαι2
- διακονήσαντες2
- διακονουμένῃ2
- διακονῶν.2
- διακονεῖ1
- διακόνει1
- διακονεῖν1
- διακονεῖν;1
and 13 more spellings in the ledger below.
How it is rendered · 30
- ministering3
- serving.2
- they were ministering2
- to be served2
- to serve2
- were ministering2
- [still] ministering.1
- being administered1
- did minister1
- do serve1
- having been ministered to1
- having ministered1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 19
- verb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person plural5
- verb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person singular4
- verb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine singular4
- verb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singular3
- verb · aorist (simple past) active, infinitive (“to…”)2
- verb · aorist (simple past) active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2
- verb · aorist (simple past) passive, infinitive (“to…”)2
- verb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)2
- verb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine plural2
- verb · present passive, participle (“the one who…”) · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular2
- verb · aorist (simple past) active, statement · 1st person plural1
- verb · aorist (simple past) active, statement · 3rd person singular1
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- V-IAI-3P · 5
- V-IAI-3S · 4
- V-PAP-NSM · 4
- V-PAS-3S · 3
- V-AAN · 2
- V-AAP-NPM · 2
- V-APN · 2
- V-PAN · 2
- V-PAP-NPM · 2
- V-PPP-DSF · 2
- V-AAI-1P · 1
- V-AAI-3S · 1
All 37, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
Luke carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Matthew6 occurrences
- Matthew 4:11διηκόνουνdiēkonounverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person pluralThen the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.here: they were ministering
- Matthew 8:15διηκόνειdiēkoneiverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person singularSo He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve Him.here: was ministering
- Matthew 20:28διακονηθῆναιdiakonēthēnaiverb · aorist (simple past) passive, infinitive (“to…”)just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”here: to be served
- Matthew 20:28διακονῆσαιdiakonēsaiverb · aorist (simple past) active, infinitive (“to…”)just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”here: to serve
- Matthew 25:44διηκονήσαμένdiēkonēsamenverb · aorist (simple past) active, statement · 1st person pluralAnd they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’here: did minister
- Matthew 27:55διακονοῦσαιdiakonousaiverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · feminine pluralAnd many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.here: ministering
Mark5 occurrences
- Mark 1:13διηκόνουνdiēkonounverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person pluraland He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.here: were ministering
- Mark 1:31διηκόνειdiēkoneiverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person singularSo He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.here: she was ministering
- Mark 10:45διακονηθῆναιdiakonēthēnaiverb · aorist (simple past) passive, infinitive (“to…”)For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”here: to be served
- Mark 10:45διακονῆσαιdiakonēsaiverb · aorist (simple past) active, infinitive (“to…”)For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”here: to serve
- Mark 15:41διηκόνουνdiēkonounverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person pluralThese women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.here: they were ministering
Luke8 occurrences
- Luke 4:39διηκόνειdiēkoneiverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person singularand He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and began to serve them.here: she was serving
- Luke 8:3διηκόνουνdiēkonounverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person pluralJoanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.here: were ministering
- Luke 10:40διακονεῖν;diakoneinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”here: to serve?
- Luke 12:37διακονήσειdiakonēseiverb · future active, statement · 3rd person singularBlessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.here: he will serve
- Luke 17:8διακόνειdiakoneiverb · present active, command · 2nd person singularInstead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’?here: do serve
- Luke 22:26διακονῶν.diakonōnverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine singularBut you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.here: serving.
- Luke 22:27διακονῶν;diakonōnverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine singularFor who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.here: serving?
- Luke 22:27διακονῶν.diakonōnverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine singularFor who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.here: serving.
John3 occurrences
- John 12:2διηκόνει·diēkoneiverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person singularSo they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.here: was serving;
- John 12:26διακονῇ,diakonēaverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singularIf anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.here: shall serve
- John 12:26διακονῇ,diakonēaverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singularIf anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.here: shall serve,
Acts2 occurrences
- Acts 6:2διακονεῖνdiakoneinverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.here: to attend
- Acts 19:22διακονούντωνdiakonountōnverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluralHe sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.here: ministering
2 Corinthians3 occurrences
- 2 Corinthians 3:3διακονηθεῖσαdiakonētheisaverb · aorist (simple past) passive, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · feminine singularIt is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.here: having been ministered to
- 2 Corinthians 8:19διακονουμένῃdiakonoumenēverb · present passive, participle (“the one who…”) · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularMore than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering—the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.here: being administered
- 2 Corinthians 8:20διακονουμένῃdiakonoumenēverb · present passive, participle (“the one who…”) · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularWe hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.here: is being administered
1 Timothy2 occurrences
- 1 Timothy 3:10διακονείτωσανdiakoneitōsanverb · present active, command · 3rd person pluralAdditionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.here: they should serve
- 1 Timothy 3:13διακονήσαντεςdiakonēsantesverb · aorist (simple past) active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine pluralFor those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.here: having served
Hebrews2 occurrences
- Hebrews 6:10διακονήσαντεςdiakonēsantesverb · aorist (simple past) active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine pluralFor God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.here: having ministered
- Hebrews 6:10διακονοῦντες.diakonountesverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine pluralFor God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.here: [still] ministering.
1 Peter3 occurrences
- 1 Peter 1:12διηκόνουνdiēkonounverb · imperfect active, statement · 3rd person pluralIt was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.here: they were serving
- 1 Peter 4:10διακονοῦντεςdiakonountesverb · present active, participle (“the one who…”) · nominative (subject) · masculine pluralAs good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.here: serving
- 1 Peter 4:11διακονεῖdiakoneiverb · present active, statement · 3rd person singularIf anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.here: serves