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Deacon

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

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Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Deacon
Thompson Chain Reference
• Deacons
The Topic Concordance
• Deacons
Dictionaries
American Church Dictionary
• Deacon
American Tract Society
• Deacon
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
• Deacon, Deaconess
Charles Buck Dictionary
• Sub Deacon
• Deacon
CARM Theological Dictionary
• Deacons
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Deacon
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• Deacon, Deaconess
Dictionary of Early Christian Biography
• Theosebas, a Deacon
• Prochorus, a Deacon
• Pontius, a Deacon of Carthage
•   (only first 3 shown)
King James Dictionary
• Deacon
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Seven Deacons
• Philip the Deacon, Saint
• Deacons, Seven
•   (only first 3 shown)
People's Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Deacon
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Deacon
Whyte's Bible Characters
• Philip: Deacon and Evangelist
Webster Dictionary
• Deacon
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Deacon
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Agapetus (Deacon)
• Deacon
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Deacon; Deaconess
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Deacon
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Benedict Deacon of the Church of Mentz
• Deacon
• John, the Deacon
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Deacons
• John the Deacon
• Paul the Deacon
•   (only first 3 shown)
Lexicons
• διακονέω
• διάκονος

The original meaning of this word is an attendant, assistant, helper. It is sometimes translated minister, that is, servant, as in Matthew 20:26 2 Corinthians 6:4 Ephesians 3:7 . Deacons are first mentioned as officers in the Christian church in Acts 6:1-15 , where it appears that their duty was to collect the alms of the church, and distribute them to such as had a claim upon them, visiting the poor and sick, widows, orphans, and sufferers under persecution, and administering all necessary and proper relief. Of the seven there named, Philip and Stephen are afterwards found laboring as evangelists. The qualifications of deacons are specified in 1 Timothy 3:8-12 .